North West Queensland’s Gulf Savannah region offers unique and diverse visitor experiences, showcasing diverse landscapes of immense natural beauty and an abundance of wildlife, world class Indigenous and cultural experiences, rich heritage and history, amazing fishing and camping, and endless adventure.
The visitor economy is a key driver of economic growth in the Gulf Savannah region with our wonders and beauty attracting 98,000 visitors to the Gulf (at June 2023) staying 625,265 nights and spending over $73 million per year.
Developing a Gulf tourism collective
A key priority for Gulf Savannah Development is to work across our region and with key tourism partners to grow the visitor economy – which represents 7.5% of the regional economy – and support local industry to explore opportunities and develop new products and experiences.
To foster collaboration and bring more visitors to the region, GSD will implement the following key initiatives:
- Develop a Gulf tourism collective to foster collaboration and growth of the Gulf visitor economy by:
- Facilitating regular, ongoing collaboration and information sharing between GSD member Councils and Visitor Information Centres
- Fostering partnerships with Tourism Tropical North Queensland, Outback Queensland and Savannah Way Limited
- Engaging with local tourism businesses
- Deliver a Tourism Recovery and Resilience Program in 2024-25 and 2025-26, including employing a Tourism Recovery Officer, delivering locally led initiatives and improving digital capability and trade readiness across Burke, Carpentaria, Doomadgee and Mornington LGAs
- Update the Cattle Station Stay Manual and roll out a mentoring program to develop agritourism
- Develop more tourism experiences and products, especially First Nations experiences
- Improve Gulf tourism digital capacity and capability, including more local businesses registered on the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse and Best of Queensland Experiences
- Explore cruise opportunities in the Gulf of Carpentaria, with a focus on Port of Karumba and Mornington Island and opportunities to partner with Weipa
- Develop a Gulf tourism action plan to progress priorities identified in the TNQ Destination Management Plan
- Develop a Gulf tourism collective to foster collaboration and growth of the Gulf visitor economy by:
Tourism Recovery and Resilience Program
The Gulf’s unique natural environment means the region experiences regular natural disasters and severe weather events – the region regularly faces flood, severe storms and tropical cyclones, periods of drought and bushfires. These events are happening more regularly and have a major impact on tourism in the region.
Following severe weather events in the Gulf in November 2022 to April 2023, the Australian and Queensland Governments approved joint Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to support the Gulf’s tourism recovery and resilience. GSD is delivering Tourism Recovery and Resilience Program in 2024-25 and 2025-26, including employing a Tourism Recovery Officer, GSD is engaging local tourism operators, industry and community to identify and deliver locally led initiatives to improve tourism recovery and resilience across Burke, Carpentaria, Doomadgee and Mornington Local Government Areas. GSD will also be working with Mount Isa City Council, which is delivering a similar DRFA funded initiatives in Mount Isa and Cloncurry. We are continuing to develop practical tools and resources to support our Gulf Savannah tourism businesses to better prepare for and recover faster from disaster events.
Tourism Operators Resilience Toolkit
The following tourism resources have been developed from funding under the joint Australian and Queensland government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to support Tourism Recovery and Resilience.
The Savannah Gulf region is unique, and we face different challenges to other Queensland regions. These resources have been developed in consultation with industry to ensure your specific needs are met.
Here you will find information and tools to support your business to prevent, prepare, respond and recover from disasters and severe weather events in our region. The tools are easy to use and can help you in a few simple steps.
Savannah Toolkit
(more resources to be developed)
Regions Represented
we strive to represent all people, businesses, corporations in the Gulf Region, lobbying for greater funding and support from higher government institutions.
GSD also works closely with other LGAs surrounding the Gulf Savannah region to leverage opportunities, strengthen our regional economic development approaches, and develop joint initiatives.
Visitors to our region can be impacted by natural disasters and severe weather events, including road closures, emergency evacuations and booking cancellations.
If you are impacted by a disaster, you should visit relevant Council Disaster Hubs which provide the latest and most up to date information. Links to disaster hub sites are below. If you are in the region, you can also tune into the local ABC radio for updates.
For questions about bookings and cancellations, contact your accommodation, experience or transport provider directly.
Call 000 in an emergency.
