Carpentaria

Carpentaria, GULF OF, a long and broad indentation of the north coast of Australia, stretching from 11° to 17° 30' S. lat., and from 136° to 142° E. long. Its name is said to have been derived from the river Carpenter, so named by Carstensz in 1623, in honour of Pieter Carpenter, governor-general of the Dutch Indies. The gulf contains many islands. Its eastern boundary is Cape York Peninsula. To the south and west are the territories of Queensland and the northern territory of South Australia. On the east it receives the Mitchell and Van Diemen rivers; at the south the Flinders, Leichhardt, and Albert; and on the west the Roper.