Organization for this years event is well underway through the efforts of our hard working volunteers. Funds raised from the event go to supporting the work of the Gulf Barramundi Restocking Association – whose efforts go to restocking Gulf rivers and waterways annually. In addition funds are allocated to various Karumba community projects – so it is truly a whole of community effort.

Big  John has been catching them like this and bigger for years. He is in the park now so why not come on up for Easter, stay in the park and have a chat to John. Maybe he will give you a few hints on how to catch the big ones and you can give it a shot in the Normanton Easter Fishing Competition. We still have have room fro the Easter period, there is some great prizes and you can go in the big raffle.

13-18 July 1861 – Burke & Wills Camp 119, Normanton The Victorian Exploring Expedition of 1860-61, more widely known as the Burke & Wills Expedition, left Melbourne on 20 August 1860 with the aim of crossing to the northern coastline of Australia at the Gulf of Carpentaria, discovering new land on the way. Four members of the party (Robert O’Hara Burke, William John Wills, John King and Charley Grey) eventually arrived on the banks of the Little Bynoe River, about 40 kilometres by road from present-day Normanton on 8 February 1861 and established Camp 119 (camps were numbering in succession; Camp 75 was at Cooper Creek). Burke decided to make this the most northerly camp for the expedition; he and Wills walked further north to try and reach the sea through mangroves which proved boggy and impenetrable. The best they could do was to taste the salty sea-water and watch the tide rise and fall by eight inches as confirmation they had reached the sea before returning to Camp 119 on 12 February. Little did they know if they had kept their boats ( they carried several boats from Victoria and destroyed them along the way) they could have rowed [...]

It’s 6.31 am in Karumba at Karumba Point Sunset Caravan Park. The sun is rising in the East against a multi coloured sky. Most guests are up and getting ready for the day. Another day in Paradise. The fishermen have been up since 5 am heading for their favourite spot or a new one they want to try. Maybe they will head up the river or maybe go out to the Sand Island. The local grapevine is working better than ever and faster than email, even from thousands of miles away. The word is out that the big Barras are on the move. Positive anticipation is the mood of the day and just a touch of an adrenaline rush is in the body. We are going to get a big one today and maybe a real biggie Barramundi that may take up to an hour to land. Or we might get 6 or 7 Jew fish or maybe a big Spanish Mackerel. The Roos are out getting an early feed before finding a shady spot for the day and the Kites are soaring the sky looking for unwary prey. The crabbers pass Pelicans and Brolgas while on their way to [...]