Broome to Kununurra drive
Broome to Kununurra is about 1,000 km via the Great Northern Highway through Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek, with about 10.5 hours of driving before stops. The Great Northern Highway is the main sealed road linking the North West towns. The Gibb River Road is a separate unsealed route.
Updated
Key facts
- Distance
- About 1,000 km via Great Northern Highway
- Drive time
- About 10.5 hours before stops
- First major stop
- Fitzroy Crossing is 391 km east of Broome
- Halls Creek
- 683 km from Broome and 359 km from Kununurra
- Surface
- Great Northern Highway is the main sealed road linking major North West towns
- Alternative
- Gibb River Road is unsealed
Broome to Kununurra
About 1,000 km · About 10.5 hours before stops
Broome
Start with fuel and current highway conditions.
Fitzroy Crossing
First major overnight option, 391 km from Broome.
Halls Creek
About 683 km from Broome.
Kununurra
End of the Great Northern Highway route.
Is the Broome to Kununurra road sealed?
Yes, the Great Northern Highway through Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek is the main sealed road linking the North West towns. Do not confuse it with the unsealed Gibb River Road. Flooding or roadworks can still close sections, so check the Main Roads travel map on departure day.
Where should you break the drive?
Fitzroy Crossing is 391 km from Broome. Halls Creek is 683 km from Broome and 359 km short of Kununurra. Those distances make either town a useful overnight point; choose a stop that avoids driving after dark.
How much driving should you allow?
Allow about 10.5 hours of driving for the full 1,000 km route, before meals, refuelling and rest. Split it rather than treating the estimated drive time as an arrival guarantee. Main Roads WA recommends planning your trip and being prepared for the unexpected.
Can you drive a hire car on the Gibb River Road instead?
Do not switch routes without checking the rental agreement. The Gibb River Road is unsealed, while the Great Northern Highway is the sealed connection. Confirm Kununurra drop-off availability in the booking search if you want a one-way hire.
Is Fitzroy Crossing or Halls Creek the better overnight stop?
Fitzroy Crossing is about 391 km from Broome, leaving a much longer second leg to Kununurra. Halls Creek is about 683 km from Broome and 359 km from Kununurra, creating the shorter finishing day. Choose Fitzroy Crossing if you want a gentler first day or time nearby; choose Halls Creek only if the longer first leg still ends in daylight with planned rest breaks.
For a two-night crossing, both towns can be stops rather than alternatives. The drive time estimate of 10.5 hours does not include meals, fuel or sightseeing, so splitting the sealed highway trip over more than one day is a practical decision, not a detour.
The 391 km Broome to Fitzroy Crossing leg leaves about 647 km to Kununurra. Fitzroy Crossing has several galleries selling locally produced art, but the attractions off the highway are not automatically sealed-road stops: Windjana Gorge is 145 km from town on an unsealed road, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended. The town itself works as a break without committing your rental to an unsealed side road.
Where can you refuel on the sealed highway?
Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek both have several places to refuel, and Warmun Roadhouse and Doon Doon Roadhouse are highway stops toward Kununurra. Availability at individual outlets can change, so start each remote leg with enough fuel rather than counting on a single roadhouse. Check the Main Roads travel map for the highway itself on departure day.
The Gibb River Road is unsealed. If that is the trip you want, plan it as a separate itinerary and check that your rental agreement permits the roads, rather than switching off the Great Northern Highway mid-booking.
If the trip is spread over two nights, the roughly 290 km from Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek gives a shorter middle day and time to rest. Continue via the highway fuel points toward Kununurra, but check that outlets are open rather than planning to reach a particular roadhouse on an almost empty tank. The Main Roads WA travel map shows current highway closures after weather or works.
Compare cars at Broome Airport
Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Check the pickup point and what the agreement allows on the roads in this guide before you book.
Preparing live car hire search
Where to pick up for this trip
Questions people ask
How far is Broome to Kununurra?
About 1,000 km via the Great Northern Highway.
Is Broome to Kununurra sealed?
The Great Northern Highway route is sealed; the Gibb River Road alternative is unsealed.
Where can you stop overnight?
Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek divide the long highway journey.
Can a standard hire car use the Gibb River Road?
Only if the supplier expressly permits that unsealed route and vehicle type in the rental agreement.
Can I drive Broome to Kununurra in one day?
The driving estimate is about 10.5 hours before stops. An overnight break at Fitzroy Crossing or Halls Creek is a more workable plan.
Where are fuel stops between Broome and Kununurra?
Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek have several fuel options; Warmun Roadhouse and Doon Doon Roadhouse are further stops on the Great Northern Highway. Confirm that outlets are open.