9 day Gulf Explorer Accommodated
"Thank you very much for a meticulously prepared and professional adventure trip. Your thorough knowledge of the history, the flora and fauna of this region and your careful treatment of all participants added up to a once in a lifetime experience."
"The Boers family"
The Gulf Savannah - a land of real outback characters, bush pubs and wild yarns, wedge-tailed eagles and wallaroos, hot springs and cool rivers. Discover a rich history of Aboriginal culture, of explorers and pioneers, of gold rushes and railways.
With an area of 425,000 square kilometres, it is the region of northern Australia which is drained by its mighty seasonal rivers into the Gulf of Carpentaria. It's bounded in the east by the Great Dividing Range and in the west by the Arnhem Land escarpment, some 1400kms across, and represents about half of northern Australia's tropical savannahs.
The dry savannah landscape, typified by vast grass plains, open eucalypt forest and the ever present acacia (wattle), abounds with wildlife and is the epitome of the classic Australian scene.
Apart from the diversity of environments, the Gulf Savannah cradles many significant natural and cultural features. The well known Undara Lava Tubes are the world's longest and largest, Cobbold Gorge's 135 million year old history etched in sedimentary sandstone continues to fascinate geologists, the historic "Gulflander" train and its Normanton Railway Station delights train-buffs and passers-by, while spectacular Lawn Hill Gorge is rapidly becoming the new "must do" for seekers of soft adventure.
The region's economy has been predominantly based in cattle along with prawn fishing on the Gulf of Carpentaria and gold in bygone years. Mining is continuing its influence with the multi-million dollar Century Zinc mine south west of Burketown.
These days tourism is playing an ever increasing economic role with many pastoralists opening their cattle properties to tourists.
So ... come to the Gulf Savannah to capture the emotion and romance, tragedies and triumphs of Australia's amazing outback.
