Australian Bicycle Camping
Fact Sheets
www.iinet.net.au/~bikefish/ | *
Water for Cyclists:
Last updated 2006/ June 27
This
is an evolving list, derived from several sources - some of them difficult to
comprehend - and is continuously revised. Your own contributions and updates
are most welcome - it will be helpful if you use the reference numbers in any
correspondence.
Key : p/b = parking bay ; r/a = rest area; c/p =
camping site; R/h = roadhouse ; H/s = homestead ; b/s = bike supplies ; P.O =
post office ; t/o = turn off . Towns along the highway generally have all
required services (except bike parts !)
Note : The "Wet" season lasts from
November / December to March / April.
Entries marked * were confirmed 99/ Sept. **
2000/Oct
This
document is very bulky if printed in HTML format. Click here for a more useful version.
water bag | weather | The Gibb River Road | Pilbara | Links | Sources
| Contact
Katherine
to Port Hedland
1. Katherine + 57
km W. Tank, shade, table
2.
Katherine + 102 km -small "rest area" off the road, tank
3. Katherine + 126
km - cattle troughs
4. Katherine + 143
km - cattle troughs
4a.
K + 155km - Campbell Springs, running water. Rubbish problem.
5.
Katherine + 163 km - tank gone, shelter only
6. Katherine + 173
Km - clean water at Sullivan creek
7.
8. Timber Creek -
Wayside Inn (283 km) Police etc - nice country here
8a. Timber Creek +
10 km . Big Horse Creek c/p with tap water
9.
Timber Creek + 58km E - tank, " rest area"
10. Saddle creek
(Timber Creek + 119 km W) - rest area, last green tank ( Note
: no fruit can be taken into WA)
11. WA border -
tank etc. Agriculture officials say water is "not for drinking".
12. [Deleted 2001 ]
12a. BP @ 5 km
from Kun'a - showers
13. Kununurra
(May-Sep : Squash, Zucchini & Rockmelon harvesting
work). B/s @ "Red Gum Camping" in arcade, and at "Retravision"
13a. K + 40 km -
At intersection, rest area w/ shelter, tables etc
14. The Grotto - 2
km dirt road to waterhole
15. Wyndham
16. Kingstone rest - 20 km S of turn off. "Farm , running stream.."
17. Arthur's creek
- camp ground, melons ( " did not see" 2001)
18.
19. "Doon Doon" Station on right @ 115 km post. R/h due late 2001.
19a
19aa 211 km before
Halls Creek, ca 100 m after March Fly Creek turn west on track 1 km later is a
water hole, nice swimming and camping
20.
Mistake Creek - 195 km - NO tank in 2001
21. Warmun (Turkey Creek) - r/h, c/p, fish, groceries,
21a.
Fletchers Creek (13 N of Purnululu turnoff) bush
camping and creek water. Frog Hollow Creek 35 km after Warmun
has water hole
21b.Spring Creek
Rest Area, good spot with bbqs, and creek water.
Located one Km south of Purnululu turn
off on West side of hwy.
22.
Ord river - nice camp, water possible, depending on season
23.
24. Alice Downs
H/s - turn off @ 310 km . 24a. 25 km N of Hall's
Creek, "nice b/bong camp on W.side " - tank a little bit later on E.
25.
Halls Creek * (see references). B/s. Internet at information
centre.
25a. Halls Creek
+20 Community near Hwy
26. Halls Creek +
80 km S - tank
27. Halls Creek +
107 km -
28.
Pinnacle Creek - 200 km after Halls Creek
29. Fitzroy
Crossing: www at TAFE | Basic b/s | Showers @ R/h $2.00 .
29a. FC + 93 km : "..c/p at lake, not sign
posted, 6 km W of Ellendale RA"
30.
Fitzroy Crossing + 100 km S - windmill & tank at cattle grid. ".. There are no
cattle grids directly on the highway. Saw a pond off to right at 90km, so
perhaps this was it?.."
30a Fitzroy
Crossing + 154 new [2004 ] tank and cattle through on
S
31. Willare - r/h. The only water here is rain water, use
sparingly. Expensive groceries.
31a.
Willare + 25 tank and cattle through on N
31b. Willare + 57 private house (Kimberly Colorstones)
32. "rivers in the area have water " ??? / 2001 ".. Seems out of place. The
32 a Willare + 107. Water Hole
, Needs Filtering
33. Roebuck r/h @
Pt Hedland t/o - "bike friendly". C/p $12.50
33a
:
Destroyed , but rebuilding " Roebuck+85kms : *Eco Beach Resort (10kms off
the highway on good dirt road. Resort $19 entrance, includes a big lunch.)
33b
:Roebuck+188kms
*Stanley Rest Area , good camping/caravan stop, no water
33c
: Roebuck+95kms
and 9kms on a reasonable dirt road. Barn Hill Station Stay .
C/p $11, very pleasant folk, and water. * Recommended .
33d
:
Roebuck+128kms, approx 1km on LHS of road on sandy track. *Shamrock Vegetable Farm . open between May and
September, closes at 2pm.
34.
mistake
harsh country from Broome to Sandfire - "..possible June
to August only.."
35.P/b @ 55 km - left & right of road .2001 : "..
Didn't see this one.."
36. Roebuck +121
km. rest area, no water
37. windmill @ 175 km (no tank*)
38. windmill @ 260 km (no tank*) far from road
38a. 26 Km N of Sandfire :
bore near "Emu" sign, behind gate.
39. Sandfire r/h - bike friendly, groceries, c/p $5.50
39a.
Sandfire+45kms 80 mile Beach Caravan Park. Road good.
40. Pardoo r/h - Little Oasis - bike friendly, groceries,
showers. Update : cyclone damaged 2002
40aa Pardoo +6 km good bush-camping with claer
water hole
40a.Pardoo + 78kms : De Grey River rest area, good shady camping
.Swimming [see # 42 ]
41. Goldsworthy
t/o- no water , but " good camp"
42. Pardoo+30 (?) kms, then 13kms in on 'good dirt road' Pardoo
H/s c/p
43. de
Port
Hedland -
44. Pt. Hedland *
strong winds possible to S. - may need goggles for sand * B/s at Sth Hedland. NB : detour required
to Port Hedland.
45. Turner river
23 Km S of PH. Unreliable water
46. Yule river r/a
- no tank.
47. Whim Creek -
hotel, free c/p, food, showers. "..No bikes on lawn", " bike un-friendly.." but now "New
management 2002"
48. Sherlock river
- maybe . 2001 "..pools.."
49. Roebourne -
food. Free tour at Info centre. Some
B/s. Email at Library.
50/51. Karratha - Dampier r/h.
" Travel Stop" - friendly, food, c/p 8km from t/o.
52. Miraee Pool - v. attractive
53.
53a. + 22km " good shady clearing to W.."
54.
55. (Pannawonica)
shade, tables at t/o. 55a. Robe R. R/a. 55b. Info bay at Onslow T/o, shelter
only.
56. Nanutarra r/h - helpful management c/g on creek, tap water,
swimming.
57. ** 70 km S (??
58. (Giralia Stn - excellent food)
59. (
60. Winning H/S : 2km off road. Water on request
61. ??? 20 km S
62. Telstra
outpost @ 100 km - "..no water in 89..". Fenced.
62a. Lyndon R. R/A
63. ? now gone ? Windmills @ 100 km
64. Minilya r/h - pleasant campsite, bore water OK, bottled
water for sale.C
65. Minilya + 48 , Windmill ,(was
"Windmills 80 km. N of Carnarvon")
66.
67. Carnarvon -
"some of the best food in
67 a. R/A on E side. Shelter & tables.
68. Wooramel r/h . ** friendly new owners, fresh pastries ! Tap water still OK .(unfriendly in 89 , what a memory !) - Camp kitchen w/
radio. 2001 : proprietors took a copy of this list!
69. Overlander r/h
-. ** Will give rainwater on request ( be polite ). basic campsite
Side trip to Shark Bay
69a. Hamelin Pool:
rainwater for campers
69b.
69c. Denham
69d. Monkey Mia
70. Billabong r/h.
** : Rain water for cyclists 50c/litre on request. C/p.
70a. "Nerrun" sheep station . water on request
71. Rest area with
Roads Dept. serviced tank @ 70 km from B'bong.
72.
72 a . Loop via Kalbarri ( less
traffic & pretty) | b. Kalbarri | c. Port Gregory
73. Binnu - store
|| 74. [changed]
75.
75 a : Drummond Cove c/p & R/H
76. Geraldton. 24
hr email at Shell stn. B/s at " Bicycle
Entrepreneur" tel 08 9964 1399 < tbe@wn.com.au >. NB : new road
to
76a.
Greenough Hamlet.
Showers & email. Drinking Water
available from tap at picnic area on Southern end of historic area 300 metres
from Hwy near cafe.
76b. Seven Mile
Bend - R/h, Caravan Park, Small Shop, Limited water.
77. Dongara - R/H
& c/p. t/o here to avoid traffic on
77 a : Western Flora Nature Reserve. 800 m
off the road. Water
78. Eneabba r/h. 2000 : Miners mess hall is great.
79
& 80.
Half Way Mill r/h. or Warradge r/h
81. Badgingarra
r/h - Some work available in area. C/p with tent sites.
82. Cataby r/h. Email @ Ampol.
83. Reagans Ford -r/h. C/p Do not camp
south of r/h at bottom of hill in river reserve. You will probably be ejected.
C/p is well equipped
84. Gin Gin – Hotel, C/p at Shell R/h and water tap out front.
85. Muchea - r/h,
store,
86. Bullsbrook -
grocery &
87
Dongara to
88. Dongara
89. Leeman ( supplies, van park etc)
90. GreenHead ( camping)
91. Jurien ( all facilities)
92. Cervantes
93. ( Dandaragan - shop & nice camping)
94. Reagan's Ford
95. Lancelin
96. Guilderton
97. Quinn's Beach
98. Burn's Beach -
join cycle path to ...
99.
2006 : Kevin Peirce
2002 : Randy & Jody Miller, Andrea & Peter
2001 : Catherine Langbridge,
Mike Vermuelen
2001 : Belinda Van Straaten
2000 Claire & Bob Rogers
2000 Bernd Lackner
1999 Pat Barley & David Fuller
1989 Notes provided
to Bicycle SA by Colin Rogers
Cycling
"Crossing Australia's North [by Bicycle ] " ( 1990, Julia Thorn 141 pp ) pocket
size format . Detailed route guide for Townsville-to-Broome and Darwin / Kakadu
region. Useful history and other observations. ( Kangaroo Press ISBN 0 86417 305 9 )
Bush Camps & Rest Areas
around
The Gibb River Road 2000
by
Philipp Wuethrich
<woo_trick72@hotmail.com>
Schwandenallee 23, 6047
notes from a solo ride in 2000/ late May to mid
June
Note: I did the ride after a very
heavy wet season which lasted much longer than expected. therefore
there was plenty of water in almost all of the rivers. This probably will not
be the case later in the year or after less heavy rain.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Map:
RACWA (
1.
water in
road sealed for the first 69 km, then good, hard dirt
road. flat, straight
2. bush camp - Windjana Gorge (35.9 km):
water, showers, telephone at Gorge campground, water in
road good, hard to Windjana
Gorge turnoff, then rocky and corrugated
(21 km). recommended sidetrip to Tunnel Creek (37 km from Windjana
Gorge)
3. Windjana Gorge - Apex Creek bush
camp (87
km)
water in
road very sandy for about 10 km after turnoff to Windjana Gorge, then good, hard and smooth.
4. Apex Creek camp - roadside
bush camp
(65 km)
water
in Lennard Gorge (sidetrip 7.5 km one way , beautiful
gorge, turnoff 7 km past Apex Creek, rough track, had to walk last 1.5 km) ;
water at Bell Creek, groceries and drinks at Imintji
Aboriginal store (39 km past apex creek), water at Grave Creek (5 km past Imintji store);
road to Bell Gorge (29 km one way) was closed.
road
very rocky for the first 14 km after Lennard Gorge turnoff, then sealed for
about 3 km and better after that.
5. bush camp - Galvans Gorge (61.3 km):
water at Adcock Gorge (sidetrip
5 km one way, rough track), & at
road corrugated, but wide
6. Galvans Gorge - Manning Gorge (Mt Barnett roadhouse):
water at roadhouse & at Manning Gorge (7 km from
roadhouse).
camping at Manning Gorge (sidetrip
7 km) or free at
road sandy in places
7. Manning Gorge - North Creek (91.7 km):
water at Mt Barnett River Gorge (5 km sidetrip, camping possible),
road sandy in places
8. North Creek -
water at
road from North Creek to Kalumbura
Turnoff (road to Mitchell plateau) , for about 20 km very sandy, quite
unrideable in places.
9.
water at Durack River (24 km after
camping at the station (showers, toilets, small shop)
road good, had just been graded
10.
Jacks Waterhole - Home
water at Bindoola Creek (40 km
after Jacks Waterhole),
road sandy in places
11.
water at
no camping at Emma Gorge only
expensive, upmarket apartments
road corrugated like hell after
El Questro turnoff.
Pilbara
- information from Pat & Sharyn (1999)
Port
Hedland+67kms and 9kms off road Indee Station Stay
Pingu Creek, Port Hedland+146kms(aprox), - appeared to be permanent water.
Auski R/H, Port Hedland+303kms
Tom Price (town)
Bellary Creek - Tom Price+20kms
(several crossings - first at approx 20kms) - good permanent water.
Paraburdoo
- Tom Price+80kms
Paraburdoo to Nanutarra,
Local has advised good water , but will confirm next
message.
Links
Australian
Bicycle Camping Fact Sheets – Kimberley
Water Points :
Pt Augusta to Darwin
The Stuart Highway : Coober Pedy to Port
Bicycle Travel &
Harvest Work in Australia
Goolarabooloo People (
Claire
& Bob's narrative is at http://www.HearingCommSys.com/Bob-Claire/
Updated information should be addressed to Grace Newhaven by email or
This information is provided and
maintained by grassroots cyclists without funding of any sort. No
responsibilities can be accepted for errors or omissions.
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