Created in the 1960s as a cattle road, the '''Gibb River Road''' is a 650 km. - almost completely unsealed - track, cutting right through the Kimberley region of Australia, linking the Great Northern Highway on the east to Derby on the west.
The "road" is a shortcut of several hundred kilometers between points linked by the Great Northern Highway, which makes a large detour in the south. Driving the road is not an extreme adventure, but nevertheless requires caution and preparation, as it goes through very remote areas.
Drivers will be rewarded with magnificent '''scenery''' of the surrounding wilderness, as well as a sense of isolation and solitude.
There is only '''one very small store''' at Mount Barnett, 350 km. after the eastern starting point on the road, so bring supplies with you. The whole crossing '''takes 3 to 5 days''' at a leisurely pace, but DO bring extra food and water in case you get stranded.
There is a grand total of 3 fuel supplies along the road : Mt Barnett, Imintji Roadhouse (diesel only) and Drysdale Station (58km north of Gibb River Road on Kalumburu Road). Needless to say, fuel prices are very high along the road, and as distances are great, so '''start the drive with a full tank''', and be mindful of your fuel consumption.
There is '''little choice of roofed accommodation''' around the road. Apart of the large [http://www.elquestro.com.au El Questro Station], a cattle station turned into a luxury facility at the eastern side of the road, there are a few lodges with available rooms for tourists to choose from. [http://www.mthart.com.au Mount Hart Wilderness Lodge], [http://www.drysdaleriver.com.au Drysdale River],[http://www.charnleyriverstation.com.au/ Charnley River Station], [http://www.holiday-wa.net/station.htm Mount Elizabeth], [http://www.homevalley.com.au/ Home Valley] and Ellenbrae Station Phone (+61 8 9161 4325) all offer accommodation, but are sometimes a bit way off the road itself. If you plan to stay in one of those places, book ahead.
In any case, you can just pitch your '''tent''' alongside the road, but be careful as some parts are private property (though the private zones are clearly indicated).
Getting close to the road is however feasible. On the western side, [http://www.ozjet.com.au/ OZJet] flies between Derby and Perth.On the eastern side, [http://www.airnorth.com.au AirNorth] links Kununurra (60 km. from the eastern start point of the road) with Darwin. From either Derby or Kununurra, you can catch the 22 seater 4WD [http://www.gibbriverbus.com.au Gibb River Bus].
If you want to drive the road by yourself, you can also rent 4WD in Kununurra, but if you want to make a one-way drive, you will probably have to go as far as Broome (220 km to the east of Derby) to return the vehicle (and including an hefty one-way surplus), check with the rental company beforehand.
Kununurra is small, so the majority of 4WD rent a car companies simply do not have a branch there. If you want to use a national rental company, you will have to drive from Darwin to Broome, the total distance reaching a good 1850 km.