Kimberly Trip Advice

[TPC]

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.

Hi Fos, what time of the year did you do your trip?
A lot of the places we are going don't have booking but we will spend some time at caravan parks at Broome, Fitzroy Crossing and Kununurra and have been advised to book these.
I would be happy to avoid these places but the two wives have to be kept happy.
The broken axle would have been a real drama for you, i would imagine the camper you had would have done a lot of work being a hire one but does makes me think again of all the mechanical things that can go wrong.

[TPC]

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

Thanks Mic,

We plan to see all of those, I haven't found anyware in the Kimberly's that doesn't cost money now and except for the National Parks most are very expensive.

[Avo]

went up to dampier penn last year,one thing I can tell you the caravan parks are not cheap,best one in the whole area imo was the balmorral rd caravan park..which way you coming and going?

If you are keen theres a book called the...ummmm? Kimberly bible(all the locals call it that) had nearly every bit of info in it about the Kimberly..I'll try and dig it up tonight and give you the name..if you can't find it I can send it to you..just return it once done mate....


Found it..it's called "the Kimberly.......................................... ..An adventure's guide...by Ron and Viv Moon......look it up mate an excellent book if your heading that way..

[Cuppa]

I rate this pretty highly. Birgit has been doing it for quite a while now, & updates it every year.

http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/de...kimberley.html

and

the freebie version http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/ki...vel-guide.html

[TPC]

went up to dampier penn last year,one thing I can tell you the caravan parks are not cheap,best one in the whole area imo was the balmorral rd caravan park..which way you coming and going?

If you are keen theres a book called the...ummmm? Kimberly bible(all the locals call it that) had nearly every bit of info in it about the Kimberly..I'll try and dig it up tonight and give you the name..if you can't find it I can send it to you..just return it once done mate....


Found it..it's called "the Kimberly.......................................... ..An adventure's guide...by Ron and Viv Moon......look it up mate an excellent book if your heading that way..

I do have that book and it is great, have been using it to work out estimated traveling distances and times.

We will be heading up via the Tanami and probably heading back the same way.

This is where we have planned to stay so far.

Coober Pedy

Alice Springs

Renehans Bore

Wolfe Creek

Halls Creek-Palm Springs

Purnulula NP

Kununnara

El Questro

Drysdale River

Mitchell Falls NP

Drysdale River

Windjana Gorge NP

Horizontal Falls (Derby)

Broom

Dampier Peninsula

Broom

Fitzroy Crossing

[TPC]

I rate this pretty highly. Birgit has been doing it for quite a while now, & updates it every year.

http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/de...kimberley.html

and

the freebie version http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/ki...vel-guide.html

I have just downloaded the pay version, well worth it for $27.

Time to do some more reading.

[liftlid]

Attachment 40952

Attachment 40953

We saw something similar on the roads up there almost every day, last place I would tow a trailer.

[liftlid]

Stay away from the communities if you can, you will sleep better that way, also allow more time to enjoy the waterfalls on the gibb, it's pleasant just sitting in the rivers after lunch, take more time to explore the places that are harder to get to.

[FOS]

Hi Fos, what time of the year did you do your trip?
A lot of the places we are going don't have booking but we will spend some time at caravan parks at Broome, Fitzroy Crossing and Kununurra and have been advised to book these.
I would be happy to avoid these places but the two wives have to be kept happy.
The broken axle would have been a real drama for you, i would imagine the camper you had would have done a lot of work being a hire one but does makes me think again of all the mechanical things that can go wrong.

We went all of September 2010. The only place we had drama getting accommodation was Broom. We ended up getting a cheap motel and only stay one night on that trip.
The camper trailer, yeah bit unlucky but we were reimbursed for the cost of the repairs and have used the same hire mob since then with no problems.

[Avo]

make sure you take something to help the sandflies stay away if your going to be anywhere near the coast up there mate also,nasty buggers they are.