Carpentaria

Carpentaria is a geographic and cultural name used in northern Australia. The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow gulf bounded by the eastern coast of Queensland to the east and the western coast of the Northern Territory to the west, with its northern extent opening into the Arafura Sea. The surrounding hinterland is sparsely populated and features tropical savanna, mangroves, and floodplains; the region supports fishing, cattle ranching, and tourism.

Carpentaria Shire is a local government area in Queensland named after the gulf. Its administrative center is Normanton, and it includes coastal towns along the gulf.

Carpentaria also refers to a 2006 novel by Alexis Wright. The epic work centers on communities around the Gulf of Carpentaria and interweaves Indigenous histories with contemporary politics. It received critical acclaim and won the 2007 Miles Franklin Award.