Southern Gulf of Carpentaria Region

Abstract

The southern Gulf of Carpentaria coast is a relatively straight coast trending southeast for 900 km and forming the southern shore of the large Gulf. It has a monsoonal climate with the trade winds generally flow off to alongshore. The coast occupies part of the Carpentaria Basin and has a low to very low gradient coastal zone, with supratidal flats extending in places tens of kilometre inland. A series of small- to moderate-sized rivers delivered terrigenous sediment to the coast and have built deltas and extensive tidal flats, though beach sediments remain 40% carbonate. Tides are meso and wave energy low decreasing to the south as the tide-dominated beaches are replaced by tidal flats and mangroves. Regressive Pleistocene and Holocene barrier islands back the high energy sections, the islands now stranded by a mid-Holocene fall in sea level. To the south the barrier grades into wide chenier-capped tidal flats, usually fringed by mangroves. This chapter examines the coastal processes, beaches, barriers and sediment transport and compartments.