Two roads leave Broome for the same place. Kununurra is 1,129 km east on the Great Northern Highway, all of it sealed. The Gibb River Road crosses the same country unsealed, and Derby at 224 km is where the choice gets made.
The vehicle decision comes first, because the Gibb is the option that looks shorter and constrains more. A sealed highway run and a corrugated dirt road are not the same hire, and one of them is not available in every vehicle.
Two ways east
| Road | Km | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Derby, the junction | 224 | sealed |
| Kununurra, Great Northern Highway | 1,129 | sealed throughout |
| Kununurra, Gibb River Road | varies with the route | unsealed, dry season only |
What the Gibb asks beyond a vehicle
Creek crossings that rise after rain, long stretches without fuel, and a road that opens and closes with the season. Hire companies set their own conditions for it and some prohibit it, so read the terms before you plan the route.
Four points that decide it
- Derby 224 km east and the turn-off for the Gibb. The last town where the decision is still open.
- The Gibb entrances Most people take the western end, which puts the gorge country in the first days rather than the last.
- The gorge country The reason for the road. Access tracks and permits vary by site, so check each stop you plan.
- The sealed alternative The Great Northern Highway is longer on the map and quicker in practice, and it asks nothing of the vehicle.
Choose for the road you will actually take
A sealed run to Kununurra and a Gibb crossing are different hires, and the second is not available in every vehicle. Decide the road, then book the class permitted on it.
Explore Wicked Campers for campervan and 4WD hire in Broome. Check vehicle availability and road restrictions with the operator.
Where this leads
the Kimberley route in full campervan or 4WD for the Gibb when the Kimberley is passable
Broome questions
Can a 2WD do the Gibb?
Not sensibly. The road is unsealed, the crossings move with the season and most operators restrict it, so ask what your company permits before counting on it.
How long does the sealed route take?
Kununurra is 1,129 km of sealed highway, which is one long day or two comfortable ones. Fuel and towns are spaced for that, unlike the Gibb.
When does the Gibb open?
In the dry season, once the crossings drop and the graders have been through. The dates move each year, so check the current road report rather than last season’s.