Gibb River Road

Submitted: Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 08:39
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Hi All,

My wife and I are heading up to drive the GRR in 2 weeks. We've driven the Gibb 4 times previously and are looking for some recent info on what's still good to see at this time of year and what's ok to skip. We've got 10 days to drive from Broome to Darwin.

Thanks in advance.

Nick.

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Reply By: vk1dx - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 11:34

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 11:34
We had a great day circumnavigating the Cockburn Range on the Karunji Track. The range is right next to the Penticost River crossing. We travelled anticlockwise with the sun to our rear and thus giving us the best views of the range.

We got permission to follow the track and a map from Emma Gorge Resort.

Phil

Some more photos here: http://s905.photobucket.com/user/vk1dx/library/Karunji%20Track?sort=3&page=1



From the making of the movie "Australia".

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Reply By: rocco2010 - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 11:50

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 11:50
Gidday

Travelled the Gibb River Road two weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was my first visit so I wouldn't be so bold as to tell a four-timer where to go. I think I barely scratched the surface.

I will say it was very dry and dusty, more so that I expected. A few campgrounds were showing the wear and tear of a long tourist season.

It also was quite warm, with temperatures nudging 35C some days.

And the 4WD hire vehicle drivers lived up to their reputation. Some of them are a bit scary.

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Ross N (NSW) - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 21:27

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 21:27
Rocco2010,
As they say up that way "beware Fritz in Britz"
Ross Nielsen
Ross N

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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 12:47

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 12:47
Lennard Gorge is one of our favourites. It is less visited than most.
We used to spend the night at the end of the road right at the gorge, but I think they have stopped that now and you might need to walk the last bit.
Great swimming spot too.

Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: PhilD - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 23:31

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 23:31
In my view skip Lennard River Gorge this year. The water level around 7 weeks ago was pretty low, and no flow at all.
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Reply By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 15:13

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 15:13
Did some of it last month. Lennard Gorge is now a 1.5km walk in and is up hill and down dale and was very warm when we did it.Adcock Gorge is very pretty and you can drive to within 10m of the water. Enjoyed Mornington Wilderness Camp but you need to pre-book. Charnley River has a very good camping area and in my mind easier accessed gorges to Mornington. Good swimming though at Mornington at Cadjeput & Bluebush. If you're into canoeing then you can hire canoes at Mornington. Mornington also has a bar and restaurant with a talk by an environmentalist at night that was extremely interesting. Fires and fishing aren't permitted at Mornington or Charnley River. Mornington provide gas BBQ's in a number of places with BBQ tables and benches and water taps. Good facilities as well. Charnley has a centralised BBQ and 2 ablution blocks. WFI is also available.
Galvans Gorge is always beautiful.
Bell Gorge had plenty of water flowing over the falls as well. The camping ground at Silent Grove has grown from when we were previously there and also more facilities.

One really pretty spot and well worth an overnight camp was at Donkey Creek, which wasn't named on my maps. We had lunch there and it was very nice in deed, plenty of shade, nice lily filled creek, flat and stacks of cleared ground for camping, whatever you style. From the number of old fire pits I'd say it was a popular spot with some.

Had to turn back at Mt Barnet as my rear long range tank got a fracture in it and was poring fuel. Found out when I'd just put 160L in it didn't I. The fracture was in an inaccessible spot so was a real bugger.

Road was a mixed bag with some really corrugated sections. We did the Karungi Track out of Wyndham and some how or another we ended up driving through the scarp on a rather interesting bit of track. got to the GRR at the Pentacost right on dark and then copped some horror corrugations, (always feel and look worse at night), from there to the bitumen at the EQ turn-off.



Enjoy the drive and everything you see along the way.

Dunc
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 16:27

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 16:27
"Lennard Gorge is now a 1.5km walk in and is up hill and down dale"

Ouch!!! That's stuffed the place for me.

I didn't wanna go anyway so there! "Picture Phil spitting the dummy"

Phil
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Follow Up By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 19:04

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 19:04
Like you Phil the previous time we went we drove all the way to the top of the hill where the carpark was. Now there is no sign of a track or the car park. This trip just about blew a puffer valve and we didn't even walk down to the top of the gorge as that bit was the steepest.

One cancellation I've got the photos from my previous trip to prove I've been there done that. LOL

Cheers

Dunc
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 19:13

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 19:13
It is so frustrating. I have had a very healthy life and been fit 99% of it. Being now blocked from going to somewhere that I easily walk before is a real pain. Luckily we have done most of the bucket list #2.

Catchya

Phil
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Reply By: Motherhen - Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 21:51

Monday, Aug 29, 2016 at 21:51
We included Mitchell Falls and Kalumburu Nick. Have you been to these on your previous trips? Ten days is not long.

With this add on we spent over three weeks just seeing the basics of the Gibb River Road, and you have probably seen these all before. We joined the Gibb River Road via Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge rather than coming directly from Derby. We loved every bit of it and would enjoy the same places again.

Each of the station stays have their own attractions, but we only visited Charnley River Station.
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Reply By: Member - Nick H - Thursday, Sep 01, 2016 at 11:22

Thursday, Sep 01, 2016 at 11:22
Thanks for all the feedback, greatly appreciated.

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