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Travelling the Nullarbor (Eyre Highway) can be so daunting to start with but it shouldn't be.
Gone are the days of the Nullarbor being remote and scary. These days you can't drive 5 mins along the highway without passing another vehicle, be it a car or a massive road train.
It is much more than a flat, treeless plain, the Nullarbor is home to some magnificent terrain not seen anywhere else in the world, from the ancient limestone system that has some fascinating caves to the huge rugged cliff faces with the most incredible views as far as the eye can see.
The 1675km journey is one of those bucket list items you must do when travelling Australia.
Join us for our comprehensive guide to the Nullarbor Roadtrip of a lifetime.
Getting There.
Your 1675km Nullarbor road trip begins at either Ceduna or Norseman.
If you are coming from the west, Norseman is a small town which is approximately 720km E of Perth, Western Australia.
Or if you're from the east Ceduna is approximately 780kms NW of Adelaide, South Australia.
For this blog, we will be travelling West to East.
Starting in Norseman, Western Australia.
Norseman is a town of approximately 500 people located in the Goldfields/Esperance Region of WA.
Being the gateway to the Nullarbor, Norseman is the perfect place to stock up on supplies ready to hit the long road ahead. The next supermarket is in Ceduna some 1675kms away.
Norseman has two major truck stops right alongside the road for you to fill up the tanks or grab a cheeky ice cream if your not looking to hang around and are wanting to keep on trucking.
Should you want to grab some food and supplies there is an IGA (open 7 days) located on the main street of town with ample parking for cars and vans. The Norseman hotel is also across the road for your booze supplies.
There are toilet facilities along with a dump point and water fill-up at the back of the swimming pool some 100m up the road from the IGA with simple access for all setups. The water tap is on the side of the old visitors centre and requires at least a 15m hose should you park on the road or in the car park.
Dundas Shire has a new free 72hr rest stop in town that by all accounts is a fantastic spot to stop for a rest with all the usual amenities.
This complements the existing acclaim gateway caravan park already in town.
You can start the famous Nullarbor links golf course while in town too if that is your thing. Norseman has holes 1 & 2 located at the Norseman golf club. Your scorecard can be stamped at the visitor's centre in town. Check the visitor centre opening hours.
Now that you are stocked up and ready to hit the Nullarbor you can turn onto the Eyre highway and start heading head east.
Your journey across the 1675km stretch can take around 2 days or you can stretch it out as long as you need depending on the hours you would like to drive each day. Our recommendation is 2 days minimum on the road itself to allow enough time to rest between driving stints. If your coming from Esperance or further west I would allow an extra day just to break
down the long drive.
Accommodation along the Nullarbor.
There are loads of free roadside stops the whole way along the Nullarbor. Some are bush camps where you can get a few hundred meters away from the road noise and others are rest stops right on the road.
Apps such as Wikicamps show many of the great spots to camp.
Be wary though most of the roadside rest stops will have trucks coming in and out at any hour of the day or night - Remember, the trucks need to stop somewhere too so be accommodating and leave plenty of space for them.
There is something about spending the night under the stars along the Nullarbor which can't be replicated anywhere else.
One of the bucket list items is to spend a night along the incredible Baxter cliffs which offer amazing views of the Great Australian bight from up to 120m high.
There are also several roadhouses/motels you can stay at as well if you don't have your accommodation such as;
Fraser Range Station
Wedgetail Inn Hotel
Border Village Roadhouse
Nullarbor Roadhouse
Ceduna Foreshore Caravan Park.
Fuel.
Spaced out across the Nullarbor are 11 roadhouses.
Distances between varies from 12km (Eucla - Bordertown) up to 191km (Norseman - Balladonia). All roadhouses have unleaded and diesel fuel. However, most only have 91 ULP available so be prepared to run 91 ULP or bring some octane booster should your vehicle require premium fuels.
Prices on all fuels will obviously be a lot higher then in the city so be prepared and remember the cost to get fuel out to these areas has to be factored in to the price.
Things to see and do.
Now I know what your thinking, "what can I do in the middle of nowhere to break up a 1675km drive?"
Well surprisingly there is a large amount of places to stop and look at scattered the whole way along the stretch.
This is the world's longest golf course that is spread from one end of the Nullarbor to the other which is sure to break up the journey and a great way to stretch you legs and burn off some energy.
- Caves, Sinkholes & Blowholes.
There are loads of interesting limestone caves, blowholes and sink holes scattered along the road and surprisingly close distance to the highway which provide a great opportunity to get out and stretch your legs.
The main ones being Koonalda and Cocklebiddy Caves.
- Baxter & Bunda Cliffs.
The near vertical cliff faces that drops off straight into the Great Australian Bight is a sight to behold. You will struggle to find a more impressive sight than watching the sun set over the cliffs.
- Whale Watching.
If your travelling though June-October you may see whales migrating along the coast.
A stop into the Head of the Bight Whale Watching Centre is a must to see large numbers of Southern Right whales in the bay in front of the center nursing their calves.
- Nullarbor History.
There is no shortage of history along the Nullarbor. You can stop at Ballidonia Heritage Museum for a insight into the Aboriginal history of the Ngadju and Mirning people. It also covers the early settler history at Balladonia station, Skylab, an around Australia car race, the Afghan cameleers and local natural history.
Nullarbor Roadhouse is a great spot to stop to learn about the incredible pioneer truck drivers who tamed this wild road.
- Photos
There is plenty of photo opportunities along the way. The famous road signs provide great memories of your roadtrip.
Crossing the border.
If you’re driving west to east, you will drive straight though the WA/SA border no worries at all. Your stop is just before Ceduna where they check your vehicle for fruit and veggies. This is nothing like the WA entry, you will be in and out in no time. See info here
If you’re going east to west you will need to line up and have you vehicle checked for fruit and veggies. Check the WA govt website for what your allowed to bring into WA and what you’re not before you set off. You don't want to have your fridge fully stocked ready for a WA adventure only to have most of it taken at the border. See info here
Ceduna & Surrounds.
Now once you reach Ceduna don’t think this is the end of the adventure, there are so many things to see and do in the area.
Ceduna is the main town in the Far West Eyre Peninsula situated 480km east of the Western Australian/South Australian border and 780km west of Adelaide.
It is well known for its fantastic seafood namely oysters and it’s easy to see why with the amazing coastline to which the town is set upon. Visit the Oyster Barn to try some of the freshest oysters you will find anywhere in the country.
Each October there is the Ceduna Oysterfest which celebrates the regions seafood.
There are all the usual amenities you need in town you will need to restock and refresh after the long days behind the wheel.
Dump point is located at the BP service station as you get into town and the water fill up is just down the road outside the sports oval. The water point is $1 for 150L and is very east to find and use with plenty of space for all setups.
There is also a great car wash in the industrial area which you will probably need to use to remove the 1000’s of grasshoppers that will be stuck all over your car.
The Foodworks is on the main street and open 7 days a week for all your grocery supplies.
There are five caravan parks in town each which will provide a great place to stop for the night and refresh or to base yourself at to explore the surrounding area. There are no free/low-cost camping options in Ceduna itself however if you want to venture out of town there are several spots along the coast. Again, these can be found on Wikicamps or similar apps.
Now that your refreshed there is plenty to explore in the area.
Towns like Penong -the windmill capital of Australia- is a short drive west from Ceduna. This is a quirky town worth a visit to look at all the windmills they have around the town.
You can visit Penong on the way to the famous Lake MacDonnell. Now if you haven’t heard of Lake MacDonnell, I’m sure you would have seen the photos with the pink water on one side of the road and the crystal-clear blue water on the other. A must visit.
The Ceduna Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Centre is another worth a visit to learn of the rich history in the area.
If fishing is your thing, then you will be spoilt for choice with Denial Bay and Thevenard either side of Ceduna providing great spots to drop a line in. Ceduna itself is a great spot to catch a verity or fish and crabs. Try your luck off the beautiful jetty or on any of the beaches in the area.
Fowler’s Bay to the west is a great spot to not only fish but the see Southern Right Whales in the winter. There are still remnants of the old whaling stations in the area.
Now that you have ticked the Nullarbor off your bucket list you can truly say you have experienced one of the true Australian adventures.
Whether it took you 3 days or 3 weeks I’m sure it will be something you won’t forget any time soon.
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WanderingGlampers
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