Conquering the Gibb River road

Season one of Carsales' Out There ends where most road trips would refuse to start.

The Gibb River road has a reputation, and not a flattering one. It is 750km of unsealed Kimberley track known for eating cars, and getting to the start of it means covering another 880km from Darwin first. That is the drive. This is part one.

Before the bitumen runs out, there is Lake Argyle – the largest artificial lake in the country, home to 26 species of native fish and roughly 25,000 freshwater crocodiles. Dan swims in it anyway, at sunset, drink in hand, on the assurance that freshies prefer fish to presenters.

The trip also takes in a four-course dinner cooked over open flame in the middle of nowhere, an afternoon at Waringarri Aboriginal Arts with cultural coordinator Chris Griffiths, the 300-million-year-old sandstone of Mirima National Park, the 33-degree thermal pools at Zebedee Springs, the climb into Emma Gorge, and the long, famous, croc-signposted water crossing at the Pentecost River.

The tool for the job is the Ford Ranger Super Duty, which shares just six per cent of its componentry with the Ranger it is named after. Eight-lug wheels, a 4.5-tonne braked towing capacity, and a snorkel that lifts wading depth to around 1.8m – comfortably deeper than Dan is tall.

Riding shotgun is a Ford Everest Tremor on Bilstein dampers and knobbly rubber, with about 30mm more ground clearance than standard. Both are showroom stock. Neither has been modified for this.

By the end of part one the sealed road is behind them, the swags are out, and the actual Gibb is only just beginning.

Part two asks the question that has been building the whole way north. If the Gibb River road were sealed end to end, would that be progress or vandalism?

Watch part one above, and hit subscribe so part two lands in your feed.

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