Roper Bar, Northern Territory
Encyclopedia
Roper Bar is a location in Australia
's Northern Territory
. This part of Australia is extremely remote for travellers although there are a number of Aboriginal communities in the region including Ngukurr, Urapunga and Minyerri
. A 4WD
trek through these parts can be an extension of the Gulf Track on a journey further up north to Darwin
or Arnhem Land
.
, 606 km south of Darwin, 312 km east of Katherine
and 1,235 km from Alice Springs
. The first European to explore the Roper River
was Ludwig Leichhardt
in 1845 as he made his way from Moreton Bay
to Port Essington
. Leichhardt crossed the river at Roper Bar, a rocky shelf which conveniently lies at the high tide limit on the river. He named the river after John Roper, a member of the expedition.
The town is a small settlement with a police station, a motel - the Roper Bar Store, a caravan park and roadhouse facilities. Fishing in the Roper River, particularly for the prized barramundi
, has attracted fishermen to the area. The partially unsealed road from the Stuart Highway is flat and monotonous but at road end is a picturesque tropical river which, like all of the rivers around the Gulf of Carpentaria, is unsuitable for swimming as it is the habitat of the saltwater crocodile
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. This part of Australia is extremely remote for travellers although there are a number of Aboriginal communities in the region including Ngukurr, Urapunga and Minyerri
Minyerri, Northern Territory
Minyerri is located approximately 270 km south-east of Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia by road. A permit is required for non-Aboriginal people to enter the community. The Hodgson River is in close proximity. The area experiences the Wet and Dry seasons, with temperatures ranging from Dry...
. A 4WD
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
trek through these parts can be an extension of the Gulf Track on a journey further up north to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
or Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
.
Location
Roper Bar is a settlement on the Roper RiverRoper River
The Roper River is one of the largest rivers in the Northern Territory, Australia, extending east for over 500 km to meet the sea in Limmen Bight on the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is navigable for about 145 km, until the tidal limit at Roper Bar, and forms the southern boundary of the region...
, 606 km south of Darwin, 312 km east of Katherine
Katherine, Northern Territory
Katherine is a town situated southeast of Darwin in the "Top End" of Australia in the Northern Territory. It is the fourth largest settlement in the Territory after the capital Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs...
and 1,235 km from Alice Springs
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Popularly known as "the Alice" or simply "Alice", Alice Springs is situated in the geographic centre of Australia near the southern border of the Northern Territory...
. The first European to explore the Roper River
Roper River
The Roper River is one of the largest rivers in the Northern Territory, Australia, extending east for over 500 km to meet the sea in Limmen Bight on the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is navigable for about 145 km, until the tidal limit at Roper Bar, and forms the southern boundary of the region...
was Ludwig Leichhardt
Ludwig Leichhardt
Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, known as Ludwig Leichhardt, was a Prussian explorer and naturalist, most famous for his exploration of northern and central Australia.-Early life:...
in 1845 as he made his way from Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
to Port Essington
Port Essington
Port Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory...
. Leichhardt crossed the river at Roper Bar, a rocky shelf which conveniently lies at the high tide limit on the river. He named the river after John Roper, a member of the expedition.
The town is a small settlement with a police station, a motel - the Roper Bar Store, a caravan park and roadhouse facilities. Fishing in the Roper River, particularly for the prized barramundi
Barramundi
The Barramundi , also known as Asian Seabass, is a species of catadromous fish in family Latidae of order Perciformes. The native species is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region from the Persian Gulf, through Southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia. Known in Thai...
, has attracted fishermen to the area. The partially unsealed road from the Stuart Highway is flat and monotonous but at road end is a picturesque tropical river which, like all of the rivers around the Gulf of Carpentaria, is unsuitable for swimming as it is the habitat of the saltwater crocodile
Saltwater Crocodile
The saltwater crocodile, also known as estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles...
.