Thursday, 28 May 2026
We re-packed again today to continue our push westward. Our first stop was at the information board at the end of the New Fitzroy River Bridge to learn a little bit more about the 2022/23 flood and the incredible effort to reconnect the east and west Kimberley with this new bridge. Why does it take a disaster to get things done? Planning aspects were fast tracked, materials were made available and the community pitched in to make sure this bridge was built in record time. The old bridge, built in the 1970s, had probably needed replacing for some time, but it took a disaster to make it happen.
We saw more road kill on the Great Northern Highway this morning than we have seen anywhere else on this trip. Unfortunately, the road kill attracts the whistling kites, lots and lots of kites. A couple of times they were so busy feeding that they wouldn’t fly away as the truck approached, Bernie had to beep the horn to make them fly away to safety.
After staying two nights at Fitzroy Crossing, we had planned to drive to Derby on the Great Northern and Derby Highways. However, when we were driving south-east on the Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road on Tuesday, I said to Bernie that I didn’t think it wouldn’t be much further to drive to Derby via the last bit of the Gibb River Road … if he wanted to be able to say that he had driven ALL of the Gibb River Road.
We reached the point this morning where the decision had to be made. The sign said Derby via Boab Tree 215km, Derby via Tunnel Creek and Windjana 243km. So, only 28 kilometres more to return to the GRR and drive the final 119 kilometres. Distance-wise anyway. Time-wise a different matter, as the north-west trip along the unsealed Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road was going to be rougher and slower than the highway. We had time to spare today so … we turned off onto the unsealed road.
Not long off the highway we saw a pair of Australian bustards. That makes four that we have seen so that was good. They are not officially endangered but their habitat is compromised by cattle and sheep grazing enterprises, so they are not as widespread as they used to be.
After a bit more bouncing along on the unsealed road, Bernie noticed that the UHF aerial was wobbling around more than it should. He pulled the truck to the side of the road to investigate, discovering that he was going to need a hex key to tighten it up. The multi-tool in the glove box was not sufficient to the task. Damn, most of the back seat had to be unpacked onto the side of the road in order to reach the tool kit containing the hex keys. Further investigation revealed that to tighten the hex-headed bolts, a bracket would have to be undone requiring a shifter. Fortunately also in the same tool kit that had been unpacked.
Twenty minutes later the aerial was secured to his satisfaction and our gear could be re-packed. It was at this point that a vehicle flew past in the opposite direction … without even slowing down, let alone stopping to enquire if we were OK. We thought it was a basic courtesy in the outback to check that fellow travellers are OK but, apparently, not everyone thinks the same?
Driving on this road, named for the two big stations – Fairfield and Leopold Downs – on it, there were so many baobabs. I wanted to photograph them all. The baobabs all look so different and almost look as if they have individual personalities. Once again we were confused about the fact that some were lush and leafy, others were scraggly with just a few leaves and/or their tennis ball shaped fruits and others, well, they looked dead, but probably weren’t? It is almost like they don’t behave seasonally, they each do their own thing??
We stopped in at Windjana Gorge to use the facilities and eat an early lunch. More dry and tasteless servo sandwiches, purchased on our way out of Fitzroy Crossing this morning. By 12.30pm we were back on the GRR to finish it off. More road kill, more kites feasting on road kill. We also saw a couple of wedge-tailed eagles taking advantage of an easy feed. The kites are happy to share their road kill and we often saw more than one kite on a carcass. The wedgies we saw were only a hundred metres or so apart but each one had claimed a piece of carrion for itself.
One hundred and nineteen kilometres from the Windjana turnoff, we reached the western end of the Gibb River Road. There was no ‘Congratulations, you have reached the end of the Gibb River Road’ sign, so we had to take a photograph beside the western beginning of the road, ha, ha. Such tourists! After our 4WD adventure, the truck is filthy and we hardly have a clean item of clothing between us. Have to say though, that the trip was nowhere near as gruelling as we feared it might be and the GRR is far from being the worst unsealed road that we have driven on.
A hundred metres after the photo stop, we reached the Derby Highway and turned right to head into Derby. And that’s Derby. We have been told by Western Australians that it is not pronounced Darby. On the outskirts of town we pulled into the Mitre 10 to purchase a new set of hex keys. Apparently the set in the tool kit were not ideal for the aerial repair this morning. Something about being too long?? Anyhow, we now have another set of hex keys for any future aerial tightening that may be needed.
Continuing into Derby, we made our way to the Spinifex Hotel to check in for the next two nights. We unloaded again, then headed back out to shop at Woolies. It’s been a while since we shopped at a Woolies so we were happy to be able to restock on a few of our preferred items. Back at the hotel, Bernie had another go at the aerial fixings just to make sure that it is properly secured. Frankly, I am surprised that we got as far as we did before something shook itself loose. And luckily it was something relatively minor and easily repaired.
With the afternoon drawing to a close, we wandered down to the Derby Marsh to view the ‘Sculptures on the Marsh’, a public art project aimed at promoting the region’s cultural identity and celebrating its unique character. The concept is the brain child of renowned local artist Mark Norval, a keen supporter of indigenous art. Pieces have been sculpted by Mark Norval, Valerie Lennard and Joey Kitching. The sculptures are especially dramatic silhouetted against the setting sun. The only problem was that there were too many! You need more than one sunset to properly enjoy them all.
Pub dinner again tonight. In theory we could cook in our room as we have a two hotplate cooktop. However, I don’t think that they really want you to cook as the utensils provided were … inadequate. As good an excuse as any to buy dinner again. At least tonight I selected a healthy grilled barramundi and vegetables option. Bernie, not so much, with a chicken Parma.
Back in our room after dinner, we were out on our small verandah working out how to rig up some clothesline to dry our washing, when Bernie noticed a tawny frogmouth sitting on the fence only a couple of metres from us. Despite all our crashing around and then opening the door to go back inside to grab cameras s/he stayed long enough for us to take photos. So cool.
Steps: 10,223 (6.45kms)
