gibb river road -july 2003

Clearance shouldn't be a problem as GRR is pretty well like a good country road these days and Mitchell Falls access road just requires care. July should see corrugations as your main problem due to extensive traffic throughout school holidays. Fuel shouldn't be a problem unless you rely on gas. Would suggest 3 weeks for GRR/Kalumburu/Mitchell Plateau not inclusive of time to get there and back.

Hi Jono
We're planning the same trip next year in May. We have prepared a day by day itinerary which ends up being 3 weeks. We will be camping at Windjana Gorge, King Leopold Range (2 nights), Manning Gorge (2 Nights), Drysdale River H/S, King Edward River, Mitchell Falls (3 nights), Theda H/S, Kalumburu (3 nights), Drysdale River H/S again, El Questro(3 nights), then into Kununurra.
Have a great trip!!!

UHF will do you fine

Jono

Just finished a trip which included the areas you mention. Each person would need to determine what they wanted to see but here is our intenary with added comments

2 nights El Questro In our view this is over rated and expensive for what you get.

Next camp was a camp site by the Gibb River just at the start of the Kalumburu Road. Nice spot.

From here we headed north to Kalumburu. We spent the next two nights at Kalumburu. Note as we are not fisher folk we did not stay out at the beaches north of the community but rather stayed at the mission (excellent spot) and spent some time with the locals.

Next camp was Mitchell Falls - not much of a campsite. left camp same day we did the walk and went back to camp at King Edward river camp site which had excellent swimming hole(s). Nearly worth basing yourself here and just driving into the Falls for the day (if you can stand the heat when walking). Also look for the aboriginal rock art sites east and west of the camp ground.

Next camp was Barnett River Gorge as Manning Gorge was shut.Manning gorge would have added another day

Next camp Bell Gorge ( Silent Grove Camp grounds).

Then out for a while because of the only time we could get into Cape Leveque.

Later we came back to do Windjana gorge and tunnel creek in a day ( as we had previously been here)

Overall you need to work out what you want to see. We took at is it came.

Also based on current conditions you will have no access / petrol problems but who knows what things will be like next year.

Hope this helps

Rgds

Wayne

PS do not forget the dampier peninsular north of Broome(Cape Leveque etc) - this is a great area

Jonno, I, like every other man & his dog have just come back from up that way as well. I put some info on the trek notes for the Gibb River Road that you maybe interested in !!!