The Gibb River Road is a road in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The Kimberley’s monsoonal climate dictates a clear travel window. From May to October the rains recede, unveiling dry riverbeds and reliable footing for both 4WDs and cyclists. In contrast, the wet season brings flash floods that can wash out sections of the track for weeks, but it also offers vivid waterfalls and a dramatically greener landscape that few tourists witness. Savvy adventurers time their departure to align with local festivals in Derby, where the road’s terminus becomes a hub of Indigenous music and art, adding cultural immersion to the physical journey.
While stations at Halls Creek and Bell Springs provide the basics, the true challenge lies in managing supplies for a 660km stretch of isolation. Packing a solar charger and spare tire kit is prudent, as mobile reception is sparse and roadside assistance can be days away. Many travellers coordinate with small airstrips along the route, arranging for fuel drops or emergency evacuation if a vehicle stalls far from the nearest town. A modest stock of water purification tablets and a sturdy portable stove often proves more useful than an over‑packed fridge.
Unlike the iconic Oodnadatta Track, which traverses flat desert expanses, the Gibb River Road weaves through rugged escarpments, limestone gorges and seasonally flowing rivers. This varied topography yields a constantly changing horizon, demanding a different driving style—more focus on stone gradients than sand dunes. Moreover, the Kimberley’s Indigenous heritage is more visibly integrated into the road’s stops, with rock art sites and community‑run tour operators offering guided insights that are less common on the more commercialised outback routes.
Track in Western Australia Gibb River RoadWestern AustraliaKimberley region map displaying the Gibb River Road routeGeneral informationTypeRural roadLength660 km (410 mi)Route number(s)State Route 152Major junctionsSouthwest end Derby Highway (State Route 154), DerbyNortheast end Great Northern Highway (State Route 155), Lake Argyle Road train on the Gibb River Road Stretch of the Gibb River Road The Gibb River Road is a road in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
[edit] The road is a former cattle route that stretches in an east–west direction almost 660 kilometres (410 mi) through the Kimberley between the towns of Derby and the Kununurra and Wyndham junction of the Great Northern Highway. Like its namesake river, which does not actually cross the road but runs nearby at 16°06.108′S 126°31.075′E / 16.101800°S 126.517917°E / -16.101800; 126.517917, 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. The road is often closed due to flooding during the wet season, which is typically November through March, although delayed openings have been known to happen, frustrating the tourism industry as well as locals who rely on the road. Since the mid-2000s, the road has been upgraded to a formed gravel two-lane road including a few short bitumenised sections, but 4WD vehicles are still recommended due to the water crossings and numerous heavily corrugated sections. Map Sign Sign The Gibb River Road has scenic views of geological formations and natural scenery, Aboriginal and pastoral history, as well as rare and unique fauna and flora. Attractions along the road include Windjana Gorge National Park, Tunnel Creek National Park, Adcock Gorge, Manning Gorge, Galvans Gorge, Lennard Gorge, Bell Gorge, and Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges. Accommodation is offered by several cattle stations in the area including Mount Hart Wilderness Lodge, Mount Barnett Station, Mount Elizabeth Station, Drysdale River Station, the El Questro Station, Ellenbrae and Charnley River Station.
[edit] From 1948, an Air Beef Scheme operated between Glenroy Station and Wyndham. An abattoir, freezing works, and airstrip were built on the station and the meat airfreighted twice a day to the coast before being shipped to the southern cities. To develop the beef industry further, a Commonwealth Government grant to build a road was given in 1949 and the following year construction of a road to Derby commenced, one of a number of roads built as part of the so-called "Beef Roads Scheme". This southern section, which is sometimes referred to as the Derby-Gibb River Road, was completed in 1956 at a cost of £713,677 and was used for trucking live cattle. The northern section of the road was under the control of the Shire of Wyndham–East Kimberley until 1996 when Main Roads Western Australia took over control and upgraded the full length of the highway.
[edit] A joint native title claim, known as the Dambimangari claim and covering a large area of the Kimberley, was lodged in 1998 by the Wanjina-Wunggurr (Native Title) Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC on behalf of three peoples, the Worrorra of Dambimangari, the Wunambal Gaambera of Uunguu, and the Ngarinyin of Wilinggin. The Wilinggin portion of the claim, covering an area of more than 60,150 km2 (23,220 sq mi) along the Gibb River Road, was the first of the three to be determined for the Ngarinyin people, by litigation on 27 August 2004.