Infrastructure
Transport
By Road
The Savannah Way themed tourism route links Cairns to Normanton, Borroloola and Broome in Western Australia. Along this route, the road is sealed between the east coast and Karumba. In the Southern Gulf, the road connection between Burke and Wills Roadhouse and Normanton (Burke Developmental Road) and Gregory (Wills Developmental Road) is sealed, with an excellent formed road almost to Lawn Hill National Park. Hence the Gulf can be accessed along sealed roads from Cairns and Townsville on the east coast and from Mount Isa and Cloncurry in the west.
Travellers approaching Queensland from the Northern Territory through Mount Isa can gain access to the Gulf along sealed roads and those from the south can travel along the Matilda Highway through Longreach. Visitation to the western Gulf is largely by way of the Matilda Highway, Borroloola (NT) and Mount Isa. From Normanton, The Savannah Way, a high quality gravel road leads west to Burketown and Doomadgee and continues on across the Queensland/Northern Territory border to Borroloola with access via a sealed road to Darwin.
By Rail
The Gulf has two options to link into the State rail system. The western
Gulf communities have generally sent and received produce from Cloncurry,
446 km south of the Port of Karumba.
The eastern Gulf communities for the most part move and receive their goods east from Cairns or Townsville. However, the Gulf region does have two independent railways, the Savannahlander based in Cairns and running to Forsayth and the Gulflander linking Normanton to Croydon. Both of these railways have long mining histories but are now used essentially as tourist adventure trains.
By Sea
There are two designated Gulf ports in the region, Burketown and Karumba. However, Burketown is a non-trading port and is not active.
The Port of Karumba is viewed as the economic pearl of the Gulf. It has strategic importance with relation to mining with the export of zinc from Century Mine, live animal exports and provides a facility for the fishing fleets of the Gulf. Karumba Port also services several coastal communities for general freight as well as being a major centre of export of live cattle to Asian countries.
The Port of Karumba was dredged in 1996, increasing the draft capacity of the port and further enhancing the strategic importance for the region. One of the increasing benefits of utilising the Port of Karumba is the ability for coastal and international shipping to bypass the sensitive regions of the Great Barrier Reef with the road network now sealed to Cairns and Townsville and direct access to large southern markets.
By Air
The air transport sector plays an important role throughout the Gulf region, by providing services such as medical services to local communities, regular freight and passenger services, daily/weekly mail deliveries.
Each of the Gulf communities have all weather air strips. Most of the air strips throughout the region are sealed and have night navigation equipment. Both Normanton and Mornington Island have capabilities of handing Fokker Dash 8 and larger aircraft.
The Port of Karumba
Karumba is situated on sand ridges where the main mouth of the Norman River enters the sea. Access to Karumba from Normanton is via a 75km sealed road. Today, Karumba is a prosperous, modern township with modern motels, hotel, holiday units, caravan parks, supermarkets and office facilities. Wharves, giant refrigerated storage, fuel tanks, slipways, engineering facilities, fishing gear supply and repair facilities dominate the river scene. As a very large fuel user, Karumba imports petroleum products direct.
Refrigerated semi-trailers bring goods north to supply Karumba and shipment to Weipa, Mornington Island and other Gulf ports. The most recent growth as a port derives from export of live cattle exports to Asia and zinc from Century Mine to Europe.
Karumba is a centre for industrial and commercial development, with a wealth of industrial knowledge and experience. This is coupled with the existing infrastructure base to support current and future developments in the Gulf region. The Century Zinc project, the largest zinc lead mine in the world, utilises Karumba as its export loading and storage operations for the mine project.
The industrial and commercial sectors support both the prawning and fishing industries within the Gulf waters. These sectors also support the local grazing industry, Local Government requirements and the local communities.
Karumba is also a major tourism destination, with an estimated 80,000 visitors per annum. While Karumba has a strong industrial base, the area still retains much of its pristine environs. Karumba is the "outback by the sea ".
Electricity and Power Supply
Electricity supplies to the region are reliable and economical. The major Authority responsible for the supply of power, ERGON Energy is committed to supplying and improving services to existing and potential new customers of the Gulf region.
Telecommunications
The Gulf region enjoys most of the benefits that our city cousins with technology including mobile phones, optic fibre and broadband internet. Satellite phones can be used and with reliable and efficient phone, fax services throughout Gulf communities, this has reduced the remoteness and isolation of the region.
The region has ABC TV, Seven Central and Imparja. Croydon has PAY-TV stations installed throughout the township. A number of radio stations are available with Radio 4KZ recently commencing broadcast to the southern Gulf region using the latest technology available. Daily national newspaper deliveries go to most of the major centres throughout the region.
