Category: Kimberley

Kimberley is a land of great diversity, contrast, rich Aboriginal history and culture, immense beauty and uniqueness. It occupies the whole north western corner of Western Australia.

Hann River and Durack River crossings

Hann River and Durack River crossings were some of the most memorable river crossings for us along the Gibb River Road (apart from the famous Pentecost River). We even camped there!

Hann River

Hann River crossing

Hann River free camp ground is 60km from Manning Gorge (going east). It is close to the road, along Hann River (as the name suggests). We camped on the right side, just after the river (travelling from west to east). As we arrived late, there was just one place for us with at least 7 campers already there.

However, we discovered later that just after the turning, there was another track on the right with a big clearing enough for many more vehicles. So if you arrive late and are looking for a spot to rest for the night, there is definitely space for everyone.

Hann River crossing the Gibb River Road
The Gibb River Road crossing the Hann River

No doubt, if you are closer to the river, you get nicer views. But you can also go for a walk and enjoy those same views which are really amazing. Trees lining the river create a beautiful reflection in the water. They are also home to a lot of birds. Some people even go for a swim (or at least a waddle) in the river. If you are not keen on swimming, simply spending a bit of time near the river in that beautiful place, be it overnight or a few days, is really worth it. Just make sure you keep the place clean when you leave, so the next traveller can enjoy too 😊.

Places like this offer a wonderful opportunity to meet other travellers and share experiences. We still have fond memories of the Turner family (with your 4 bright children) we met at Hann River in July😊.

Durack River

Durack River crossing the Gibb River Road

Durack River is one of the major rivers in Kimberley. Like many other rivers, it crosses the Gibb River Road. Rising below the Durack Range and flowing north in East Kimberley, it is another picturesque place to discover, explore and rest by. While the river was flowing when we visited in July, the crossing on the Gibb was dry.

Durack River from above
Durack River camp

It is worth remembering that much of the land along the Gibb River Road is privately owned. Consequently, it is important to respect the land, so that it can be enjoyed by many generations to come. Leaving the place clean and in a better condition than you find it, is something we all can do. It is a way of paying for the privilege of stepping on the ancient land and enjoying one of the world’s last remaining wilderness areas.

Pentecost River Crossing

Iconic Pentecost River crossing

No trip along the Gibb River Road is complete without crossing the iconic Pentecost River. While it can be deep and very wide during wet season, it is relatively easy to cross during dry season. It is the place where every traveller would stop to take pictures. We’ve seen hundreds of vehicles crossing the river in one day. Many of them were dropping passengers on one side of the river and made round trips to take that ideal photograph. We also saw quite a few tow trucks passing by, pulling broken vehicles in both directions. Salt water crocodiles inhibit the river (although we did not see any), thus swimming or waddling through can be dangerous.

Pentecost river is an excellent place for catching barramundi. Although, we did not catch anything when we visited in July. We heard that it was too cold and not the season for barramundi.

It is also a popular camping spot for many travellers and a happy meet up place with other fellow travellers whom you’ve made acquaintances earlier the trip along the Gibb River Road (hello to Jason and Anthony from eastern states and their families 😊. We will always remember you and your cheering us on crossing the river).

Camping along Pentecost River

The sunsets at the Pentecost river are amazing with the purple, pink and orange colours of the sky being reflected in the river.

Sunset at Pentecost River

El Questro

Zebedee Springs in El Questro

Located about 100km from Kununurra in East Kimberley, EL Questro is a popular destination for anyone travelling on the Gibb River Road, as well as for many more tourists entering from the east of Western Australia. This 700,000 acre private property is home to some amazing gorges, thermal springs, adventurous drives, hiking trails and dramatic lookouts. We spent 3 nights there which was not enough to see everything this amazing place has to offer. Below are the places we have visited (and we’ll be back in the future to see and experience the rest!).

Us at Branko’s Lookout

Branko’s Lookout

Branko’s Lookout is 10km from El Questro Station. Somewhat moderate to difficult 4WD only track crosses Chamberlain River, which is wide and very rocky. It takes a few minutes just to cross the river itself. Going slow, with the right tyre pressure and gear selection, it is a challenging but actually very fun drive.

The scenery on both sides, as you go through the crossing, is quite beautiful. Branko’s Lookout is the highest lookout on El Questro property. The climb to the summit is steep and the track is narrow (there are pockets to go to, if there is an oncoming traffic).

If the drive to the Lookout is fun, the view from the Lookout is spectacular beyond words. Visiting this place just before sunset is the best. Then you can see sun casting its rays onto the Cockburn Range with the S-curve of the Pentecost River below.

Branko’s Lookout

The river, and Branko’s Lookout in particular, is a popular place to spot salt water crocodiles. Sure enough, we did see a few of them there.

Pigeon Hole Lookout

Pigeon Hole Lookout is 5,5km drive from El Questro station and is less challenging than Branko’s Lookout. There is a small river crossing on the way to the lookout. After that, it is quite an easy drive all the way up, with the steep ascent at the very end of the track.

A small crossing on the way to Pigeon Hole Lookout

The time when the sun goes down is quite magical.

Pigeon Hole Lookout

This is when the sun, just behind the horizon line, casts an array of colours onto the sky, which get reflected on the surface. The colours change rapidly from blue, to orange, to red, pink, making it one of the best times to take scenic photos.  

When there are a lot of vehicles driving through the place on a dirt road, the dust stays up in the air for a while. In the dusk it creates a spooky feeling of being in a fairy tale.

Pigeon Hole Lookout drive

Amalia Gorge

Amalia Gorge is a 3,4km return, hiking trail in El Questro. It is one of the less popular gorges, probably, due to the fact that the water is not flowing in dry season.

Amalia Gorge

We found the track challenging due to a couple of rock-climbing places (“squeeze and climb”). One of them has now a chain installed to help you balance. While the other is still pretty much an exercise in aerobics where you have to coordinate where you put your feet and hands. It could be tricky for elderly people or if you are carrying a backpack which tends to pull you backwards 😊. We remembered that trail as a challenge to overcome. 

Still we had a very enjoyable experience. The half way pool was pretty and the whole trail was quite picturesque.

Zebedee Springs

Zebedee Springs is a true oasis on the Gibb River Road. Located within El Questro, it is the easiest and shortest hiking trail on their property (only 600m return) to a series of rocky thermal pools. The thermal spring comes from a permanent supply of water deep within the earth. The water temperature is -28-32 degrees C all year round, which makes it a very pleasant and relaxing place to be, whether the weather is hot or cold. What is interesting about the trail itself is that during such a short distance, the vegetation changes from Savannah Woodland forest to Livistona Palms forest.

Zebedee Springs is only open to public from 7am to 12pm. We expected this to a super busy place during the school holidays in July. However, there are a number of rock pools and there might be one empty just for you (or for us, in our experience), especially if you climb higher.

Zebedee Springs

Emma Gorge

Emma Gorge is the most spectacular of all gorges we visited. As it is on the Gibb River Road itself, there is a separate post about it, which you can read here.

Emma Gorge

Emma Gorge

Spectacular Emma Gorge

Emma Gorge is one of the most spectacular gorges (and personally, my favourite) on the Gibb River Road. It is a definite “must to see” attraction. It is easily accessible, only 2km off the Gibb River Road, close to Kununurra. Located on El Questro property, permit is required to visit Emma Gorge (like any other attractions within El Questro). The walk to the gorge is classified Grade 4, which is moderate, 3,2km return. It has some big and smaller rocks to scramble, occasional steep climbs but generally a very pleasant hike with beautiful scenery.

There are a few small pools with clear emerald water on the way.

One of the pools on the way to Emma Gorge

One of them is home to a fresh water crocodile that is often seen there.

The end of the hiking trail is the most impressive sight to behold with the waterfall dropping from 65-meter-high rock into a big waterhole, enclosed on three sides by red cliffs. This creates the impression and acoustics of being in an amphitheater. The water is cold but there is a thermal spring on the right side of the gorge. Did we swim? Yes, we did – although it was more like a dip followed by sitting at the hot spring, which was too busy for us to take a picture without other people in it.

65-meter water drop at Emma Gorge

Manning Gorge

Manning Gorge is one of the most beautiful gorges along the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Roughly halfway the Gibb River Road, it is 7km from Mt Barnett Roadhouse. You need to purchase a permit to visit the Gorge (at Mt Barnett Roadhouse). It is included in the cost if you stay at Manning Gorge campground.

At the Manning Gorge campground

Getting to Manning Gorge

Getting to the gorge is a bit tricky and will require probably half a day for a return trip. The most interesting and fascinating thing about this gorge is that you would first need to cross Manning Creek to get to the other side of the trail.

How shall we get across? 🙂

You can either swim 100 meters across (if you don’t mind the cold water and fresh water crocodiles which inhibit the creek 😊). Or you can use the plastic boat, provided by the campground to pull yourself along the ropes to the other side. If you swim, there are plastic drums to put your belongings to get across to the other side.

We decided to use a boat 🙂

The hiking trail is approximately 3km one way. It starts as an easy track but not so clearly marked, so it is easy to get lost. Unlike many other hiking trails that follow the creek, this trail goes overland and has hardly any shade.

It gets more challenging with many steep rocks to climb and steep inclines, which get even harder towards the end. The good thing is that when you get to the swim hole, you are in for a treat with one of the best views on the Gibb River.

Manning Gorge

The waterfall is multi- tiered and the swimming area is very large. It can be tricky to get in, as the edges are slippery and the rocks are quite big.

One thing that we learnt during this hike was to always carry at least some high energy snacks and plenty of drinks. We could have stayed longer at the waterfall, if we had some food with us to feed hungry children. 😊

Hungry but happy family at Manning Gorge

Adcock Gorge and Galvans Gorge

Adcock Gorge and Galvans Gorge are among the most spectacular gorges along the Gibb River Road.

Adcock Gorge

We travelled the Gibb River Road from west to east (from Derby) and Adcock Gorge was only a short detour on our way. It is one of the lesser known and much quieter gorges on the Gibb River Road but still worth a visit, if you have time. Located on Mt House station property (between turn off to Mornington and Mt Barnett Roadhouse), it is 5km off the Gibb River Road, accessible via a 4WD track. We did manage to pull our caravan but we wouldn’t tow a big caravan there because the track is quite rough.

5km track to Adcock Gorge

We parked just before the creek crossing and decided to walk the remaining part of the track (only 200meters or so). It didn’t look like towing a caravan through the creek with lots of rocks was a good idea. Also, the parking space after you cross the creek is quite small. So you might not have enough space to park or turn around if you tow anything past that creek.

The trail goes along and through the creek, where you can admire lilies and spot some fishes.

It is a relatively short and easy trail ending at the green pool. It is suitable for swimming, although fresh water crocodiles are often seen there. We decided to stay dry until we reach the next gorge (Galvans Gorge). It would have been nice to see the water flowing in Adcock Gorge. Being the dry season in July, it wasn’t the case. With the water flowing there, some people claim it to be the prettiest gorge on the Gibb River Road.

Adcock Gorge

Galvans Gorge

Galvans Gorge is the most accessible gorge on the Gibb River Road. Close to Mt Barnett, it is only 1km off the road. This makes it a great rest stop along the Gibb River Road. The hiking trail follows the path of the creek, is easy and quite pretty with a few boab trees along the way.

Walking towards Galvans Gorge

The short trail ends at the swim hole, fed by a small multi layered waterfall.

Galvans Gorge

A big boab tree on top of the gorge, next to the waterfall makes it look very unique.

Big baob tree at the top of the waterfall at Galvans gorge

Being so easily accessible, Galvans Gorge is, of course, very popular, so I had to wait for a while before I could take a picture like this :).

Galvans Gorge

Bell Gorge

Bell Gorge

Bell Gorge (Dalmanyi) was the first gorge with waterfalls and swim holes on the Gibb River Road for us. (We travelled west to east and we missed out on Lennard Gorge due to its closure because of fire in July). It is 11 km from Silent Grove, which is a wonderful camping spot by itself. You can easily make the trip to the gorge from Silent Grove in half a day.

The Gorge Trail is 1,5km return easy hike to the top of the gorge. It offers spectacular views of the gorge, the creek and the waterfall cascading down a number of steps.

For a full experience of this magnificent gorge, follow the trail across the creek. Be prepared for your feet to get wet as you go down over the rocks to the bottom of the gorge. There you can swim and enjoy the view of the waterfall up close.

Getting across the creek to Bell Gorge

Like in most of the gorges in Kimberley, the water in the pool was cold but refreshing.

To conclude, it was the first gorge with the waterfall we visited on the Gibb River and we really liked it. We enjoyed the hike, the views and even the swim (despite the cold water).

Bell Gorge (view from the pool down below)

Silent Grove

Silent Grove (Dulundi) is a popular stop on the Gibb River Road, and can be used as a base to explore nearby Bell Gorge. Roughly 19km off the Gibb River Road, it is an easy drive from Windjana Gorge.  We decided to stay there 2 nights so that we could rest, enjoy and explore this place a bit more. It turned out to be one of our favourite camp grounds on the Gibb (it could have been so because we had the time to enjoy it!). It is similar to Windjana Gorge in terms of the facilities (flushing toilets, solar powered showers and tap water from the creek). Yet Silent Grove campground has a different feel with more tropical look. This is due to lush Pandanus trees, which are distinctive to the Kimberley region.

Pandanus tree fruit (above left). Crossing on the way to Silent Grove (above right).

Like Windjana Gorge campground, it is managed by DPAW and can booked online. But being very spacious you can still get a spot even if you don’t book. Silent Grove campground has a lot more shade and privacy than Windjana Gorge.

Silent Grove campground

Although not mentioned in any brochures or sign boards, there are some walks around the campground. You can climb up the rocks edging the campground for a bird eye view of the place or you can take a short walk to the creek which supplies the water to the campground. You can also walk around the campground, which is huge.

We were lucky to spot pythons there and also see beautiful Blue Water Lilies in the creek.

Silent Grove is a bird lovers paradise. Below are just only a few birds that we could take decent pictures of (bird photography being still a new hobby for us :)).

Great Bowerbird (above left). Double-barred Finch (above right).

Little Corellas

It is also a place to spot some interesting unique animals, like this Sugar Glider, that was on the Eucalyptus tree next to our camping spot. We were lucky enough to watch it feeding on the nectar of the Eucalyptus tree flowers.

Sugar glider

Tunnel Creek

Tunnel Creek

Tunnel Creek (Dimalurru) National Park is 36km south from Windajana Gorge and is a great highlight of the Gibb River Road. It takes about an hour to get there from Windjana Gorge. The time depends on your driving, vehicle and whether you are towing. You can also reach Tunnel Creek from Fitzroy Crossing. A creek flows through a tunnel beneath the limestone of the Napier Range, which is part of an extensive fossilized barrier reef formed 360 million years ago. The Tunnel has a geological significance. It also tells a legend of Jandamarra – Aboriginal freedom fighter who used the place as a hideout in late 19 century.

Tunnel Creek

The Tunnel is 750 meters long, up to 20 meters high and 20 meters wide. It holds permanent pools of fresh water which inhibit fresh water crocodiles and many species of fishes. You can take an easy 400meter return Tunnel View Trail to the entrance. This is an excellent opportunity to observe the patterns, texture and colours of the limestone of the rock face. Most people feel adventurous enough to attempt Subterranean 2km return Trail (at least part of it). Here you would need to be prepared by wearing rock shoes and bathers. The trail requires you to scramble over the rocks and waddle through the water pools to get to the other side of the Tunnel. Not surprisingly, the water is chilly and sometimes deep (nearly up to the hips).

You would need at least a couple of hours to explore Tunnel Creek (excluding driving).

Tunnel Creek, the Gibb River Road
Tunnel Creek

Windjana Gorge – first stop on the Gibb

Our first stop on the Gibb River Road was Windjana Gorge (Bandilngan). Located 155km from Derby and 21km off the Gibb River Road on Fairfield Leopold Road, it was an easy drive from Derby (with 21km being the only unsealed section of the drive for us that day). Windjana Gorge is a great introduction to the whole Gibb River Road experience and in our opinion is a must.

Campground

Windjana campground is very spacious. Bookings can be made online via Parks stay WA. But you can still rely on getting a spot if you arrive late and during the peak season. Just be prepared to move if you are asked by the ranger. We watched a number of campers had to move because they put their tents too close to the bush. For $17 a night per person (in 2022) you get access to clean flushing toilets, solar powered showers and tap water from the nearby creek. The showers might be hot or not – depending on how busy the campground is.

Windjana Gorge campground

Exploring the gorge

The national park entry fee (separate) allows you to explore the gorge, which is in walking distance. There are a couple of hiking trails there.

The Savannah walk is an easy 1km return loop walk that gives you a closer look at the ridges and boab trees growing there.

Walking this trail at the sunset gives you a different perspective, as the setting sun colours the rocks in orange.

The Savannah trail at sunset

The 5km return Gorge trail allows you to experience the profile of the Devonian Reef.

The trail follows the Lennard River, offering picturesque views.

Look for a fossil of Trilobite – an extinct marine arthropod, thought to be more than 250 million years old – and also and giant spiders at the beginning of the trail.

Fresh water crocodiles

Windajana Gorge is one of the best places on the Gibb River Road to see fresh water crocodiles.

There are two types of crocodiles found in Australia (and both are in Kimberley) – saltwater or estuarine crocodiles and freshwater or Johnston’s river crocodiles. Saltwater crocodiles are big (up to 7 meters long) and are dangerous to humans and we’ve only seen from the far distance. Contrary to their name, they live in fresh waters too, up to 200km away from the coast and can attack in less than a second. Fresh waters crocodiles are much smaller (not more than 3 meters long), have smaller teeth and narrow snout. They live in creeks, rivers, billabongs and are often seen sunbathing on the shore. While they are considered non-aggressive, they can bite if disturbed, so they are still better admired from the distance.

Windjana Gorge is home to many more animals, as well as birds.

A lot of people only stay for one night at Windjana Gorge and then move on. We stayed 2 nights and found that it was the right decision. When you take your time while travelling, you can appreciate the beauty of the place and notice little things you would otherwise miss. Where are we travelling next? Tunnel Creek!

Us at Windjana Gorge