FACILITIES ALONG THE GIBB RIVER ROAD.
There are two road houses only, along the Gibb, at Imintji Aboriginal Community, and Mt Barnett. Imintji sells diesel fuel only, and a range of supplies and take-away food, and Mt Barnett sells petrol and diesel fuel, and food and supplies. Limited tyre repairs are available at Imintji (Over the Range Repairs) and Home Valley. Both road houses are open limited hours - please check in advance. Drysdale River Station, on the Kalumbaru Road, also sells fuel and supplies.
COMMUNICATIONS ALONG THE GIBB RIVER ROAD.
Mt Hart has a satellite phone housed in a wooden hut at the turn-off from the Gibb River Road (which dials only through to the homestead), and both road houses have public phones, but communications are limited otherwise. Many homesteads will have public phones, but please note that many of these are located quite a few kilometers from the Gibb River Road. Click here for information from the Royal Flying Doctor Service about portable communications available for hire or purchase. Mobile phones (cell phones) do not work on the Gibb River Road at all.
DESCRIPTION OF THE GIBB RIVER ROAD.
Travelling northeast from Derby you pass from the flat plain country of the Meda, May and Lennard rivers and through the impressive wall like structure of the ancient Devonian limestone reef at the Napier Range. The granite tors of the foothills of the King Leopold Ranges soon give way to the rugged and convoluted Ranges themselves. Amongst the Ranges clefts and streams provide cool shady retreats for a variety of plant and animal life.
The Central Kimberley Plateau is an area of more open country. Towards the headwaters of the Hann–Fitzroy river systems to the east of the Gibb River road, and heading for Mornington Station there are wide plains dotted with mesa formations. The western side, towards the coast, is much more rugged and inaccessible. As you approach Wyndham the spectacular Pentecost Ranges come into view with massive ramparts and scree slopes.
LAND OWNERSHIP ALONG THE GIBB RIVER ROAD.
All of the land along the Gibb River Road is owned, leased and managed by someone. Much is subject to pastoral lease and some belongs to Aboriginal Communities. CALM (The Department of Conservation and Land Management) manage the national parks, conservation parks and nature reserves. If travellers wish to travel on any roads bar the Gibb River Road, Mornington Road, the Kalumburu Road, or gorge access roads as listed in the Gibb River Road Guide, then they should seek permission of the landholder. All roads other than those listed above are constructed and maintained by the landowner and are not public roads.
Large sections of the road are unfenced, and travellers should be aware of wandering livestock. Always obey "ROAD CLOSED" signs when you find them - they are there for your safety and the safety of others.
HISTORY OF THE GIBB RIVER ROAD.
The country of the central Kimberley to the coast was an area rich in food sources and abundant fresh water. This enabled the original inhabitants and their descendants to develop a rich cultural life. They knew the country of their tribe and horde intimately and adorned rock outcrops and caves with their art. Both the Bradshaw tradition and the Wandjina are features of the rock paintings in the area.
Many Aboriginal people today have returned to their traditional homelands. Six different Aboriginal languages are spoken along the road and the Communities maintain many of their traditional spiritual customs.
Coastal contact with Aboriginal people occurred from the 1830’s onwards. However, it was not until 1898 that non-Aboriginal people penetrated the King Leopold Ranges and opened up the area for pastoralism. Frank Hann, gold prospector and explorer, was the first to describe the southern area of the Kimberley plateau. Many of the features of the area bear the names he gave them in 1898. These include Mt Elizabeth, named after his mother, Bell Creek, after Dr Bell of Derby and Adcock Creek , after a Derby storekeeper . The Blythe family were early pastoralists who took up Mt House Station and built their homestead on the banks of Adcock Creek a tributary of the Fitzroy River.
Provisioning of the pastoral leases in the early years of the 20th century was by bullock and donkey team and followed a route via Carpenter’s Gap in the Napier Range between Windjana and Tunnel Creek. Road transport required a better route.
After the Second World War the pastoralists, investigated the slaughter of cattle at the Glenroy Meat Works, on the Mt House lease, and flying the frozen carcasses to market. This was the famous Air Beef Scheme. In the 1960’s construction began on the southern section a road as a Beef Road to transport cattle to Derby. This was the original Gibb River Road, so named as it was constructed from Gibb River Station to Derby. The northern section of the road remained in the hands of the local authority of Wyndham- East Kimberley. The lack of major pastoral leases and funding meant that the northern section was not as well constructed and maintained as the southern section. In 1996 Main Roads W.A. took over responsibility for the whole length of the road. This has lead to an upgrade in road conditions in the northern section to equal the southern section.
GIBB RIVER ROAD ACCOMMODATION.
There are several styles of accommodation along the Gibb River Road, including Wilderness Lodges (Mt Hart), Homestead accommodation (Beverley Springs/Charnley River Station, Mt Elizabeth, Home Valley and Ellenbrae), permanant safari tents (Old Mornington Bush Camp), and one luxury hotel (El Questro Main Homestead). Camping is also permitted at many of the above, and Drysdale River Station, on the Kalumbaru Road, also provides homestead accommodation and a campsite.
Please do note that the Gibb River and Kalumbaru Roads are remote, and the facilities along the roads will be comensurate with unique and wonderful Australian bush accommodation. Every place is different, and has a charm of its own, unique to the Kimberley. Accommodation is generally very comfortable, but not five star . This is not the place to go if you expect city-style accommodation and facilities, i.e. there are very few ensuites or air-conditioning.
However, travelling the Gibb River Road you will be rewarded with the holiday of a lifetime, see unparalleled and breathtaking scenery, and have the opportunity to meet some wonderful Australian characters who will do their utmost to make you feel relaxed and welcome.
The numbers of rooms are quite limited at all homesteads and guesthouses (most have less than 15 rooms), and it is wise to book well in advance (12 months is not too far ahead!), especially in the peak season - June - September.
Most of the literature will fail to mention that late October and November can be very, very hot (43 degrees centigrade during the day), and also humid. Most accommodation is closed by the beginning of November for this reason.
Please phone ahead if possible to book your accommodation. If you are travelling late in the season, most accommodation providers would appreciate at least one day's notice of advance bookings, where possible, for catering purposes.
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