Gibb River road – Mitchell falls
We continue our expedition in the direction of the “Mitchell Plateau National Park” via the Gibb River Road, which is known to put 4X4s to the test. We are ready to experience one of Australia's most unique adventures that was on our checklist.
Where is the Gibb River Road?
The 660km track connects the town of Kununurra to Derby. Heavy rains affecting the Kimberley make the track impassable in the wet season, That's why it remains closed. The road itself is gravelled with rocky passages, The dry red dirt and the rare tarmac sections make this track an unforgettable memory, it seems..
El Questro Road – 11 September
In the ten days we've been on the roads, we've gotten into the rhythm of the outback. Getting up at the first light of day has become automatic, especially this morning when we have about 4h30 of track (280kms) to reach Drysdale Station Campground.
After a night spent at the El Questro campsite, we cross the Pentecost River again in slow mode, the bottom of the river is carpeted with large pebbles.
We get back to the El Questro track and follow the dusty wake of a 4X4 that has just overtaken us at high speed. The undulations of the track make the van vibrate for 16kms.
Gibb River Wyndham Road
The beginning of the track is partly paved, We enjoy 😃these few relatively quiet and shake-free kilometres!
The scenery passes by and we still don't see anyone except an unfortunate one-horned ox 🐂 on the side of the road. Wondering what he's doing in the middle of nowhere...
Another wider passage of the Pentecost River with very little water.
We continue to cross totally wild and hostile lands giving the impression of being alone in the world and it is not just an impression!
Brief stop along the Durack River for lunch and refresh our feet.
We surprise two Brolgas (of the Crane family) In search of freshness!
In the end, this portion of the Gibb wasn't that painful. Maybe the worst is ahead of us on the Kalumburu Road going north and the Mitchell Plateau.
We are barely on the track when we already feel like we are driving on corrugated iron. The van vibrates and shakes us in all directions. The vegetation is covered with red-colored sand from the high iron oxide content of the minerals in the area.
With the wind and the speed, the dust settles on the bodywork, which is particularly dirty since we hit the tracks. Then a little more dust 😁 😆 won't make any difference, At least when we return to "civilization" we will know where we came from!
A little relaxation on the banks of the Drysdale River is good.
On this side there is really not much water to swim in.
We could have gone to the other bank but the muddy water doesn't inspire us too much in addition to the presence of possible 🐊 crocodiles.
The riverbed is littered with trunks and branches as a result of the heavy floods last March.
In a short time we arrive at the Drysdale Station campsite located at the end of the trail. A nice hot shower awaits us to clean 🤣 up a little! It is 18 It's time for dinner at the snack bar. The menu is 🍔🍟Hamburger/fries served outdoors!
On the road to Mitchell Plateau – 12 September
After a good night's sleep, we are entering the home stretch, We still have 190 kms to go. According to our information, the estimated time is 4 hours, everything will depend on the state of the slopes.
We take our time to admire the intensity of these colors that we never tire of!
The vegetation changes little by little with the presence of palm trees, one of the characteristics of Mitchell National Park.
The environment of the King Edward River is really pretty. Stones carpet the bottom of the river and the verdant vegetation takes on the air of a tropical forest with palm trees.
It's almost two o'clock, we're snacking 🥪quickly. We're on the right track for more than 90kms on Port Warrender Road.
This one is narrow and winding, fortunately we don't meet anyone, we would hardly be able to pass by two cars. The corners follow one another and Philippe regularly has to slow down to get through the holes, Bumps, rocks that are sometimes difficult to spot. It's this unpredictability at every turn that makes you drive at only 30-40 km/h.
It was a rough drive and we were glad to arrive at Mitchell Falls Campground. We still have energy to walk to the first Little Mertens falls. Unfortunately it is dry supplement.
Mitchell Falls Hike – 13 September
This morning no trail but an 8.5kms hike for Philippe to Mitchell Falls or Punamii-unpuu. This walk is indicated as difficult with a bit of climbing and Nathalie prefers to stay at the camp.
A bit of climbing is required to get around the rocks.
Arrival at Mertens Deep and narrow gorge.
A little further on there is a small pond surrounded by lush vegetation and covered with water lilies. It's almost like a Japanese garden.
At the end of the trail, overlooking the river giving rise to Mitchell Falls.
A very beautiful four-tiered waterfall that flows one after the other. But on this side we don't see it…
… And so I'm going to position myself at the top of the cliff in front of it to get a better view.
I stay there for a good hour contemplating this grandiose landscape!
On the way back, I stop at the top of the waterfall to cool off in the river, then back at the camp we set off again in the direction of King Edward River which is only 80kms away.