Spaceships campervan hire Kimberley: the self-drive way through the north-west

The Kimberley looks compact on a wall map until you start measuring it in fuel stops. Broome to Kununurra by sealed road is roughly 1,040 km one way, and the useful towns — Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek — are spaced far enough apart that a lazy top-up habit can become an expensive lesson.

The good news is that a Spaceships campervan Kimberley run can work well if you stick to the sealed highways and plan your nights. The main sealed line is Broome to Derby, then the Great Northern Highway across Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek to Kununurra.

• Broome to Derby: about 220 km, mostly sealed and straightforward.
• Derby to Fitzroy Crossing: about 258 km, with long open stretches.
• Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek: about 290 km; do not leave on fumes.
• Halls Creek to Kununurra: about 358 km, one of the bigger sealed legs.

Do start each day with a full tank and at least 10 litres of drinking water per person in reserve. Don't assume every roadhouse has late trading, card service, fresh water or your favourite servo sandwich.

The Kimberley’s famous names can be misleading for campervan hirers. The Gibb River Road, Mitchell Falls, Kalumburu Road and the track into Purnululu National Park are the stuff of campfire bragging, but they are generally 4WD territory and often outside standard 2WD campervan rental conditions.

If you are comparing a Spaceships motorhome Kimberley search with a compact campervan, read the road-use clauses before you daydream about corrugations. A dirt road that looks harmless at the turn-off can become washboard, bulldust or a floodway within 20 km.

• Usually suitable: sealed highway stops, Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra and Lake Argyle Road.
• Check carefully: Cape Leveque/ Dampier Peninsula side roads, station stays and any unsealed access tracks.
• Avoid in 2WD unless explicitly permitted: Gibb River Road, Purnululu access road, Mitchell Plateau and remote sandy beach tracks.

Do book a local 4WD day tour for places like the Bungle Bungles if they are non-negotiable. Don't risk the bond, the tyres and your holiday because a bloke at the bottle-o said he “saw a sedan do it once”.

The hardest Kimberley mistake is arriving in Broome tired, sweaty and overconfident, then discovering that sleeping behind the dunes is not a plan. Local councils patrol popular foreshore and town areas, and illegal camping fines can quickly cost more than a powered site.

For a first night, choose a proper holiday park around Broome or Cable Beach, plug in, fill water, check the fridge, and work out where the camp chairs actually fit. From there, mix caravan parks, approved rest areas and national park campgrounds where your vehicle and rental agreement allow.

• Powered sites: best for Broome, Derby and Kununurra when nights are hot and the fridge is working hard.
• Unpowered sites: useful in cooler dry-season weather, especially if your van battery is healthy.
• Free camps: stick to signed rest areas and time limits; 24-hour stops are common but not universal.
• Dump points: plan around Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Kununurra; confirm in an app or at the visitor centre before relying on one.

Do arrive at camp before dark; roos, cattle and wandering stock own the shoulders after sunset. Don't drain grey water on the ground or use roadside bins as your personal house move.

A fast Broome-to-Kununurra dash can be done in three driving days, but that is a delivery run, not a holiday. For self-drivers sleeping in the van, 10 to 14 days gives enough slack for hot afternoons, gorge walks, laundry, fuel queues and the occasional “we are not driving another kilometre” moment.

Build the route like a boomerang if you need to return the campervan to Broome, or make it one-way if availability and branch locations suit your booking. Either way, keep the sealed-road backbone and add only permitted side trips.

• Days 1-2: Broome, Cable Beach, supplies, water fill and first proper camp setup.
• Days 3-4: Derby area, boab country, jetty sunset and restock.
• Days 5-6: Fitzroy Crossing region; check current access for gorge cruises and walks after wet-season damage.
• Days 7-8: Halls Creek and the China Wall area, with an early fuel top-up.
• Days 9-11: Kununurra and Lake Argyle, both reached by sealed road.
• Days 12-14: return west in two or three stages, not one heroic caffeine-fuelled blur.

Do pad the schedule by at least one spare day in the wet-season shoulder months. Don't book your final night 800 km from drop-off unless you enjoy packing the van at dawn with a face like a dropped pie.

Dry-season days are often 30-34°C, and late build-up weather can push past 38°C before the wet arrives. In a small campervan, heat management is not romantic; it is choosing shade, opening vents early, and paying for power when the night air refuses to move.

Fuel range matters. Many compact campervans use roughly 9-12 L/100 km depending on load, wind and speed; larger motorhome-style vehicles can use more. The long Halls Creek to Kununurra leg is about 358 km, so a half tank is not “near enough”.

• Carry drinking water separately from your sink tank: at least 10 litres per person as a reserve.
• Refuel at every major town on the sealed route, even if the gauge looks smug.
• Keep tyre pressures checked at servos; heat and load punish soft tyres.
• Give road trains room: many are over 50 metres long and throw a solid blast of air when passing.

Do slow down and stay left when a road train is overtaking. Don't pull onto a soft shoulder at speed; ease off, hold your line and let the professional driver get on with it.

Spaceships-style campers suit travellers who want a compact bed-on-wheels rather than a full apartment. That can be a blessing in Broome parking bays and at busy camp kitchens, but it also means you need to think about toilets, showers, shade and where you can legally overnight.

If your plan depends on national park campgrounds or free camps, check whether you need a self-contained vehicle, whether toilets are available, and whether generators are banned. Parks WA campgrounds often require online booking, and camping fees are commonly around $11-$15 per adult per night, with park entry fees extra where they apply.

• Choose powered sites when you need reliable fridge recovery and device charging.
• Pack a head torch, insect repellent, long water hose adaptor and a proper 15 amp lead if supplied/required with your setup.
• Check vehicle height before supermarket car parks, shade sails and old roadhouse awnings.
• Book early for June to August; grey nomads migrate north with impressive coordination.

Do check availability online before locking in flights and a one-way route. Don't assume the cheapest date has the right vehicle, kilometre allowance or road permissions for a Kimberley run.