The fact that the Normanby is completely free of dams means that Australian Government studies have used it as a model for the behaviour of rivers further south when they were in something closer to a virgin state. In 2016 the Queensland Government purchased Springvale Station, a property in Lakeland. Springvale Station was purchased to add to the State’s protected area network and complement activities being taken to reduce sediment run-off entering the Normanby River catchment. The Erosion Management Plan will inform the future management planning and activities to be delivered on Springvale Station, as well as identifying potential investment and collaboration opportunities for erosion control on the property. Springvale Station Nature Refuge provides important habitat for endangered or vulnerable flora and fauna including the Cooktown orchid, ghost bat, northern quoll, red goshawk, spectacled flying-fox, spotted-tailed quoll, Semon’s leaf nosed bat and large eared-horseshoe bat. Industry The Normanby basin is almost entirely used for the grazing of beef cattle on large stations - mostly worked by Aborigines. The density of cattle is very low, as are rents. The soils, being mostly ancient lateritic Orthents, are totally unsuitable for the growing sugar cane, which is the principal crop in tropical Australia. Etymology The river was named by William Hann in September 1872 in honour of George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby, who served as the third Governor of Queensland between 1871 and 1874. Indigenous language Guugu Yimithirr (also known as Koko Yindjir, Gugu Yimidhirr, Guguyimidjir) is an Australian Aboriginal language of Hope Vale and the Cooktown area. The language region includes the local government area of the Aboriginal Shire of Hope Vale and the Shire of Cook, particularly the localities of Cape Bedford, Battle Camp and sections of the Normanby River and Annan River. See also References Rivers of Far North Queensland Bodies of water of the Coral Sea