Silent Grove - Bell Gorge camp sites

Birgit, I have your excellent 'Destination Kimberley' (I wish I'd known about it years ago ... I can now throw away all the printouts from tens of websites I have been using to research our trip!!!)

I am a bit confused about the camp site tag system. I had understood the system only referred to the 10 sites at Silent Grove. Is there a tag system for Bell Creek as well? As this might have been the first night out of Derby, to have to get there by 0900 to pick up a tag could mean a rethink.

I would not have known about the Duncan Road but for you. The thought of either having to pay an extra A$700 for a one way hire from Broome to Kununurra or to bash back to Broome via the GNH was causing me some thought. Duncan Road it is!

Your book is everything I could want ... brilliant!

Thanks.

James

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Silent Grove - Bell Gorge camp sites

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by: Birgit

Hi James,

Thanks for your kind words! Glad you like the guide.

Now, the tag system admittedly is a bit confusing... You've got the right idea, just the names are the other way round :-). The board with the tags is located at Silent Grove, the first campground at Bell Gorge.

However, the tags are for the ten individual, secluded sites along the Bell Creek.

Because those sites are small and private, there needs to be some kind of reservation system. When they are full they are full.

Silent Grove on the other hand is a big open area, and if it gets full you just squeeze in a bit closer to each other. There is no reservation system for Silent Grove (or any other campground along the Gibb River Road.) Just rock up!

Another thing:

The Duncan Road connects Kununurra (or rather, the Victoria Highway near Kununurra) with Halls Creek, not with Broome. It's an alternative for only one third of the Great Northern Highway, ideal for people who do a round trip to the Bungles from Kununurra and want to avoid backtracking.

The stretch of highway that you avoid happens to be the most scenic part of it. You are still left with the boring two thirds towards Broome.