Gibb River Road

Fully loaded with fuel, food and water we lowered the tyre pressure and left the sealed road behind us. The start of the Gibb River Road was rough and dusty. Within a few hundred metres we encountered our first on-coming road train and it looked to be a long, hard drive ahead. The dirt however gave way to bitumen, cars and trucks were few and far between and it was only a short drive to our first overnight stop at El Questro Station.

Gibb River Road ... more bumps please!

Road Train 

At El Questro we set up camp in the main camping area, which had plenty of shady sites and sat beside the lovely Pentecost River. The kids had a late afternoon swim in the river while we unwound and watched the donkeys wander through camp. The sites also had loads of green grass, which would be the last grass we had under the van for a while. Just before sunset we decided to venture up to Saddle Back Ridge Lookout. It was a very step drive up the hill and across the ridge but the fantastic 360 degree view and beautiful sunset was worth the nail biting experience of getting back down. 

View over El Questro Station

In the morning we topped up our fuel and our two Jerry cans so to ensure we had plenty for the long remote journey ahead. On our way back to the Gibb River Road we stopped into Zebedee Springs. Zebedee Springs is a thermal spring which has many small pools with just enough water to get wet up to your chin when sitting. The water was beautiful in temperature and, although a little crowded when we arrived, it was a very nice place.

Zebedee was a little crowded at first 

Maddi entering a small pool

Next stop was the Pentecost River crossing. It is a long crossing with slippery river stones on the bottom but fortunately only 400 mm deep at present. After crossing and taking a few photos we stopped on the bank for lunch and watched others come across. Of interest was an old cattle truck with no windscreen, missing a door and a road train taking fuel up north, amongst the regular travelers. 

We cross the mighty Pentecost River

Our lunchtime entertainment

Continuing on, we were getting used to the dirt, dust and corrugations and settled in to a steady pace. We soon passed the old cattle truck changing a shredded tyre. Later in the afternoon we passed a grader stopped at one of the flowing creeks for a cuppa. The grader was hooked up like a road train with a caravan on one trailer and a large fuel tank on the second. 

Our overnight stop was at Ellenbrae,  a bush camp where the girls were quick to request a campfire. The facilities were interesting to say the least. A camp kitchen with a big old wood-fire water heater and a bathroom with a shower and raised bath with no taps directly over it. There was a short bit of hose lying around in order to put hot water in the bath and a flushing toilet with shade cloth curtain for privacy. Thea decided to make use of the bath and bathed the children by candlelight in about four inches of water. The kids had a ball and tried to spot the lizards at the same time. 

Ellenbrae Bush Camp

Ellenbrae Bathroom

The following morning was our ninth wedding anniversary, so we celebrated in style with Devonshire tea back up at the homestead. Well, part of the homestead. We couldn't quite work out if it was the main homestead or if there was more somewhere else.  We could see an open aired kitchen, dining area, office, laundry, machine sheds, veggie patch and a Kimberley camper trailer set up. 

Ellenbrae Homestead

Our next stop was Barnett River Gorge where we tackled a proper 4wd track to get in. We were not sure how far we would be able to get the Van in, due to its size, but in the end made it almost to the end. After a late lunch we decided we would call it quits for the day and stay here the night. In the late afternoon we walked up the sometimes-invisible 1km track to the Gorge. As we scrambled over and picked our way between rocks along the rim of the gorge, Thea suddenly realized she had been here before. As young adults prior to marriage and children we had flown to Broome with a group of friends, hired a 4wd and driven the Gibb River Road. We don't really remember all our stops and have only a few memories of this time but as we entered the gorge we both knew we had definitely been here before. Once again we had the gorge to ourselves, human wise, but we did have to share with a water monitor sunning itself on the rock ledge and trying to catch the last rays for the day. While the water monitor dried himself we enjoyed a refreshing swim before the walk back to camp. 

Barnett River Gorge all to ourselves

The boys check out the wildlife 

Water Monitor

The better part of the track back to the van

The following day we cruised out of Barnett River Gorge, thankfully only meeting one car on the way in as it is a single track for the entire 3km. We continued back on to Barnett River Roadhouse for bread, chocolate, milk (only UHT available) and ice blocks for the kids.  After our little stop we continued only 14kms up the road before we stopped at Galvans Gorge. 

Galvans Gorge was an easy 1km walk into a beautiful waterhole. We dressed in our swimmers, goggles and all, dipped into the coldish water and swam over to the waterfall. The water coming over the waterfall was warmer than the pool so we sat under the waterfall and enjoyed the massage and warmth. 

Galvans Gorge

Enjoying the warmer water from the waterfall

Time to swim back

Our next stop was Adcock Gorge, where we drove a very tight 3km, 4wd track off the main road. After lunch at the van we did the short rock scramble into the gorge. We decided not to swim at this one but enjoyed watching the fish and the serenity while,  once again, being the only people there. We were certainly thankful for not being here during peak season. 

Adcock Gorge stunningly beautiful

Maddi climbing over rocks

A little off-roading for the van

After lunch we continued onto Imintja Roadhouse to refuel and buy Maddi a fishing line. Maddi had seen people fishing at a number of different places and was desperate to have a go at this sport.

The road into Silent Grove campground was very bumpy. However, the campsite was nice with good facilities. Silent Grove is within a National Park and surprised us by having flushing toilets. If we were to continue into the National Park to Bell Gorge we would need to unhook the van as we were told the road in was worse than the section into Silent Grove. We opted not to do that and decided we could miss Bell this time. Who knows, we may come back here someday. 

We continued heading west and detoured off down to Windjana Gorge National Park for two nights. Windjana Gorge had a nice open campground with some decent shade trees, hot showers and, once again, flushing toilets. We arrived at around lunchtime so set up the washing machine, and spent the afternoon catching up on the washing while watching the native birds flitting around our campsite. With bird book on hand we tried to identify some of the different varieties but for some reason they just wouldn’t stay still long enough. The camera proved very handy. There was also a bowerbird next to our camp with an impressive nest. In the late afternoon we took the short walk into Windjana Gorge, the entrance to which was right near the campground. As we walked along the sandy banks with the towering cliffs around us the kids spotted about half a dozen freshwater crocs in the river and sunning themselves on the other bank. The kids were desperate again to have a campfire so marshmallows were toasted that night. We were soon joined by a 9 year old girl, Cable, who was closely followed by her 6 year old brother, Bow, who came over to share our campfire to toast their marshmallows. The next day we met their parents, Andrew and Cath Metcalfe, Broome locals camping at Windjana for the weekend. 

Windjana Gorge Camp

The bird life 

Windjana Gorge

Croc spotting

Sun setting on a another Boab

Just down the road is Tunnel Creek, a 750m walk/wade (swim for the kids) through a limestone cave with a creek running through it. It was wonderful and cool and the kids mostly enjoyed it. In the middle the roof has collapsed and hundreds of bats have called the large entrance home. 

Tunnel Creek Entrance

Information Board

From Windjana we headed out to Derby and although the map indicated a mostly sealed road, there was still plenty of dirt road. Arriving at the local caravan park we made use of the facilities including having Internet for the first time in a long time. Sadly the Barrett charger needed a few bits put back together before we could get the batteries fully charged so that was a job for Broome.  After checking out a few of the local sites, it was fish (Barramundi of course) and chips for dinner at the wharf. On our way out of town the next morning there were a few stops at the old goal, prison tree, stock trough and the Aboriginal Cultural Centre, which had excellent art and a very good video on local indigenous culture.

Internet again. Yippee

Prison Boab Tree

Myall Bore, apparently used to water up to 500 head of cattle

Next stop was Broome for a few nights. A great tip from the Metcalfes.

Until then...

Tig and Thea