Crossing the Nullarbor – the longest stretch of road in the Australia sure is a unique adventure. With 1200 kilometers of very straight flat road, the Nullarbor road trip is often referred to as ‘Nullar-boring’, but if you ask us, it’s far from it. Don’t get us wrong it was a lot of days in the car driving but there is a few spots to stop along the way to break up the journey. The unofficial beginning and end of the Nullarbor crossing is at Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia. If you’re in a rush, the Nullarbor can be crossed in as little as two days. But to really experience the crossing and see all there is to see, we suggest planning for at least four days which will allow for a few detours to visit the Great Australian Bight, Bunda Cliffs, cave systems and experience some of the roadhouses along the way. We used the Wiki Camps app on our phone as our major planning tool which allowed us to view all the camping options, road house stops (including fuel) and points of interest. The name Nullarbor comes from the latin words “nullus”, meaning no, and “arbor”, meaning tree.
Vehicle Prep
Before setting off make sure you do a full vehicle check of your oil and coolant levels, check your tyres are in good condition, and make sure you have spares on board. It’s also a good idea to work out how much mileage you get from a tank of fuel, (some only have Diesel) as roadhouses are a fair way apart as you can see below:
- Ceduna to Nundroo: 153km
- Nundroo to Nullarbor Roadhouse: 145km
- Nullarbor Roadhouse to WA/SA Border Village: 185km
- WA/SA Border Village to Eucla: 10km
Eucla to Madura: - Madura to Cockle Biddy: 91.2km
- Cockle Biddy to Caiguna: 64.9km
- Caiguna to Balladonia: 182km
- Balladonia to Norseman: 192km
Nullabor Links- The World’s Longest Golf Course
The 18-hole par 72 golf course spans 1,365 kilometers with one hole in each participating town or roadhouse along the Eyre Highway, from Ceduna in South Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to. Each hole includes a green and tee and somewhat rugged outback-style natural terrain. The course provides an awesome reason to get out and stretch your legs even if your not a golfer like us. It was still a fun stop along the Nullabor. You can Hire a golf club at the road houses for $5 or bring your own Golf Club. Check the Golf courses before the Nullabor or the Op shops as they may have golf balls and Golf clubs. To purchase for a reasonable price. You can also get a Score card stamped along the way. Click Here for a map of where each Golf Hole is.
Discover the Caves and Sink Holes
There are many caves and sink holes along the Nullabor we went to Wipunga Cave, White Well Cave, Madura Cave and Murra El Evelyn Cave. There is also Murrawijinie cave which is 10km’s north of Nullarbor Roadhouse. Cocklebiddy cave is located 11km off the main road and 22km from Cocklebiddy Road house. It is Nullarbor’s most famous cave and is the site of the world’s longest cave diving. This cave is over 6km long. The cave has now been closed but you are able to reach the entrance of the cave.
The Great Australian Bight
The stunning vertical drop of the Bunda Cliffs can be seen from several lookouts between the border village and the Head of the Bight. The Great Australian Bight is one of the most recognizable features of the map. Don’t miss the chance to stand on the edge of the Bight, marvel at the Bunda Cliffs and take in the views of the Southern Ocean. There is also many free campground’s just off the main road to the ‘Bight’.
Penong
Has the largest Windmill in Australia. You can also take a 40km round trip detour out to Point le hunt and Cactus Beach and the famous Lake Macdonell. Although when we visited it was not pink it was still awesome to drive past and have a swim at Point Le Hunt.
Eucla Old Jetty
Built in 1887, the old Eucla Jetty was once used by sail & steam ships to bring stores from Albany and Esperance. It was also used to export wool and Sandalwood from out of the Eucla region. To find the Jetty head to the sand dunes campground and follow the trail straight to the beach.
Newman’s Rock Campground
A awesome campground located 78km from Balladonia and is a great campground to stop at along the Nullabor. There are no facilities.
Norseman
Things to see:
-Beacon Lookout
-Woodlands walk. The walk is only 600m return walk.
– Beacon Lookout has 360 degree views looking over Norseman. You can also take a walk along the gravel path which is a 900m walk, prepare to see a range of interesting points such as salt lakes, former local mining operations and old mine workings.
Bromus Dam
Is located 32km from Norseman. Bromus Dam was constructed in 1925/1926 to provide a reliable water source for the steam trains that would pass through. There is free camping and offers toilet facilities. The dam is a
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