Route map
Stops shown in driving order with a straight line between them, for planning only — this is not a turn-by-turn route. Always check current road conditions before you travel.
Route stops in order: 1. Derby, 2. Windjana Gorge, 3. Bell Gorge, 4. Imintji, 5. Mount Barnett Roadhouse (Manning Gorge), 6. Pentecost River crossing, 7. El Questro Wilderness Park, 8. Kununurra.
Seasonal gate & outback safety
Check before you commit to dates- JJanuary — High risk / cut
- FFebruary — High risk / cut
- MMarch — High risk / cut
- AApril — High risk / cut
- MMay — Caution
- JJune — Open — go
- JJuly — Open — go
- AAugust — Open — go
- SSeptember — Open — go
- OOctober — Caution
- NNovember — High risk / cut
- DDecember — High risk / cut
- Open — go
- Caution
- High risk / cut
Closed for the wet season, typically November to April. The road reopens progressively through May as sections dry out and are regraded — exact dates vary year to year. Check Main Roads WA before you travel, not just before you book.
Wildlife warning: do not drive at night
Do not drive any part of the Gibb River Road after dark. The unsealed surface, wildlife and cattle are hard enough to manage in daylight — after dark it's a different level of risk, with no help nearby if something goes wrong.
Live road conditions
Most visitors start from Broome, which adds 220 km of sealed Great Northern Highway to reach Derby, the road's official start at the edge of town.
Distances quoted for this road vary between sources depending on exactly where they measure from and to — the Derby town centre versus the edge of town, or the Kununurra township versus the Wyndham turnoff. The stop-by-stop distances below are approximate waypoints for trip planning, not survey-grade measurements — treat them as a guide to sequence and rough spacing, not an exact odometer reading.
This is a dry-season-only route. It floods and closes in the wet, and unlike a highway heat-caution, there is no safe way to attempt it outside the open window — sections become genuinely impassable, not just uncomfortable.
The stops, in driving order
- 01
Derby
0 km in · Start (220 km sealed from Broome)Critical supply point — Last full services before the unsealed road begins. Fill up and check the vehicle over.
The official start, and the last full services — tyres, fuel, mechanical help — before the unsealed road begins.
Tip: Check current road status here before you commit. Conditions change with grading and recent weather, and the picture can differ from what you read online a week ago.
- 02
Windjana Gorge
150 km in · approximately 3h 30mA short detour off the main road to a gorge cut through an ancient reef system, with freshwater crocodiles regularly visible on the sandbanks.
Tip: Freshwater crocodiles here are not considered dangerous to humans in the way saltwater crocodiles are, but keep a sensible distance regardless.
- 03
Bell Gorge
235 km in · approximately 1h 45mWidely considered one of the most beautiful swimming spots on the entire road — a waterfall into a large plunge pool, reached by a moderate walk.
Tip: Go early. The car park and walk are far more pleasant before the middle of the day, both for heat and for crowding in peak season.
- 04
Imintji & Mount Barnett (Manning Gorge)
305 km in · approximately 1hCritical supply point — The only reliable fuel between Derby and Kununurra, aside from the Drysdale River Station detour. Fill up regardless of your gauge.
The only fuel and supplies available between Derby and Kununurra, other than a 59 km detour to Drysdale River Station. Manning Gorge, accessed from Mount Barnett, is one of the road's best full-day walks.
Tip: Fill up here even if your tank isn't low — this is the only reliable fuel for hundreds of kilometres in either direction.
- 05
Pentecost River crossing
610 km in · approximately 7hThe iconic river crossing, backdropped by the Cockburn Range, and unbridged — you drive through the water. It's also estuarine-crocodile habitat.
Tip: Check the depth and current before committing, ideally by watching another vehicle cross first or asking locally. Do not walk into the water to check depth yourself.
- 06
El Questro Wilderness Park
645 km in · approximately 45mA large private wilderness station with its own gorges, hot springs and accommodation, requiring a separate park entry permit on top of anything else on this route.
Tip: Confirm current entry fees and permit arrangements directly with El Questro — this is separately managed from the public sections of the Gibb.
- 07
Kununurra
708 km in · approximately 1hCritical supply point — Full services return at the end of the road.
Full services return, and the end of the road. Lake Argyle and the Ord River irrigation area are close by if you have another day.
Tip: Get the vehicle checked over here — corrugations and creek crossings are hard on suspension, wheel alignment and tyres even when nothing obviously goes wrong.
Drive planning: legs, fuel and conditions
Three paces, same road: highway pace, a towing or 4WD rig, and what the day actually takes once fatigue and photo stops are in it.
| Leg | Distance | Standard vehicleHighway pace, no stops | Towing / 4WD rig90–100 km/h cruise | Realistic paceFatigue + photo stops | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derby → Windjana Gorge | ~150 km | 3–4h | 4h 50m | 5h 10m | Derby |
| Windjana Gorge → Bell Gorge | ~85 km | 1h 30m–2h | 1h 50m | 1h 45m | None |
| Bell Gorge → Imintji / Mount Barnett | ~70 km | 1h–1h 30m | 1h 50m | 1h 45m | Imintji, Mount Barnett |
| Imintji / Mount Barnett → Pentecost River | ~305 km | 5h 30m–6h 30m | 6h 35m | 6h 55m | Drysdale River Station (59 km detour) |
| Pentecost River → El Questro | ~35 km | 45m–1h | 2h 5m | 2h 5m | El Questro |
| El Questro → Kununurra | ~65 km | 1h–1h 30m | 1h 50m | 1h 45m | Kununurra |
| Whole route | 15h 45m | 18h 55m | 19h 25m | ||
How we get these: standard is moving time at signposted highway pace. Rig time assumes a 90–100 km/h cruise and slower acceleration — roughly 20% longer. Realistic pace adds a 15-minute fatigue stop every two hours (the national driver-fatigue guidance) plus about ten minutes an hour for photos, fuel and legs. Plan daylight around the realistic column, not the standard one.
| Leg | Distance | Fuel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derby → Windjana Gorge | ~150 km | Derby | UNSEALED from the start. Corrugated, variable condition |
| Windjana Gorge → Bell Gorge | ~85 km | None | UNSEALED. No fuel on this leg |
| Bell Gorge → Imintji / Mount Barnett | ~70 km | Imintji, Mount Barnett | UNSEALED. Fuel available at the end of this leg |
| Imintji / Mount Barnett → Pentecost River | ~305 km | Drysdale River Station (59 km detour) | UNSEALED. Longest fuel gap on the route |
| Pentecost River → El Questro | ~35 km | El Questro | UNSEALED. River crossing, then the Cockburn Range |
| El Questro → Kununurra | ~65 km | Kununurra | Improves toward the eastern end; sealed for the final stretch |
What can go wrong
- This road is closed for the entire wet season, typically November to April, and reopening dates vary year to year. Check Main Roads WA before you travel, not just before you book.
- River and creek crossings, including the Pentecost, are unbridged and estuarine-crocodile habitat. Never wade in to check depth, and never cross if you're unsure — wait for another vehicle or ask locally.
- Carry a minimum of two full-size spare tyres. Sharp rock and corrugations are the leading cause of breakdowns on this road, and the nearest tyre repair may be hours away.
- Fuel is available only at Imintji, Mount Barnett, and Drysdale River Station (59 km off the main road). Carry extra fuel and never pass a fuel stop assuming the next one is open or stocked.
- Mobile coverage is largely absent along the entire route. Carry a satellite messenger or EPIRB — this is not a route to rely on a phone for help.
- Corrugations vary significantly with recent grading and traffic, and can appear or worsen within days. What one traveller reports online may not match current conditions.
Conditions change seasonally and after storms. Check current conditions with the road authority before relying on any of this.
Common questions
Where this is researched from
- Main Roads WA — Gibb River Road — Official road status, closures and seasonal opening updates
- Parks and Wildlife Service WA — Gorge access, camping and park entry information along the route
This is a researched guide, not a firsthand trip report. How we research.
Spotted something we should update? Let us know.