Northern Territory » Borroloola

Borroloola is a remote fishing community on the McArthur River in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This historic town is the considered the gateway to the Gulf region and is famed for its excellent fishing, and the rich lead, zinc and silver deposits that are mined in the area. Borroloola can be accessed via the Carpentaria Highway from Daly Waters in the Northern Territory or on the road through Garawa Aboriginal Land Trust from Queensland.

Once a frontier town, Borroloola is now the capital of the Gulf region. Today, the town still has a frontier feel. Fishing and camping remain a way of life for locals and travellers chasing barramundi. King Ash Bay, a great fishing spot 50 kilometres down-stream, also attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Temperatures for Borroloola
Borroloola has hot summer temperatures. The summer high temperature for Borroloola is approximately 34 °c. The summer low temperature is approximately 24 °c.

Borroloola has warm winter temperatures. The winter high temperature for Borroloola is approximately 33 °c. The winter low temperature is approximately 16 °c.

Daly Waters
Daly Waters is located 274 kilometres south of Katherine near the junction of the Stuart and Carpentaria Highways. Despite the tiny population of the settlement, the Daly Waters' Pub is one of the Territory’s most famous watering holes. The Pub is one of the oldest buildings in the Northern Territory: a quaint place armoured with corrugated iron, draped with bougainvillea and decorated with decades of memorabilia The annual Daly Waters Rodeo is a Northern Territory institution not to be missed. Daly Waters also has the distinction of being Australia's first international airfield. It has an interesting aviation history. It was a centre for the London to Sydney air race of 1926, a World War II air force base and a refuelling stop for Qantas. The Daly Waters Hangar exhibits interesting facts, photographs and equipment from the areas’ former aviation glory days.

The area's traditional Aboriginal owners, the Jingili people, believe the Dreaming tracks of the Emu and the Sun travelled through here on their way to the southern parts of the Northern Territory. When John McDouall Stuart explored around Daly Waters in the late 1800s, he and his party became lost in the region and were desperate for water, making their discovery of a small creek leading to a series of waterholes particularly significant

King Ash Bay
King Ash Bay is a popular fishing spot all year round. Fishing enthusiasts can head to King Ash Bay, which lies around 40 kilometres past Borroloola on the McArthur River. The King Ash Bay Boat and Fishing Club is a primary destination for visiting anglers, and the host of the annual Borroloola Fishing Classic, which attracts competitors from all over Australia. The King Ash Bay Fishing Club allows non-members to camp on the banks of the river.

The Simpson Desert

The Simpson Desert stretches south from Alice Springs towards the South Australia border. Many attractions located on its fringes are an easy day trip from Alice Springs and deliver a taste of its fascinating natural, cultural and historical wonders. The Simpson Desert is host to some of the best four-wheel-driving in Australia. An endless horizon, rolling sand dunes and challenging desert four wheel drive tracks all contribute to an ultimate frontier experience. Travelling through this desert region means exploring territory very few people have seen.

The Old Ghan Heritage Track passes through the Simpson Desert on its way from Port Augusta in South Australia to Alice Springs. This is one of Australia’s most important heritage trails as it follows the route of the original narrow gauge Ghan line. Interpretive signs on replica railway trolleys are located at 20 key points along the trail and tell the story of an incredible engineering achievement in the outback. Not far from the Stuart Highway (Explorer’s Way), south of Alice Springs is Rainbow Valley. Nestled in the James Ranges, it is a spectacular sandstone bluff with rainbow like bands, best seen in the late afternoon sun or after heavy rainfall.

An easy stop off on the way to Chambers Pillar is the Ewaninga Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve. These rock carvings and petroglyphs provide a fascinating record of many important beliefs by the local Arrernte people.