road from Alice Springs to Kiwirrkurra

Hi Balmoral,

The Gary Junction Hwy to Kunawarritji Community on the Canning is (was 2008) a good wide road. After that not so sure. From Marble Bar you can follow the bitumen or head up towards Shay Gap on reasonable dirt roads and then out to the Hwy just short of 80 Mile Bch on good sandy road. Worth a stay at 80 Mile Bch and Barn Hill closer to Broome. Some very good art work produced at Kiwirrkurra Community if it interests you.

Regards,

Mike.

In 2009 we travelled west from Geogia Bore on the Tallwanna Track, and around some of the country between Newman and Port Hedland. There is a bit about it in one of our blogs here.
Apart from the 50kms immediately east of Geogia Bore the roads were in good condition. Many of them are maintained by the mining companies. That eastern Kimberley has some marvellously scenic country and good places to camp - I would spend more time there in preference to Broom and adjacent areas. There is a bit more about it here from our trip there in 2008.

Cheers,

Val

Balmoral

The road from Alice Springs to Kunawarritji (Well 33) is well travelled. We headed up the Wapet Rd from there and came out on 90 mile beach. I can thoroughly recommend it if you want to get off the beaten track and away from miners. We left the bitumen at Marla. Across the APY Lands, up the SBJT, then out the Desert Rd and Wapet Rd. Arriving at the Indian Ocean after a lot of desert(s) was one of those special 4WD moments. Drove down on the beach and ran into the water. Magic.

Bob

A lovely drive Balmoral. Check out My Blogs for 2009 - we did it in the opposite direction. As suggested - turn north from Marble Bar and take the Boreline Road which passes near the former Shay Gap to meet the Highway south of Sandfire Roadhouse; another very nice drive and it sure beats the Highway.

Motherhen

balmoral
Did it in 2009 and it's a gr8 road. There is just the odd spot that is a little rough, but overall a nice drive.
Suggest you fill up at Kintore fuel was $1.50 /lt,
At Kiwirrkurra fuel was $2.80 then (more now)
At Kunawarritji fuel was $3.20 (more now)

Not sure of the distance from Kintore to Marble Bar, or the Sandfire road house via Shae Gap, but work on 1200 km, so unless you have long range tanks, it could well pay to take some jerry cans and fill them up at Kintore.

We topped up at both, even though the prices were high, we wanted to visit the communities. We found them great.
Cheers
Bucky

Balmoral,

We have travelled across that road twice and its like the others have said, a good road but with the usual share of sand, rocky stretches and corrugations. On the whole though its very good and is one of my favourite "drives"...I love it out there. There are lots of good camping spots along the way too. I imagine you know you have to get permits to travel from both WA and NT Land Councils.

We called in to Papunya, Kintore, Kiwwurkurra, Kunawarritji Communities and either got fuel or food. From Kunawarritji Community the road remains good.

We made a detour to camp at Carawine Gorge which is lovely ... great spot to camp for a couple of nights. When you are almost right in to the gorge, take the track that runs off to the right after the first (I think) Salmon Gum and you will come to grassy sections...go any further and you'll be camping on rocks.

From Carawine you return to the main road and head to Marble Bar and you have the options of keeping on the bitumen until you reach the main coastal highway or taking the Shay Gap road which will take you through some interesting country and comes out not far from 80 Mile Beach.

Our trip across took us a couple of days. We began from the West McDonnell's..camped at Redbank Gorge then took the road past Haasts Bluff to come out near Papunya. We camped the first night about thirty kms west of the WA border in a grove of Desert Oaks and the second night about 30kms west of Kunawarritji.

I have some blogs on our travels on EO.

Best Wishes

Viv