Gulf Savannah

Introducing Gulf Savannah

This is fair dinkum country, far beyond the squared pavements of the coastal cities; so remote, so devoid of the clamours of urban society that the weight of the sky falls heavily on the eyes and you can almost hear the bark peeling off the trees. In essence, you become part of the minimalist landscape. The small former mining towns out here have little more than a pub and a few houses, but the landscapes are incomparable – sweeping grass plains, scrubby forest and intricate networks of seasonal rivers and tidal creeks that drain into the Gulf of Carpentaria. There are just two seasons that define Savannah life: the Wet (December to April) and the Dry (May to November).

Savannah ‘stock’ are laconic and generous people who don’t hesitate to wave to travellers driving around with self-sufficiency on their towbars. Indeed, driving is the best way to see the Gulf Savannah but don’t expect a gentle meander through the suburbs – during the Wet, dirt roads turn to muck and sealed roads can be flooded, and mobile phone service is unreliable at best. This is Australia’s quintessential outback, a true frontier, which also just happens to have some of the planet’s best fishing and enviable weather for six months of the year. For more information visit www.savannahway.com.au

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009