Karumba Point- 'where the outback meets the sea'

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 13- 16 October: Mellish to Karumba Point- Gulf of Carpentaria

Our drive today along the Wills Developmental Road was completely on bitumen, a welcome change from the rocks and dust. We passed through Normanton, before settling into camp at Karumba Point.

Karumba is a charming port town with fishing and prawning being its major industries. It has retained an untouched quality due to its relative isolation and small population. During winter, the population swells significantly when fishing enthusiasts descend on Karumba for the plentiful barramundi. You will find a large fishing boat parked on each driveway in this small town!

Karumba is also the sunrise and sunset specialist, made especially more interesting due to tbe 'morning glory' cloud phenomenon. The Gulf is the only spot on earth where morning glory clouds can be predicated and observed on a regular basis. The morning glory clouds are a rare meteorological phenomenon and are considered the rarest cloud of the 'Arcus Cloud' family. The spectacular effect is formed when two sea breezes collide, causing low-level atmospheric waves that are 1-2km high and span up to 1,000km long.






During our time in Karumba we visited the Barramundi Discovery Centre- the only hatchery in the world that breeds the Gulf strain of barramundi for eventual release into the Gulf river systems and dams. They provide fingerlings to other barramundi breeding centers and breed zooplankton for the fingerlings to eat.



This morning we (Luca and Tim) went fishing off the beach, saw mullet swimming across the gulf  and snagged lots of rocks. All in all a good time. Tonight we are going to the pub to eat the most amazing barramundi ever and soak up our final sunset over the ocean. At night the beach comes alive with hermit crabs scurrying up from the water- amazing sight to witness.




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