Sydney to Kimberley

We did the GRR a few years ago. We spent about 2 weeks and in hind sight longer would have been better but I guess we saw most of it including side trips to most of the gorges. However as we had been previously to Winjana, Tunnel Creek and Geikie we didn't go to those so I guess you would need at least another week in the area to visit them and do the trip justice.

Getting there from Sydney, I have no idea of your itinerary for that part of the trip.

As far as the GRR itself? Well worth it.

Cheers
Pop

Shouldn't be a problem provided you don't waste too much time getting over here. If I were doing it I would get to Derby asap, do the GRR, then do your sightseeing on the way back with the remaining time you have. Forget the GRR in "the wet" and in the hotter months. May to August is probably the best weather window.

You can't see it all but you can see plenty in 6 weeks and should see it as the first trip out there.

Couple of years back we covered 17,000 kms in 6 weeks from Melb with some time in the Centre, up the Tanami to the Bungles and then Broome, down to Shark Bay, back north for a sampling of the Gibb and Gibbettes, then Kununurra and back down the Stuart.

We concentrated on covering the ground when we needed to but still avoided driving at night/dawn/dusk, and had plenty of multi-day camps.

The kms add up quickly and next time I'd be taking the gear to do my own oil and filter changes.

6 weeks should be sufficient for your first trip, but you will want to go back again.

If you are intending to cross the Tanami, you can turn left at the Savannah Highway and head to Fitzroy Crossing, (plan a stopover to visit Geike Gorge) then cut across the Fairfield Leopold road through to Windjana Gorge, using the campground as a base for a couple of days, visiting Tunnel Creek and walking Windjana Gorge.

This route would be subject to road conditions at the time you are traveling but would save a lot of time than if you took the bitumen through to Derby first.