Borroloola, Northern Territory
Borroloola is located on the eastern coast of the Northern Territory on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Situated on the banks of the McArthur River, Borroloola is 670 kilometres east south-east of Katherine.
Borroloola was first gazetted as a township in 1885. At that time it was considered a lawless outpost where illegal activities such as smuggling and illicit grog running proliferated.
It is now a remote fishing community beside the McArthur River. It is now as famous for its unique characters and history as it is for its fishing.
Borroloola is a fully serviced town and the region’s popularity as a tourist destination is growing. More and more visitors use Borroloola as a base for fishing expeditions further into the region.
Borroloola – Living in Isolation
Borroloola is about as isolated as any township in the Northern Territory can be. It is 970 km from Darwin and 380 km from the Stuart Highway. This means that a visit to Borroloola involves a side trip of 760 km from the highway. There is nothing in between.
The local population is around 800, most of whom are local Aborigines. This increases dramatically during the winter months when up to 600 anglers arrive in the area. The increasing use of 4WD and the growth of barramundi fishing as a popular sport has seen the town evolve. Once an Aboriginal settlement, it is now a small tourist destination.
An area rich in minerals
Today Borroloola is positioned in one of the potentially richest mineral provinces in the world. It has one of the world’s largest and metallurgically-complex zinc-lead-silver deposits 60 km to the south. Also a relatively high-grade deposit of diamonds is being developed 100 km south of the town.
For tourists looking beyond fishing for barramundi, the NT Government has established a network of parks and reserves in the region. The National Parks include Barranyi National Park, Caranbirini Conservation Reserve and Limmen National Park.
Borroloola lies in tropical Gulf Savanna country which stretches around the Gulf of Carpentaria from North Queensland. It is also cut off, particularly from Queensland, during “The Wet” when the unsealed road from Normanton and Mount Isa becomes impassible.
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Borroloola NT, Australia
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