Kimberly Trip Advice

[TPC]

I am in the process of planning and booking my trip to the Kimberly's and Dampier Peninsula.
I am taking 6 weeks for this trip and will use up 8 nights getting from home to the Kimberlys and back, would like to have more time but not possible with work commitments.
I am currently preparing an agenda and booking the caravan parks and activities that need to be booked in advance, i would prefer to plan as i go along but have been advised that as we are traveling in peek season (June,July) we need to book.
I am interested in hearing from anybody who has done the Gibb River Road and/or Dampier Peninsula, interested in highlights, things to avoid and any other advice you think would be useful.

Cuppa, I have read your trip report which is very detailed and a great read but would be interested in what you would do now if you had a week to spend on the Dampier Peninsula, my original plans did not include heading up there but your trip report changed my mind.

Any advice or comments welcome.

Thanks, Tony.

[BigRAWesty]

Yea..

Leave me a seat...





Please.. I'll do the dishes..

[TPC]

Yea..

Leave me a seat...





Please.. I'll do the dishes..

Tempting, I hate dishes.

[Cuppa]

I’ll show you the best bits if you wanna take me along, but you’ll have to do your own dishes!

if I were going up the Dampier Peninsula for a week, I’d do much the same as I did previously. With one addition.
The west coast & the east coast of the peninsula are quite different so at the very least I would want to camp on both sides. You will have seen from my report that I thought very highly of two places we stayed at, Whalesong Cafe on the west coast & Bully’s camp on the east coast. There are many other small camps, but some are pretty un-appealing & run down, & some with no access to the water. The addition is a camp which has been set up since we were there & I would be keen to give it a go. It is the Gnylmarung retreat near Beagle Bay on the west coast. http://gnylmarung.org.au I think in a week I’d have to go to all three. Whalseong for it red pindan cliffs & beaches, & great laid back ambience, Gnylmarung for some fishing & being a bit more active, & Bully’s for a bit of each of those in the different east coast environment. Bully’s is also a good spot to base yourself in to explore the top end of the peninsula from.

I could tell you a bit about our experience of the Gibb River Road, but others who have travelled all of it might like to tell of their experience. We loved it but only travevelled part of it, & look forward to getting back up there & seeing a everything it has to offer as well as revisiting the parts we preveiously went to.

How are you getting up to the Kimberley? If you are going via the Tanami, I am told there is some great camping along the Duncan Road up to Kunnunurra. Then westward along the Gibb. Trouble with that is that you bypass the Bungles which are a must see (allow at least 3 days in there). If you are passing by Keep River NP on the NT side of the WA Border, it is also well worth a visit.

Geez mate you have me salivating at the thought of your trip!

Cuppa

[FOS]

My wife and I did the Gibb in 2010. We didn’t book ahead, just winged it all the way.
We started from the Derby side, first stop Windjana Gorge. Camping at the Gorge was $10 from memory, first in best dressed. Solar showers and long drop toilets, no powered sites.
The axle on the camper trailer seize half way across at Imintji . Neville from "Over the range Mechanical repairs" located directly next to Imintji Roadhouse made up a “new” axle from an old Toyota axle. That got us all the way home to Perth via Kununurra. We had to camped in the bush down by the river for the night which was a bit scary.
We were heading up to Kulumburu but the road up to Drysdale River Station was rough as guts and we just didn’t want to drive another 160 kms on corrugation like that. Driving in we were doing 20 kph and it was rattling the fillings outta my teeth. Coming out I floored it (90 – 100kms) and it wasn’t too bad.
Home Valley Station: Best Barramundi I have ever eaten.
El Questro: Millionaires paradise, to expensive for this little peasant.

[FOS]

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[FOS]

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ivanhoe crossing

[happygu]

I dont want to give you you too much advice, because everything has changed in the last 10 years since our second trip up there......

But - I dont think this has changed, everything is fantastic and there isnt anything I wouldnt see again.

A few of the highlights were camping on the beachfront north of Kalumburu, Mitchell Falls, Tunnel Creek, Fitzroy River, camping out on Halls Creek Station ( which I think all costs money these days ), Winjana Gorge.

Mic

[TPC]

I’ll show you the best bits if you wanna take me along, but you’ll have to do your own dishes!

if I were going up the Dampier Peninsula for a week, I’d do much the same as I did previously. With one addition.
The west coast & the east coast of the peninsula are quite different so at the very least I would want to camp on both sides. You will have seen from my report that I thought very highly of two places we stayed at, Whalesong Cafe on the west coast & Bully’s camp on the east coast. There are many other small camps, but some are pretty un-appealing & run down, & some with no access to the water. The addition is a camp which has been set up since we were there & I would be keen to give it a go. It is the Gnylmarung retreat near Beagle Bay on the west coast. http://gnylmarung.org.au I think in a week I’d have to go to all three. Whalseong for it red pindan cliffs & beaches, & great laid back ambience, Gnylmarung for some fishing & being a bit more active, & Bully’s for a bit of each of those in the different east coast environment. Bully’s is also a good spot to base yourself in to explore the top end of the peninsula from.

I could tell you a bit about our experience of the Gibb River Road, but others who have travelled all of it might like to tell of their experience. We loved it but only travevelled part of it, & look forward to getting back up there & seeing a everything it has to offer as well as revisiting the parts we preveiously went to.

How are you getting up to the Kimberley? If you are going via the Tanami, I am told there is some great camping along the Duncan Road up to Kunnunurra. Then westward along the Gibb. Trouble with that is that you bypass the Bungles which are a must see (allow at least 3 days in there). If you are passing by Keep River NP on the NT side of the WA Border, it is also well worth a visit.

Geez mate you have me salivating at the thought of your trip!

Cuppa

Thanks for the reply Cuppa, I agree that Bully's camp on the east coast is a place to go, sounds like paradise and I am not worried about the basic facilities as I am happy to bush camp and be self sufficient. I could not work out where Whalesong was at first but believe it is in Pender Bay. I have just looked up Gnylmarung retreat and it does sound like a good choice.
We will be heading up the Tanami and plan to spend a day at Palm Springs and 3 days in the Bungles so that rules out Duncan Rd.

When i first booked time off work for this trip i thought 6 weeks would allow me to take my time and see everything but have now realized that i could easily spend 3 months up there and still miss some places.

[Cuppa]

Not sure of the name of the bay where Whalesong is, but basically follow the signs to Middle Lagoon & look out for the Whalesong sign when you get close.