Are the Kimberley roads safe for small cars in January?

by Manu
(Perth )

My wife and I will travel from Broome to Muirhead in Darwin this coming January. May I ask if it's safe passing through the Kimberley during those days?

I believe it's rainy days on that season.

We will just past through and have no plans of side trips yet because we will use a small vehicle only (Honda Jazz hatchback). I wonder if that small car can pass through the roads. I have no idea how the roads look.

Thank you in advance for your kind response.

Comments for Are the Kimberley roads safe for small cars in January?

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Nov 13, 2017
 Road surface unpredictable
by: Melanie

The likelihood of many of the roads being closed is really high due to it being the middle of the wet. Quite often 4WD are unable to use the roads because they're closed to traffic. The Great Northern Highway should be open however there are areas there that often flood out. It's an unpredictable time re weather in January. It is possible to check the road conditions but they are never known until closer to the time.
Nov 13, 2017
 Safe roads
by: KimberleyDave

The main highway from Broome to Darwin will have water on it at certain places, such as around Willare, around the Fitzroy (near Fitzroy Crossing), possibly at Margaret River before Halls Creek, and between Kununurra and Timber Creek. If you can wait a while, the water will recede. We were stuck in Kununurra earlier this year for 3 days which was uncomfortable but we survived. We were very nearly stuck out at the border, which would have been less fun. It's the wet season and if it's been raining heavily, the roads do flood and you may be stuck. On the other hand, seeing the water running down the cliffs that line the roadsides around Timber Creek may be one of the great sights of the North. You could be lucky and drive straight through, or you could be caught out on the highway waiting for a bridge to clear. It's not the best season for driving in the Kimberley unless you are prepared for delays - we carry 3 days water and food, and a tent and stretchers, ALL the time in the Kimberleys.

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