I don’t know about you but crossing the Nullabor was on our travel list of things to do. We had no idea what to expect and we wanted to know just what it was all about. Plus we had to get into South Australia so it was the inevitable.
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Crossing The Nullabor- West to East
The Nullabor is located along the bottom of Australia. It is located between Norseman Western Australia and Ceduna South Australia. It is a long stretch of road 1100kms long made out of limestone.
We drove from West to East and it took us 2 1/2 days to cross. Below is our itinerary and a list of places you can visit when crossing the Nullabor.
Day 1- Esperance - Caiguna
The sun was shining, the water tanks were full, fridge was stocked, music playlist was ready to go and we were ready for our epic road trip across!!!
We left Esperance at 8.30am and our next stop was at Norseman where we filled up with some more fuel and had something to eat. It was probably a late breakfast, bacon and egg sandwiches.
We then kicked on to our second stop for the day at Caiguna Roadhouse. This was another fuel stop and we brought some over priced lollies and chips (I guess we were not that prepared) ……. We of course had the iconic photo taken. (see below)
By then we had driven 370kms and by the time we pulled over for the night, we had clocked up around 500kms. We pulled over at around 5.00pm as the sun was starting to set and the kangaroos were coming out thick and fast.
We stopped with another 3 other vans and one of those vans had kids. In the middle of the Nullabor and our kids make friends! Travelling really is the best!
Day 2- Caiguna to Penong
We were woken up a large kangaroo bouncing around next to our van looking for food and water. We packed up the van and off we were again on our second day of the road trip. We were headed for the South Australian border.
Our first stop was at Cocklebiddy. We didn’t need to stop here but we blew a tyre and was hoping to have it repaired if it was just a puncture. Unfortunately they couldn’t repair it. The kids enjoyed the run around anyways.
2nd stop- Mundrabilia. Not much to here but we needed fuel. So again a stop is well worth it when you have 3 little munchkins in the car tearing to go for a run.
3rd stop- On our way to Penong is when we stopped and visited the scenic lookouts. They are amazing and I highly recommend that you stop at both at them. We had also crossed the border into South Australia!!! Woohoo! We made it.
Day 3- Penong to Ceduna
The third day was about getting rid all of all our fruit and vegetables. I chopped some up for breakfast, I chopped some up for lunch and I made everyone eat A LOT! I could not spare the thought of throwing away good produce.
The inspection was quiet simple and easy. An officer entered the van and asked if we had any fruits and vegetables. I handed over what we didn’t eat and he had a quick look in our empty fridge.
Things to see and do along the Nullabor Plain
What to see and do on the Nullabor. Read below for our list of things to do. If you have anymore to add please drop them in the comments box and I will add them to the list.
Nullabor Golf Links- The World's Largest Golf Course
Who knew there was such a thing! For every golf lover or anyone wanting to have some fun you can play golf on the world’s largest golf course. The 18 par 72 golf course spans over 1365 kilometres with one hole in each participating town or roadhouse along the Eyre Highway. You will need plenty of balls and a golf club to play. You can pick up a card from the roadhouses.
Caiguna Roadhouse
. Are you wanting a photo at the iconic sign??
Here it is….. ’90 Mile Straight’ sign. Australia’s longest straight road. We had a line of caravans wanting to take a photo so we all patiently drove past the sign and took photos of each family.
Cocklebiddy Cave
Cocklebiddy Cave is well worth the look. The 10km drive is well pathed and a 2wd drive car can access it. The land was filled with kangaroos. The most we have ever seen in one spot so far. The cave itself you can not enter but there is some interesting facts on a billboard for some background history as you drive along. Great for breaking up the drive.
WA/SA Border Village
If you have come to this point then you have made it to the border. Crossing into another state is exciting! There is an opportunity for a photo in front of the sign. This is on the otherside of the road though, at the border village. There is also a large kangaroo which you cannot miss. It is pretty big!
Scenic Lookout 2 and 3-
These views are some of the most amazing views of the coast of South Australia. The mesmerising look of the white wash hitting up against the cliff edges. The bright blue water is in contrast to the rocky cliffs. Do not miss this and the photo opportunity it provides.
On the scenic lookout number 2, I spotted sharks down below circling. It was such an amazing moment to witness. And a reminder to GET AWAY FROM THE EDGE!
Nullabor Roadhouse
We stopped at the Nullabor Roadhouse to stretch the legs and found some dingo’s walking around. They are regulars to the roadhouse and don’t bother anyone. They are not allowed to be fed so please do not feed them. But watch from afar and take some photo’s!
We also took the iconic photo below!
Largest Windmill In Australia
Here in the small town of Penong you will find the largest windmill in Australia. Among plenty of other windmills that have been hand crafted by the local people in the community. There is a book for you to sign and leave a comment. It was nice to stop here and have some lunch.
The drive doesn’t have to be boring. Check out my list of things to do when crossing the Nullabor to stop and stretch the legs.
I haven’t include all the places to see if you have a 4WD. I kept those off the list. Wiki-camps is great to find those ‘off the beaten’ tracks to the special un-visited places. You can find old ruins, caves and tracks to the beaches all along the Nullabor.
But if you have kids and you are crossing the Nullabor then make sure ipads are charged, movies downloaded as there is limited reception for 80% of the way. Stop and stretch and just put the music up so you can’t hear them whinge….. lol
IMPORTANT NOTES
- There is no potable water along this stretch of road. The first and last place to fill up on water are Norseman and Ceduna. Please carry enough water to stay hydrated.
- There is very limited mechanics and services along the Nullabor. Please ensure you have the right equipment for your car. A spare tyre and the gear to change a tyre etc
- A first aid kit to pack just in case the inevitable happens. There is limited reception throughout most of the Nullabor.
- Petrol is pricey. Food is pricey. Purchase beforehand if you want to save some $$$$
