The Gibb River Road is a former cattle route that stretches almost 660 kilometres (410 mi) through The Kimberley between the Western Australian town of Derby and the Kununurra and Wyndham junction of the Great Northern Highway. Like its namesake, which does not actually cross the road but runs nearby at 16°06.108'S 126°31.075'E, it is named after geologist and explorer Andrew Gibb Maitland. The Gibb River Road is one of the two major roads which dissect the Kimberley region—the other being the extreme northern section of Great Northern Highway which runs further to the south.© Wikipedia
The Gibb River Road is in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia and is a must do for 4WD enthusiasts. We only travelled along a very small section of this road on our recent trip but dream of driving the length of is iconic road - one day.
We drove across the Pentecost River at the eastern end of the Gibb River Road and this is something we can tick off the bucket list. Road conditions can change dramatically over the busy season so use your common sense and take care on the dirt.
The roadhouse has been closed as a result of a dispute over lease conditions between the Aboriginal community and those contracted to run the shop. The community hopes that another company will eventually re-open the shop, but for now the roadhouse is closed indefinitely.
If you are travelling from Derby, make sure you have enough fuel and supplies to last you to Mt. Barnett Roadhouse. If you are travelling from the Kununurra/Wyndham/El Questro side, make sure you fuel up and stock up at Mt. Barnett to last you to Derby. With thanks to (an extract from) The Kimberley Guide - 3 May 2015.