Gibb River Road — Derby to Kununurra via the Kimberley Plateau

The Gibb River Road is the one Australians argue about around every campfire — is it overrated, or is it genuinely one of the best overland routes on the planet? Drive it and you’ll stop arguing. The 660 km dirt track connects Derby to Kununurra through the raw heart of the Kimberley, crossing the Pentecost River at the El Questro station turnoff (a notorious tidal crossing that has swallowed plenty of poorly-timed rigs), passing through Bell Gorge, Manning Gorge, Galvans Gorge, and the jump-up into El Questro Gorge. The bulldust corrugations between stations are genuinely punishing on everything from wheel bearings to your patience, and tyre damage from sharp Kimberley rock is the single most common trip-ender out here.

The Gibb is passable in a well-prepared standard 4WD, but carrying two spare tyres is not optional — it’s a lesson learned by almost everyone who’s done it. Fuel is available at a handful of remote stations along the route but don’t count on consistent availability; carry a long-range setup. The road is open May to October during the dry season; the wet season makes it completely impassable. Mobile reception is essentially zero outside Derby and Kununurra. Camping ranges from basic station sites to gorge-side free camps. Budget at least a week to do it properly and not just survive it.