Normanton

It’s the place where the outback officially meets the sea… the Shire of Carpentaria features two particular towns of note. Karumba is the fishing port area while Normanton is the administrative centre, both towns are located on the Norman River.

Normanton and Karumba home close to 1,800 people altogether. Normanton’s top industries including local government, education, beef cattle farming and hospitals, while Karumba’s population work in accommodation, local government, primary education, and fishing. Karumba’s fishing industry is substantial, often catching prawns, barramundi, salmon and even mud crabs.

Tourism is a growing industry within the region, thanks to the famous Gulflander locomotive. Normanton also features an 8.64 crocodile statue named Krys, considered as the largest ever taken, as well as The Big Barramundi statue which is 6m long. Karumba’s tourist highlight is the extremely rare Morning Glory clouds, spotted on some September and October mornings.

Outdoor life is popular in Normanton with facilities including a sports centre, golf course, bowling green, aerodrome and rodeo ground.

Most importantly, both Normanton and Karumba offer a unique Northern lifestyle that’s rarely found anywhere else. It’s a friendly, relaxed style of life where all those big city anxieties no longer occur. From stunning sunsets to fine fishing, the Shire of Carpentaria lets you take life back to basics.