Tag: The Gibb River Road

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