Shredded Tyre on the Gibb River Road

DRIVE: Home Valley Station to Drysdale Station (236km).
It’s a fair distance from Home Valley Station to Drysdale River Station following the Gibb River Road especially considering we will average 60km/hr. I plug the coordinates into google maps and it’s saying 9 hours journey time...!

The Gibb River road from here gets quite rough with sections of corrugations which vibrate the car and rattle our teeth. We are limited to 60km/hr, any faster and we could lose control on the rough surface, any slower and the corrugations become more pronounced and we would have nothing left holding the 4WD together.

About 80km in, the corrugations became harsh and we blew the right rear tyre which seems to be a theme for our trip. It’s not uncommon and blow outs happen all the time on the Gibb. We stop and call the Lloyde’s who are ahead, then proceed to find the jack and also undo the spare tyre.

Our help arrives and myself and Andrew jack up the rear right and replace the split old tyre with the spare. Both the rear tyres on our hire 4WD have signs of wear and tear and have likely done a lot of mileage before us. The spare tyre has deeper ridges and is obviously fresh and new.

We are only 20km from Ellenbrae Station and almost half way to Drysdale. We had already decided to visit Ellenbrae as they are renowned for their scones, jam and cream. In fact they sold 20,000 of them last year and some of the proceeds go to The Royal Flying Doctors. The scones are a family recipe and fabulous.

Whilst indulging, I enquire with Logan, the Manager of the station if they have any replacement tyres for our 4WD as they have a limited tyre service. Well an American has just bought two of the type we need and there is one left so phew we are in business. I get the wrecked tyre replaced and switch the new one with the old rear left tyre as it is worn. That one can be our spare and at least we have two brand new tyres to tackle the rest of the Gibb and Mitchel Plateau.

Leaving Ellenbrae, the road ahead doesn’t get any better so we ride with the bumps all the way to Drysdale Station, our stop over for the night. Petrol here is expensive, $2.15 per litre and a packet of Scotch Finger Biscuits is $6.00. I buy the essential item and fill the 4WD with diesel.

Drysdale Station is still 196km to Mitchel Falls, our final destination and apparently the road is even more difficult. For now, we have set up camp here at Drysdale Station and as I type this footprint, the night has become much colder than we are used to. I think it’s another early night so that we make the most of tomorrow morning.

We are remote, dusty, shaken from the corrugations and cold for a change but it’s still fun and adds to the story of our adventure through The Kimberleys.Okumaya devam et