Kimberley Trip Planning - May 2013

[Boyce Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boyce]

We were also up there over 16 weeks from Melb. The road conditions must vary a lot, with each season and also depending on what time different parts of the road are graded. The road into Drysdale in June, apart from some small water crossings, was like a well-graded dirt freeway. Between Drysdale and the turnoff to Mitchell River, the conditions got a bit worse and then from the King Edward River campground all the way to the camp-ground at Mitchell River Plateau, the road was definitely the worst we came across on the entire trip with seriously nasty corrugations. Most of the rest of the Gibb was ok apart from the areas where active roadworks were taking place. Some serious holes here and there though!

Re: fishing. I didn't manage to catch much but I met a guy in Kununurra who caught his bag limit of barra every day (some very big fish!) by fishing off the causeway at Ivanhoe Crossing. Lots of people fish here and most of them use lures, but he caught some live bait every session and just dropped it over the edge of the causeway.

Have a great trip! It's a wonderful area.

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Also forgot this thread (one of my own)!!!

Broome

[SteveA Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close SteveA]

We've just finalised our plans for mid year. We're doing a couple of weeks in and around Broome/ Cape Leveque from 8 June 2013, then Gibb River Road through to Darwin from 21 June to 14 July. Will have our Kimberley Kamper in tow. Hope to see some other PPers up there!

[vscorsa Member Find all posts View Profile Close vscorsa]

Awesome, we will be slightly ahead of you and on our way home via the bungle bungle by then.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

We've just finalised our plans for mid year. We're doing a couple of weeks in and around Broome/ Cape Leveque from 8 June 2013, then Gibb River Road through to Darwin from 21 June to 14 July. Will have our Kimberley Kamper in tow. Hope to see some other PPers up there!

Watch out for me heading west across the top end from Darwin through to Broome late June/early July.

[vscorsa Member Find all posts View Profile Close vscorsa]

Hi All,

It is getting closer, car is basically finished now. I still need to post some pictures of the changes we have made over the past few months in my build thread.

We have a couple more queries:

• How well stocked are the supermarkets in Broome and Derby?
• Can you get bread, milk and dairy products at the stations along Gibb? (Drysdale, Elizabeth etc)
• What can we expect from the supermarket/store in Kalumburu?

Has anyone been up yet or now what the wet season has been like? I was looking at the rain for the area during March and it still looks like there has been some down pours.

Cheers

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Broome supermarkets should have anything you want, just like any major town. We didn't go to the supermarket in Derby but would suspect similar.

The staions along the Gibb have basic supermarket supplies, frozen bread and meat, long life milk and a basic selection of tinned foods and spreads and bits and pieces.

Cant help with Kalumbaru.

Cheers Andrew

[vscorsa Member Find all posts View Profile Close vscorsa]

Thanks info Andrew, did you find any fresh produce at the stations? (fruit, veg etc)

Cheers

Dave

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I don't recall any fresh produce, it was all frozen stuff, pretty basic supplies, pretty typical of most outback stations and roadhouses.

If you are in Halls Creek stop in at the local butchers, I guess they still have the same sign advertising there produce!



Cheers Andrew

[Boyce Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Boyce]

We were in Derby for about 5 days last season. The supermarkets are fine. Pretty much what you would expect in any larger town. As well, Derby has a great Italian restaurant. I might have mentioned before, but Ian, the guy who runs the caravan park in Derby is a wealth of information about the local area and will gladly draw some mud-maps of local places of interest to camp and fish. Have a great trip!

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

And if you barra isn't at least 90cm long then you are not trying hard enough.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Hi All,

It is getting closer, car is basically finished now. I still need to post some pictures of the changes we have made over the past few months in my build thread.

We have a couple more queries:

• How well stocked are the supermarkets in Broome and Derby?
• Can you get bread, milk and dairy products at the stations along Gibb? (Drysdale, Elizabeth etc)
• What can we expect from the supermarket/store in Kalumburu?

Has anyone been up yet or now what the wet season has been like? I was looking at the rain for the area during March and it still looks like there has been some down pours.

Cheers

You'll be fighting the locals for tinned meat pies and warm coke. I'll give my mate a call up there and find out what the store is like. He's been eating barra that he caught in the river for the last couple of weeks whilst working up there.

[vscorsa Member Find all posts View Profile Close vscorsa]

Hi guys thanks for all of the feedback.

Bushbasher, if you can get any info that would be great!!

Cheers

Dave

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

There are 2 stores at Kalumburu. They are pretty well stocked and do carry fresh veges and milk. A 2 litre bottle of milk will set you back about $7 and a litre of diesel is around the $3 mark. All their produce comes via sea so the prices are higher. The main road in is presently closed until the end of the wet season and should be open by May. You'll need a permit from the Department of Indigenous Affairs. I just got one of these for myself and it only took a day to obtain via on-line. Some of the homesteads along the Gibb have facilities where they sell fuel and basic supplies too. I've managed to pull a trailer across the Gibb and up to Mitchell Plateau bewteen Kununurra and Derby without the need to refuel and just had a couple of jerries. That was with my old 98 GXL V6 so I reckon my diesel would be better now. Obviously Kununurra, Wyndham, Derby, Fitzroy Xing and Hells Crack have better shopping facilities - not large centres but IGA style shops and road-houses.

[vscorsa Member Find all posts View Profile Close vscorsa]

Champion BushBasher, thanks for the information. When are you heading up there?

We have our permits as well so that side is sorted.

Good to know we can get some dairy and fresh produce from Kalumburu.

I was surprised to see that there were some big down pours in late March, looks like the wet might run a little later this year.