Gibb River Road Sealed??

I was told today that the Gibb River Road has been sealed. Is it true, or is someone having a lend of me?
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Reply By: Member - Scott M (NSW) - Monday, Apr 30, 2012 at 23:34

Monday, Apr 30, 2012 at 23:34
Someones having a lend of you
AnswerID: 484678

Reply By: Bush Wanderer - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 00:19

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 00:19
Yep....they are taking the piss.
That would be one expensive project, and would then allow too many people to travel to these beautiful areas....too many people can't be too good for the area.
Maybe they just added a few metres to the already sealed bit.
BW.
AnswerID: 484680

Reply By: Travis22 - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 00:22

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 00:22
It is sealed in a few small parts like many of the iconic Outback roads.

Heading from Derby iirc the first 50-100km is sealed, the other sealed sections are much shorter.

Travis.
AnswerID: 484681

Reply By: Ron N - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 00:26

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 00:26
Ha ha ha! Come in sucker! I seem to recall about a couple of kms on the top end, just where it meets the Wyndham-Kunnunurra Rd, is sealed.
If someone drove past the Gibb River Rd turnoff, on the way to Wyndham from Kununurra, they could be forgiven for thinking the Gibb River Rd was sealed.

We drove down to Emma Gorge from Wyndham, in the BIL's FJ45 Cruiser in July 1997, when we were staying with the BIL in Wyndham at the time (BIL was SIC of Wyndham cop shop).
We spent the day at Emma Gorge, and it was nice "days outing". However, the corrugations nearly shook the old 'Cruiser to pieces.

I remember being a bit worried about returning his much-loved old 'Cruiser (it was an ex-Hamersley Iron ambulance), with bits missing off it, that had fallen off on the corrugations. Fortunately, despite the horrible pounding, we only had the mirrors come loose.

Cheers - Ron.
AnswerID: 484682

Follow Up By: Muntoo - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 12:15

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 12:15
I was in Wyndham in 1997.

I cant recall a Sarge with a FJ45 though.

Was BIL's name Andy?
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Reply By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 00:28

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 00:28
That is about 1 month too late the 1st April was a month ago.... I remember hearing this about 10 years ago when we were travelling full time, the good old bush telegraph is a great rumor mill, something I miss when sitting behind a computer.

Thanks for sharing that, brings back some memories...
David

PS As the other have said it is not sealed nor is there any plan we know about for it to occur.
David (DM) & Michelle (MM)
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AnswerID: 484683

Reply By: get outmore - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 06:41

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 06:41
itl be sealed when the GCR gets sealed

it might be a possability one day but seeing as there already is a sealed road fro derby to kunners it would be unlikely in the medium term at least
AnswerID: 484687

Follow Up By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 10:28

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 10:28
Now that rumour I have heard about last year, there has been some take of sealing the whole route of the Outback way. Now this was from a WA outback tourism body but they were serious about it. I still doubt it will be done anytime soon but they actually think it will increase tourism - personally it will stop me from going as I hate tar it only brings trucks and traffic.
David
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 13:57

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 13:57
Brendon Grylls scheme that he wangled out of the Barnett Govt - Royalties for Regions - is wallowing in cash, $6B at last count.
I thought that some of this massive amount of cash would have been spent towards the Gibb River Rd sealing - but it appears that the pollies are spending lots of money on feel-good projects that are designed to benefit the towns in the NW - not the isolated places, nor the tourists.

The East Kimberley is the area where the $$'s are being spent, not the West Kimberley. The Ord expansion is taking up a lot of $$'s.

I could well imagine it's also being spent where the votes count - and sealing the Gibb River Rd wouldn't get many votes, overall. It's going to be a long time before we see it sealed.
As get outmore says, the fact that the Gt Northern Hwy is already the major sealed route, and the GRR essentially follows the same direction, on a basically parallel basis, means that the GRR is going to be a low priority for sealing for a long time to come.

http://www.rdl.wa.gov.au/royalties/r4rprojects/Pages/default.aspx

Cheers - Ron.
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Follow Up By: Muntoo - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 15:08

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 15:08
They better never seal it.

The reason the money is being spent in the East Kimberley, is because thats the area that makes all the money for the Kimberley.

The Kimberley has wanted Industry for some time, tourism benefits only a few. It hardly benefits everyday people. We incur the high costs year round so we need to be compensated with high incomes. Tourism is only a few months of the year, and sporadic from year to year.

Agriculture and mining is the only thing keeping the Kimberley going. Look at Broome, tourism has totally destroyed Broome and can no longer sustain the place.

Bring on the Gas Hub.
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Reply By: Ron N - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 10:04

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 10:04
If you just search Google Maps using "Gibb River Road" as the search term, and selecting "satellite view" - then zooming right in - you'll be able to see the small sections of the GRR that have been sealed. You can drag the map the full length of the GRR and inspect the whole length of it closely, it's quite clear.

Cheers - Ron.
AnswerID: 484693

Reply By: Gossy - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 12:06

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 12:06
Buggar! I was planning on heading up there in my Barina this year....
AnswerID: 484702

Reply By: Kris and Kev - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 12:14

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 12:14
I know the locals would have a different opinion, but I hope they never seal it. The small sections that have been sealed are because of the terrain, hills etc. This photo shows one such section. I think it was the King Leopold Range crossing. Kevin



AnswerID: 484703

Reply By: Member - bbuzz (NSW) - Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 21:29

Tuesday, May 01, 2012 at 21:29
I was up there in late 2010 going to El Questro from the Wyndham road. Parts of this El Questro was sealed; little parts; and the rest was 'god awful corrugations'.

I can see this part of the GRR being sealed eventually to give access to El Questro but no further. My van did not like the corrugations one bit and I had to travel down to 10km/h in most parts going in.

Coming out, there is a very wide table rain alongside the road that can be used to drive on. Quite smooth and you only have to dodge the drains.

As we were going out, we met the grader coming in, so the condition of the road was really bad.

Bill
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