Travelling through the Gibb River Road area with dogs

by Jules
(WA --> SA)

Roxy and Rusty want to see the Gibb River Road

We plan to do the Gibb River Road with our dogs. Do you see many people travelling with a dog through the Gibb River Road area? I know our plan will have it's restrictions, ie national parks, but I understand there are still places to camp with dogs (we're campers through and through) and sights to see where dogs would be ok.

We are from SA but came to WA for a year - 3 years ago! (ok we got side tracked as we love it here.) Next June we will return to SA - via a drive around Oz.

Hiking with Roxy (who keeps up with her Border Collie friend most of the day!) We have been doing a lot of research into travelling with dogs.

For the most part we have found dog friendly parks instead of national parks to hike, places to stay that are dog friendly and kennels for the occasions we can't have our beloveds. (Ie, the kennel in Broome while we explore Cape Leveque).

But we haven't found any info on the Gibb River Road. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?

Btw, I really LOVE your website and your inspirational story about how you came to live in WA. Thanks in advance for your advice - and for creating such a brilliant website.
Jules.

Response to: Travelling through the Gibb River Road area with dogs

Hi Jules,

Thanks for the kudos :-). Much appreciated. I'm glad you like the site.

Camping with dogs... No, I haven't seen many tourists with dogs on the Gibb River Road. But that doesn't mean you can't take a dog. As you already said, it just means you have to skip the national parks and find other places. I think that's not a bad thing. It means you'll avoid the masses, too. June to August is peak season here after all...

Most of the sites in Jan Holland's books allow pets. I can't recommend her books enough. (She also has books about southern WA and the NT.) If you don't already own them, get them. A must have for bush campers and will save you loads of money.

Places you can't go on the Gibb River Road with a dog are the big sights, mainly Bell Gorge (conservation reserve managed by CALM), Mornington (wilderness sanctuary and conservation reserve) and the Mitchell Plateau (national park).

I'm pretty sure El Questro is not too keen on dogs, but they don't say so on their site. (Update: indeed, no dogs.) I'd also contact Home Valley Station and ask. You never know your luck, they may allow dogs... (Update: nope, they don't.)

Also check out Drysdale River Station on the Kalumburu Road.

There are tracks leading to bush campsites on the banks of the Durack River, on both sides. Very nice waterholes, too.

You may be able to camp at the Pentecost River crossing. (You're not supposed to.) The locals go fishing and camping there all the time (outside the tourist season...) and we take our dogs. Just make sure you keep the dogs away from the water!!! Crocs LOVE dogs.

You can also take the Karunjie Rd/King River Rd from there to Wyndham. That's a really nice drive and has some camp sites and good fishing along the King River. Digger's Rest Station is in there, which is another great place that MAY allow dogs. You have to ask.

Barnett River Gorge has beautiful bush camp sites. Jan Holland mentions a few more little clearings and sites along the Gibb River Road where you may get away with bush camping.

You can take the dogs hiking and swimming at Adcock Gorge, and Galvans Gorge should be ok, too. (Of course I can't guarantee that nobody will put up "no dogs" signs before June...)

As for all the stations along the way, you'd have to contact them individually to find out more.

So, you can drive across the Gibb River Road with your dogs, and there are a few spots to pull up for a night. You can even see some of the gorges, but you will miss the best ones. But you knew that...

(2009 updates: Dogs on the Gibb River Road)

Hope that helps some. All the best to all you guys (two-and four-legged)!

PS.: A couple of days ago I had a similar question about camping with a dog on my Australian Outback site. It was a very general question so I couldn't help much, but if you can give tips and ideas from your research feel free to chime in.

And last but not least, I and all travelling dog owners would love to hear about your experiences once you hit the road!

Comments for
Travelling through the Gibb River Road area with dogs

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I'm so glad to have found you!
by: Jules

The information you have given me is gold, thank you. I have just hit ORDER on two of the books you recommended by Jan Holland too. Again, thank you! I am just so inspired by your story and your obvious passion for the Kimberly. I am really looking forward to getting up there and experiencing it. I love that there is someone like you up there prepared to help travelers prepare for their journey.

Thank you for your advice on where we can't go, this is invaluable! I think we will do a day trip by air to Mitchell Plateau from Broome as that was the only heart breaker. My parents did this and apparently it's worth it. The dogs will already be in the Broome kennel for the few days we look at Cape Leveque which means only an extra day.

We will go to the places you have suggested we can go, thank you for these. It will not feel like we are missing out at all. I particularly enjoyed your advice on El Questro ;) HSV here we come. J

Somewhere for our dogs to stay in Broome
by: Lou

Hello, I'm not sure if this question is appropriate for here... but I am desperate. We are moving to Broome and need to find somewhere for our precious puppies to stay while we wait for our company housing to be ready. Do you have any opinions or have you heard any stories about the kennels in Broome??? Your help would be very much appreciated.

I think the kennels are ok
by: Birgit

Maybe Jules, who started this thread, will respond to you as well :-). (I don't know if she elected to get notified of comments).

I never take my dog travelling so I don't have first hand experience. Jules plans to leave her dogs in the Broome kennels for four days while she's on the Dampier Peninsula and at the Mitchell Falls. I had exchanged a few emails with her and I know that she's done a heck of a lot of research about everything. So I guess the kennels are ok.

Check out the questions area on my Outback site as well. There is a dog question, too, and I answered with some links to books and resources. Maybe you can find the books in a bookshop (just to look up the Broome pages, not to buy it).

You could also contact the Broome Visitor Centre and ask if they know of any other options but the kennels.

Hope that helps some, and hope your company housing will be ready soon!!

Broome Kennels
by: Jules

I now have information on kennels at Broome below. We are booked into the Broome Veterinary Hospital. My parents had their dogs stay there and thought it was very good - their 2 dogs shared a run which had access to inside and outside. They were walked twice a day. I would love to hear if anyone has information on the Broome Pet Motel.
Costs per pet per day are: $16 for under 10kg's and $18 for over 10kg's. 25-40kg's is $17. If you provide your own food then you deduct $2 per dog per day.

Boarding Kennels

Broome Pet Motel
15 McDaniel Rd
Ph: 9193 5384
Fax: 9193 5384
Mobile: 0417 935 384
Postal: PO Box 1363, Broome 6725

Broome Veterinary Hospital
Cnr Cable Beach Rd & Frederick St.
Ph: 9192 1319
Fax: 9193 7394
Postal: PO Box 53, Broome WA 6725
Email: bmevet@bigpond.net.au

Broome vet kennels
by: Anonymous

We placed our beloved doggies here for 4 days - we were promised they would be walked & washed - in 18 months of travelling with them we have never seen them so upset - we don't think they had had any attention & they certainly had not been washed - we would not use them again.

Broome vet kennels
by: Jules

I saw the comment re the vet so I rang the pet motel and told them of my concerns. The competition actually relieved me and said she takes her pets there when they have problems and said I shouldn't be concerned. She did tell me she has room for my dogs and to view both facilities when we get to town.

I thought it was good of the competition to vouch for the Broome vet... but will check out both just to be sure!

Broome Vet
by: Anonymous

Just wanted to update that I was really happy with the Broome Vet. I'd be comfortable using either business as I had interaction with both. The kennels were quite well sized with inside/outside runs and seemed really clean. Dogs are healthy so that's good. I did hear from one person that her dog got kennel cough from there but we were more than happy with this business.

Broome pet motel
by: Anonymous

Hello, i am a broome local and have several dogs. I have used both facilities and found both to be good, but i am a frequent user of the broome pet motel as it is a family run business and while the faclilities may be not as flash and indoors as the vets is, they take extra care and attention to them.We have had our baby fall ill whilst in their care (due to a pre existing condition)and we can not reccommend more highly the care and speed of their attention to them at those times. They are very knowledgable about dogs and always cook the dogs fresh meals everyday. They are slightly cheaper than the vets also. They are happy to do long term as i had mine in for 5 weeks when i first arrived til i found housing and they were more than happy for me to come and visit and take the dogs out daily.

Mez, Broome