Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
You can drive from Broome to Kununurra in six days by taking the Great Northern Highway through Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek, or allow 10–14 days for the longer Gibb River Road journey through the Kimberley’s gorge country. The six-day plan is a compressed highway itinerary with substantial detours; the Gibb is a remote, mainly unsealed 4WD trip whose access depends on weather and current road conditions.
Choose your route: highway or Gibb River Road
| Route | Time and distance | Road and planning considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Great Northern Highway via Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek | Six days in the 2015 PerthNow itinerary; its stage distances are historical itinerary figures, not current navigation data. | Suitable for a shorter trip, but the listed excursions to Geikie Gorge, Mimbi Caves, Wolfe Creek Crater and Purnululu add driving and time on foot. Check current access and allow for realistic detours. |
| Gibb River Road via Derby and the Kimberley gorge country | Tourism Western Australia describes the broader Broome–Kununurra journey as 1,134 km and 10–14 days. The Gibb itself is about 650–660 km: Main Roads WA gives 647 km, while Tourism WA rounds it to about 660 km. | Mainly unsealed and remote; plan for a suitable high-clearance 4WD, changing conditions, seasonal closures and possible side-road restrictions. |
The six-day route is the more direct choice, but it is not an effortless six-day drive if you want to include every excursion. The Gibb option trades a longer schedule and greater preparation for time among remote gorges, stations and other outback stops. Neither itinerary guarantees that a particular road, park, campsite or tour will be open when you arrive.
Six days on the Great Northern Highway
The following sequence follows Brad Elborough’s PerthNow itinerary, published 17 June 2015. Use its distances as historical planning references only, then check current navigation and local access information before setting out.
- Broome to Fitzroy Crossing: The article lists 396 km for this stage. Overnight in Fitzroy Crossing.
- Geikie Gorge: Allow a day to visit Geikie Gorge National Park from Fitzroy Crossing. The 2015 itinerary mentions a Bunuba-led gorge cruise; check current tour operation and park access before planning around it.
- Mimbi Caves and Halls Creek: The article lists 289 km for the day. It suggests visiting Mimbi Caves on the way to Halls Creek; confirm tour availability and whether advance booking is needed.
- Wolfe Creek Crater: The itinerary allows a full-day detour from Halls Creek and lists 302 km for the day. Verify current access and driving conditions rather than treating that figure as a live route measurement.
- Purnululu: The article describes the park entrance as 160 km from Halls Creek, followed by 52 km on unsealed road. Treat those as its 2015 figures. Allow time for the park visit, walks or a scenic flight if available, and check current park alerts and access conditions.
- Purnululu or Halls Creek to Kununurra: The article lists 252 km from Purnululu to Kununurra, or 360 km from Halls Creek if you skip Purnululu. These are historical itinerary figures, not current navigation estimates.
This is a full itinerary, not a promise that every stop fits comfortably into the available hours. Detours, tours and walks require time beyond the highway driving, and current access may change the order or feasibility of visits.
Fourteen days on the Gibb River Road
Tourism Western Australia’s current planning frame for Broome to Kununurra via the Gibb is 10–14 days over 1,134 km. A fourteen-day schedule gives more room for stops and changing conditions than a rushed crossing. The Gibb River Road itself is listed as 647 km by Main Roads WA and rounded to about 660 km by Tourism WA.
The historical fourteen-day itinerary provides a useful stop sequence, but its old dates and access assumptions should not be treated as current. It starts with Broome to Derby, then follows this general progression:
- Derby, followed by Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek.
- Mount Hart and Bell Gorge.
- Mornington Wilderness Camp.
- Mount Elizabeth Station.
- Drysdale River Station and the Mitchell Plateau.
- Home Valley Station.
- Several days at El Questro before continuing to Kununurra.
Use that sequence as a framework rather than a fixed daily timetable. The availability of particular tracks, camps, parks and tours can change independently of the main road, so base overnight plans on current operator and authority information.
Vehicle, road conditions and safety
Main Roads WA describes the Gibb as a mainly unsealed road that can be corrugated, rocky or otherwise rough, with floodway depth and conditions that can change quickly. The agency recommends a larger, high-clearance 4WD, and does not recommend caravans, motorhomes or some camper trailers on unsealed roads. A 2WD should not be treated as an appropriate vehicle for the Gibb simply because a road-status page says it is open.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Main Roads WA advises drivers to plan the trip, tell someone their plan, carry spare tyres and a portable air compressor, and adjust tyre pressure to the vehicle’s load and road surface. Food, water, fuel, spares and emergency aids matter in remote areas; confirm fuel and services with current roadhouse and operator information rather than assuming they are available at each stop. Do not enter water of unknown depth, and drive to the conditions.
For vehicle guidance and current safety advice, see Main Roads Western Australia and its Gibb River Road information. A portable 12V air compressor is one example of the preparation equipment Main Roads recommends carrying; it is not a substitute for a suitable vehicle or safe decisions.
Rank #4
When is the Gibb River Road open?
Main Roads WA says the road is typically open during the dry season, from May to November. Wet-season closures are common, generally from December to April, when river crossings can become impassable or road sections may be damaged. Broome visitor information gives a slightly broader usual wet-season restriction of around November to April. These are seasonal guides, not confirmation that the road is open on a particular date.
Check the current Main Roads Travel Map and relevant shire, park and visitor-centre alerts before departure and during the trip. Main-road status does not establish that a gorge access road, campground, park or tour is open. For example, the Broome Visitor Centre page reported that Silent Grove Road and the Silent Grove–Bell Gorge road were due to close on 15 October 2026, and that Darrambal (Lennard Gorge) would remain closed until further notice because of construction. These notices are time-sensitive; check for updates rather than relying on them as a present-day status report.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Best Value
Brad Elborough’s 2015 PerthNow article framed the Gibb option as accessible between April and November. Current Main Roads guidance instead describes typical opening from May to November, with actual access determined by current conditions and alerts.
Campgrounds, fees and bookings
Broome visitor information recommends booking national-park campgrounds online and directs visitors to the WA parks service for park passes. Some campgrounds and stops are privately or station managed, with their own fees and conditions; a national-parks pass may not cover them.
The visitor-centre information says Manning Gorge camping and day-use fees are paid at the roadhouse and are not covered by a DBCA national parks pass. It also states that in 2026 the Imintji community store is not open and fuel is unavailable there, identifying Mt Barnett Roadhouse as the nearest fuel. Verify current fees, services and fuel availability before relying on those details.
The Kununurra Visitor Centre’s G.O.A.T. Gibb River Road information book covers permits, facilities, distances, parks and highlights. Use it as a planning companion, while giving current road-authority and park alerts priority for access decisions.
Recommended Free Tools
Quick Recap
How to plan the drive
- Pick the route and realistic trip length. Choose the six-day highway plan if you want a faster crossing and can prioritise excursions. Allow 10–14 days for the Gibb journey, following Tourism WA’s current guidance.
- Check access for every planned stop. Confirm the main road, side roads, parks, campsites and tours separately; one open road does not mean all destinations are accessible.
- Match the vehicle to the route. For the Gibb, follow Main Roads WA’s high-clearance 4WD recommendation and do not assume a 2WD, caravan or motorhome is suitable.
- Confirm fuel, supplies and overnight arrangements. Check current roadhouse and operator information, campground booking requirements, fees and park-pass rules.
- Recheck conditions close to departure and en route. Use the Main Roads Travel Map and current shire, park and visitor-centre alerts, and revise the itinerary if conditions or closures change.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
