The Gulf of Carpentaria
Carpentaria, Gulf of, a large gulf of the Arafura Sea on the northeastern coast of Australia. Cape York (in Queensland) lies to the east, and Arnhem Land (in Northern Territory) to the west. The gulf is about 480 miles (770 km) from north to south and 420 miles (675 km) at its widest span from east to west. A number of rivers, including the Mitchell, Flinders, and Roper, empty into the gulf. The shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria are sparsely settled and there is little ocean traffic. The eastern coastline was discovered in 1606 by the Spanish navigator Luis Vaez de Torres.