Australia So Much to See
A. The Gibb River Road spans a distance of 651 kilometres from the start seven kilometres south of Derby to the other end of the road at the junction with the Great Northern Highway 48 kilometres south of Wyndham.
The furthest distance between fuel outlets is between Mount Barnett Roadhouse and El Questro Village at 330 kilometres.
Gibb River Road fuel
outlets
Good news: 11th May 2016, after closing March 2015, Imintji Roadhouse and store and now RE-OPENED. Diesel fuel only, no ULP. A campground with good amenities including hot showers and camp kitchen re-opened subsequently. Drinking water available but no power.
New: Ngallagunda community store at Gibb River Station approximately 70 kilometres north east from Mount Barnett Roadhouse sell Diesel and ULP.
Mount Barnett Roadhouse to El Questro turnoff is 314 kilometres, then a further 16 kilometres into the village. El Questro is a tourist venue with a variety of accommodation options, tours and drives. The shop sells basic supplies and has a fuel outlet selling diesel and unleaded petrol.
On the Kalumburu Road, Drysdale River Station 63 kilometres north of the Gibb River Road sells diesel and unleaded petrol, has a bar and restaurant, shop with basic supplies, tyre service repair and sales, camping and accommodation, and flights over Mitchell Falls leave from the station airstrip.
Kalumburu is 266 kilometres north of the Gibb River Road and has a fuel outlet, takeaway food and a grocery store. There is camping in town and out of town at McGowans Island and Honeymoon Bay.
None of the Gibb River Road fuel outlets sell Autogas.
The Kalumburu Road (not shown on map)
Junction to Drysdale River Station 63
Drysdale River Station to Mitchell Plateau Junction 98
Mitchell Plateau Junction to Kalumburu 105
266
Mitchell Falls carpark and helipad is 85 kilometres
from the Kalumburu Road
If you are doing a full loop one way via the
Great Northern Highway
Derby to Great Northern Highway 43
Derby Highway to Fitzroy Crossing 217}
Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek 295}
Halls Creek to Warmun 161}
Warmun to Great Northern Highway Junction 151} 824
Great Northern Highway Junction to Kununurra 43
910
Great Northern Highway Junction to Wyndham 52
If visiting Broome
Broome to Roebuck Plains Roadhouse 43
Roebuck Plains Roadhouse to Derby Highway 145
188
There are fuel outlets at Broome, Roebuck Roadhouse, Willare Bridge, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Warmun, Wyndham and Kununurra. The greatest distance between fuel outlets on the Great Northern Highway is 295 kilometres between Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek.
Fuel prices can be checked on Fuel Watch WA for the towns of Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing and Kununurra. Other remote areas and out of town roadhouses and stations do not get listed on Fuel Watch. Fuel at Wyndham is traditionally cheaper than at Kununurra.
Where did we stay?
We chose Windjana (Bandilngan) and Silent Grove (Dulundi) National Parks campgrounds. We did stay at Charnley River for a couple of days - our only Station Stay. We had two nights at Manning Gorge (Mount Barnett). Two nights atDrysdale River Station to catch up on the laundry. Three nights at King Edward River camp (my favourite). Leaving the caravan we took camping gear up to Mitchell Falls car park/camping but had enough daylight left after our long day to return to base. We went on and spent three nights at McGowan's Island camp Kalumburu, another night at King Edward River campground just to enjoy it, and a night at Drysdale again. We bush camped before getting to El Questro to maximise time there (Home Valley was shut for renovations) and three nights at El Questro with very full days to see most of the very best.
Our travelogues outline what we saw and
did during our three and a half week tour Gibb River Road tour.
Places we didn’t see include Lennard River Gorge, Mount
Hart (Walarra mindi) Wilderness Lodge, Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, Ellenbrae Station, Mount Elizabeth Station, Home Valley Station,
a number of the walks and drives on El Questro, and a four wheel drive loop drive around the Cockburn Ranges.
Updated Gibb River
Road station (and former station) stays can be seen on Gibb River Road Camping.
What did we see and where did we stay on the Great Northern Highway?
Geikie Gorge at Fitzroy Crossing and Purnululu National Parks were the highlights, and can be seen in our travelogues. We stayed at Halls Creek Caravan Park, and at the National Parks campgrounds within Purnululu. Other stops were unserviced bush camping. Allow two days travelling time plus sightseeing time for the Great Northern Highway leg. We stayed at caravan parks at Derby, Wyndham and Kununurra before and after the Gibb River Road adventure.
Derby to Western start of the Gibb River Road 7
Western start of the Gibb River Road to Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road # 119
Junction Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road to Imintji Roadhouse 103
Imintji Roadhouse to Mount Barnett Roadhouse
78
Mount Barnett Roadhouse to junction Kalumburu Road 107
Junction Kalumburu Road to El Questro turnoff 207
The road into El Questro Village is 16 kilometres
El Questro turnoff to junction Gibb River Road and Great Northern Highway 36
Junction Gibb River Road to Warmun (formerly Turkey Creek)
159
Warmun to Spring Creek Road turnoff to Purnululu (Bungle Bungle Range) 53
Spring
Creek Road turnoff to Halls Creek 108
Halls Creek to Fitzroy Crossing 295
Fitzroy Crossing to junction Leopold Downs Road #
38
Junction Leopold Downs
Road to junction Great Northern Highway and Derby Highway 179
Junction Great Northern Highway and Derby Highway to Willare
Bridge Roadhouse 14
# The 125 kilometre long Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road goes to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek and through to the Great Northern Highway 38 kilometres west of Fitzroy Crossing.
Since changes to Google mapping formats, alphabetical flags are no longer able to be used on this map, so distances have been superimposed on a copy hereunder, as well as listed below. The previously linked Google Map for The Gibb River Roadno longer works.