The Gibb River Road is popular with four-wheel drivers and caravanners but local businesses are reporting issues with the size of rigs and road condition.
The Gibb River Road is a proper bucket-list drive but according to local mechanics there has been an increase in the number of overloaded 4x4s and caravans breaking down. In an article published in the Kimberley Echo, there are claims overloaded caravans are causing problems for local mechanics and towing businesses.
The Gibb River Road was graded at the end of August, but Over the Range Tyre and Mechanical owner Neville Hernon said, “Over the past couple of years I have definitely seen a big influx of caravans and campers that have been overloaded, hurtling along the Gibb, hitting creek crossings at 80km/h and bending chassis or snapping suspension arms off”.
Similarly, Kununurra’s Auto Tow and Repair owner Brendon Proudman told the Kimberley Echo, “The size of the vans and amount of gear they have in them, it is just crazy some of them even trying to attempt the road, but they do,” he said.
“Trying to get them on a tilt tray truck when they break … is very difficult.
“We are just getting to the stage where we won’t do them, or we will be charging a lot more to try and do them, because really they are big enough to be going on a semitrailer.
“No one is going to take a semitrailer up there for recovering a caravan because no one will be able to afford it.”
If you are planning a trip along the Gibb River Road then #GibbDate via the Kununurra Visitor Centre Facebook page is a must-visit. Each week the visitor centre releases information from Stations along the Gibb River Road about the condition of the track. See picture below.