Driving the remote Gary Highway in the Gibson Desert

Driving the remote Gary Highway in the Gibson Desert

Australia, oceania

Length

323 km

Elevation

N/A

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, picture this: the Gary Highway, smack-dab in remote Western Australia. This isn't your Sunday drive kinda road, folks. We're talking seriously unsealed, 4x4 territory only! Think corrugated dirt track stretching 323km (201 miles) through the ridiculously arid Gibson and Great Sandy Deserts.

Len Beadell carved this bad boy out back in '63, and it runs roughly south-to-north, connecting the Gunbarrel Highway near Everard Junction to the Gary Junction Road at, you guessed it, Gary Junction. Most of it is straight as an arrow, except for a fun little wiggle around some sand dunes. The scenery is harsh but epic in its own way. Seriously, though, vehicle prep and careful planning are crucial here. You're out in the middle of nowhere!

Where is it?

Driving the remote Gary Highway in the Gibson Desert is located in Australia (oceania). Coordinates: -28.2264, 132.5385

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Road Details

Country
Australia
Continent
oceania
Length
323 km
Difficulty
hard
Coordinates
-28.2264, 132.5385

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