Derby sits on the edge of King Sound, about 220 kilometres east of Broome, with boab-lined streets, a long jetty and some of the biggest tides in Australia. It is also the western gateway to the Gibb River Road.
The drive between the two towns takes a couple of hours on sealed highway, through flat cattle country of red earth, termite mounds and boab trees. Here is where to stop along the way, what to look for on the road into Derby and how to see Horizontal Falls once you get there.
Plan the Drive Between Broome and Derby
Broome to Derby is about 220 kilometres by road. You follow the Broome Road out to the Great Northern Highway, then turn onto the 42-kilometre Derby Highway, which becomes Loch Street as you reach town. Australia’s North West and Visit Broome both put the drive at about two hours, so allow longer if you plan to stop.
The whole route is sealed, and a regular two-wheel-drive car handles it in normal conditions. There are only two roadhouses on the way, at Roebuck Plains and Willare, so fill up in Broome and carry water.
Fuel Up at Roebuck Plains Roadhouse
Roebuck Plains Roadhouse sits where the Broome Road meets the Great Northern Highway, about 35 kilometres from Broome. It sells unleaded, diesel and premium fuel, and it is the last place to buy drinking water before the long stretch east. On the way out of town you also pass Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park, which opens daily from 2pm to 5pm if you are setting off after lunch.
Take a Break at Nillibubbica Rest Area
A little over an hour from Broome, and about 71 kilometres past Roebuck Plains, Nillibubbica Rest Area is a free stop with large shade shelters, picnic tables, wood barbecues and toilets. There is no drinking water, so bring your own. It sits close to the road, and you will hear the road trains go past.
This stretch of the Great Northern Highway runs through open cattle station country. Australia’s North West lists Cockatoo Creek, Ski Lake and the May River as birdwatching spots along the highway towards Derby, so keep binoculars on the back seat.
Cross the Fitzroy River at Willare
Willare Bridge Roadhouse is about 200 metres from the Fitzroy River and has fuel, a restaurant, accommodation and a caravan park, with Yeeda beef and Blue Bush lamb on the menu. The roadhouse building was first commissioned for the Blue Streak missile program and later housed the crews who built the Willare and Minni bridges. A monument to the bridges stands near the crossing.
The river also shows why the wet season matters on this road. In early 2023, floodwaters near Willare washed away part of the Great Northern Highway, and the road between Broome and Derby stayed closed for more than five weeks.
Soon after Willare, the Derby Highway turns north off the Great Northern Highway, with an information bay and rest area at the junction.
Look for Birds on the Derby Highway
The Derby Highway runs through more open country and past Munkyarra Wetland, near the Prison Tree, where Australia’s North West lists brolgas and red-backed fairywrens among the birds you may see. About seven kilometres from Derby, the Gibb River Road heads east, and it is the road to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek.
Visit the Boab Prison Tree and Myalls Bore
As you come into Derby, about six kilometres south of town, the Boab Prison Tree, known as Kunumudj, stands in a fenced reserve just off the Derby Highway. The tree is about 1,500 years old with a girth of 14.7 metres, and it is significant to the Nyikina and Warrwa people. It is protected under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, so read the signs and do not climb or enter the tree.
A short walk away, Myalls Bore has a cattle trough 120 metres long, built in the early 1900s. Tourism Western Australia says it could water up to 1,000 cattle at once and was their last stop before they were shipped out of Derby. The bore is 322 metres deep, and a windmill was added after the flow dropped in 1919.
Stay Safe on the Road
Road trains on the Great Northern Highway can be more than 50 metres long, so only overtake when you can see well ahead. The stations along the way are unfenced, which means cattle and kangaroos can be on the road, and dawn and dusk are the riskiest times. Australia’s North West advises against driving at night.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s tropical cyclone season runs between 1 November and 30 April, and heavy rain can close sealed roads for hours or days. Check the Main Roads WA Travel Map before you set off, and the Shire of Derby / West Kimberley road conditions report for local roads. Never drive into floodwater across the road.
When You Arrive in Derby
The Derby Highway becomes Loch Street as you reach the centre of town. The Derby Visitor Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm and can help with maps, tide times and bookings. For what to see and do once you are there, including the jetty, the Mowanjum Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre and flights over the mudflats, see our guide to the top 6 things to do in Derby WA.
Book Your Horizontal Falls Tour From Derby
If you are driving to Derby anyway, it costs less to see Horizontal Falls from there. Frontier Tours’ Horizontal Falls and Montgomery Reef tours are priced lower from Derby than the same tours from Broome, because you start with the helicopter in Derby rather than a fixed-wing flight from Broome. You can compare them on the tours from Derby page.
Derby tours leave from Derby Airport, Hangar 5, and there is no pick-up in town, so make your own way to the airport. The Horizontal Falls Highlights flyover from Derby takes 115 minutes over the Derby mudflats, Talbot Bay and the McLarty and Kimbolton Ranges. Its departure time is set by the tide, somewhere between 6am and 3pm, and is confirmed after you book. The flyover can still run in the wet season, subject to the tides and the weather, but it does not operate on neap tides.
The Horizontal Falls Discoverer from Derby runs for six and a half hours, leaves at 8:15am and adds a pontoon landing in Talbot Bay, a powerboat ride through the falls and a barramundi lunch. It runs between April and September. For a shorter flight, the 30-minute Derby Discoverer Scenic Flight takes in the Derby mudflats and mangroves, where saltwater crocodiles bask along the banks of the inlet.
If you are not driving, the same tours run from Broome with a fixed-wing flight to Derby at the start, and they include pick-up and drop-off at your Broome accommodation. Aviair also runs scheduled flights between Broome and Derby on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. See every option on the Horizontal Falls tours page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the drive from Broome to Derby?
The drive is about 220 kilometres and takes around two hours without stops. Allow extra time for fuel, a break at Nillibubbica or a visit to the Boab Prison Tree.
Is the road between Broome and Derby sealed?
The whole route is sealed, following the Great Northern Highway and then the Derby Highway. Flooding can close the highway in the wet season, so check the Main Roads WA Travel Map.
Where can you get fuel between Broome and Derby?
Roebuck Plains Roadhouse and Willare Bridge Roadhouse both sell fuel, and Derby has two service stations and a 24-hour unmanned pump.
Is it cheaper to see Horizontal Falls from Derby?
Yes. Frontier Tours’ Horizontal Falls tours from Derby are priced lower than the same tours from Broome, because they skip the fixed-wing flight. Derby tours leave from Derby Airport, Hangar 5, with no pick-up in town.
Are there flights between Derby and Broome?
Aviair runs scheduled flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Horizontal Falls tours from Broome also include a fixed-wing flight to Derby.
See More of Derby and the Kimberley From Above
The drive to Derby shows you the Kimberley from the road, and a scenic flight from either town takes you out over the mudflats, the ranges and the coast beyond. Ready to see it from the air? Browse and book a scenic flight online with Frontier Tours, or get in touch with our team to find the flight that suits your plans.