Gibb River Road

Debraspace · Member

Gibb River Road

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

There are unlikely to be any river crossings deeper than 300mm at this time.

Cheers,
Peter

Greg 1 · Guru

Check with the local constabularly. They have had a lot of rain recently up north and it may have affected roads such as the Gibb. Usually the local police in either Derby or Kunnunurra have a good handle on current conditions.

JohnR · Senior Member

We have not traveled the Gibb River Road. However we stayed at Derby last night after coming across from Ngumban Cliff campsite. This morning we ventured to the start of the Gibb River Road as well as few other spots being Prison Boab Tree and longest water trough etc. Check the pics for Gibb River Road.

The only issue I would be considering is the amount of traffic going down the track. The number of 4x4's with off road camper trailers between Broome and Derby far out weighed the number of caravans.

JohnR

Desert Dweller · Guru

KFC, Hungry Jacks & Mc Donalds are considering opening outlets along the GRR.

These days if you haven't done the GRR you've been nowhere. biggrin biggrin

Cupie · Guru

I get regular newsletters from this source.

http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/contact.html

It has lots of current information on the GGR.

I've never been on it except for the first bit up to El Questro? and have no desire ever to do so, but I like reading about it.

So if you can believe DD then I've been nowhere.

aussietraveller · Guru

Travelled the Gibb river Road back in 1986 in a 2A Land-Rover and at that time it was more comfortable in stretches to get out and walk than to drive, one of the other guys managed to shake one of the Barn type back doors off his 4x4, suspect it would be a very different trip today in a modern vehicle and have heard sections of it are being sealed.

If you do travel the Gibb make sure you explore each turnoff as there are many special locations along the way.

I wonder if Jacks waterhole site still has a hot water system the consists of a coil of copper tube in a 44 gallon drum full of water over a fire, back then cost $1.00 for a hot shower.

Yaketty · Veteran Member

We travelled the GRR from 20 May last year starting from the Derby end. The Derby Visitor Centre www.derbytourism.com.au has daily updates on the GRR conditions and is worth phoning if you are not close enough to call in there. In late May last year we were unable to go to Tunnel Creek, Winjana Gorge or Bells Gorge as these were inaccessible due to road conditions - it was late June before these places became accessible following road repairs and the water receding after a big wet season. From the other end the Kununurra Visitor Centre also has GRR condition updates.

The GRR is totally managed by the WA Main Roads department and very little of it is bituminised - just some flood ways and a couple of slight hills. The rest is corrugated dirt. The night before we left the caravan park in Derby a couple in a 4WD towing a camper trailer pulled in around 8pm having driven the GRR from Kununurra that day! They were frazzled to say the least and why they didn't do that drive on the Gt Northern Hwy if they had to do it in a single day is anyone's guess! We stayed at Mount Hart (wouldn't bother again), Mornington Wilderness camp (brilliant), Mt Barnett (Manning Gorge is a hike but well worth it), Ellenbrae (fantastic hosts, fresh scones & mango smoothies) and Home Valley station (3 nights there - wonderful facilities) before El Questro (Zebedee Springs is a must-do). Crossing the Pentecost River was also a highlight.

The places we did visit along the GRR were fantastic and we will do it again to see the places we couldn't get to last year - it is an amazing journey and well worth doing. We took 12 days last year as we had limited time off that 4 letter word beginning with w and ending with k! Can't antagonise the Chief of Cheer by writing that word

Also as you travel along the GRR, wherever you stop for fuel or to camp, the people there can give you accurate reports on the road conditions of the next stretch in the direction in which you're heading. We can absolutely recommend doing the GRR - a big tick off our bucket list.
Cheers, Kay

bushranger · Veteran Member

kimberleyaustralia.comk mnetiined above is a treazure tro e of info of and about the Kimberley region. It's worth a look. Another excellent site is "ritas-outback-guide.com (plus possibly .au). Both can be contacted.

Bushranger