30 September 2022
After a day sweating the weather forecast, we were still unsure. It didn’t rain the night before, or in the morning before we left. Could we make it?
We decided to compromise – we’d prepare for a day trip into Tunnel Creek Gorge and get to Derby via the end of the Gibb River Road. No overnight and we could pull out any time before we left the highway with no harm.
There was still no rain as we left Fitzroy Crossing, but as we approached the turn off the road was wet. Then there were spits, then there was a shower. We called it – nope. Not us, not today. When we finally saw the turn-off we kept going, it was clearly wet with the dirt already becoming mud. We knew we would likely miss something amazing, but better than the alternatives.
It was the right call – the rain got worse and when we arrived in Derby, we discovered that they had closed the campground the night before.
