Australia looks overseas for help in developing isolated north

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop speaks at a joint press conference with New Zealand's Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee (not pictured) in Sydney, Australia, May 4, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Reed

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will host diplomats from China, Britain, and dozens of other countries in its tropical north from Sunday, as part of an effort to drum up investment and broaden the economic base of the sparsely populated region.

Far North Queensland extends 340,000 square kilometres and boasts extensive coastline, tropical forests, rich agricultural land and mineral resources.