The Nullarbor, South Australia
Stretching from the southern extremity of Australia between the Western Australian goldfields and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, this is perhaps not your typical roadie but it does promise plenty of adventure and interesting sightings, including camels, caves and jagged peaks and is something of a summer tradition for many Australians. If you’re planning to off-road, and you probably should, you’ll need a four-wheel-drive for this trip. The route from Ceduna in South Australia (the unofficial start and finish point) to Norseman in Western Australia, along the Eyre Highway, is bitumen. It’s advised not to drive at night due to the number of native wildlife on the move at dusk. The peak season for travel is during the Australian winter as temperatures are cooler.
Distance
The journey from Melbourne to Perth is about 3,500 kilometres; from Sydney to Perth around 4,000kms. Port Augusta and the Eyre Highway is the proper start point though, and it’s 300kms from Adelaide.
What you’ll see
The longest, flattest stretch of road in Australia offers a lot of nothingness between towns that are 200km or so apart. You will come across roadhouses, caravan parks, beaches with not many people and more wildlife than you can poke a stick at - emus, wombats, dingoes, wedge-tailed eagles and kangaroos are active out here. Before setting off from Ceduna, tuck into a seafood lunch, the oysters are particularly good. Meanwhile, as you journey across the Nullarbor be sure to stop at the Balladonia roadhouse, which has a museum attached and boasts debris from NASA’s Skylab that landed nearby, historical documents from the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and seashells dating back millions of years. Do some Southern Right Whale watching from the lookout at the Head of the Bight Centre on the west coast (between Nullarbor and Border Town) between June and September and experience the world’s largest cave system at Koonalda and Murrawijinie Caves near the Nullarbor Roadhouse. If you’re a golf enthusiast, the 18-hole Nullarbor Links is spread over 1,300kms and is the longest course on the planet. The gold mining town of Kalgoorlie is a must-visit on this journey too and Lake Ballard is also worth a day trip.
What to pack
Plenty of additional water, food and extra fuel. This part of Australia is no joke and you don’t want to get caught out. Some days you won’t see another vehicle.