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Crossing the Nullabor
By Mike Perry
Perth, is Australia’s most isolated city. Located on the West Coast and washed by the waves of the Indian Ocean. Its cousin Adelaide is 2,700km to the east and Sydney on Australia’s eastern shores a mere 4,000 km by road. That’s like New York to Los Angeles or Vancouver to Ottawa!
If you want to visit Perth, you fly don’t you? Yes, you usually do, but you can drive and if you do, you will be able to say ‘I crossed the Nullabor’. It is one of the world’s epic journeys and not that difficult to do. The Nullabor is the treeless, limestone plain that covers the southern part of the centre of Australia. Formed under the sea, uplift has given rise to a very flat, almost waterless plain that separates the fertile croplands of eastern and western Australia. Flat and featureless it might be, but without interest? No. Hidden away are gems for those who know where to look. Here is an itinerary and some of the things not to miss. Day 1 Adelaide to Port Augusta (280 km)
From Adelaide the road heads north, first through the suburbs and then through the farmlands of the mid-North of South Australia. These are fertile and well watered and produce vegetables, wheat, barley and other grains. It is only 280 km to Port Augusta so its an easy day.
Port Augusta is a town at the crossroads, here the roads and railways that bisect a continent cross. Head west to Perth, east to Sydney, north to Alice Springs and Darwin, or south to Adelaide and Melbourne. It’s a frontier town, dry and dusty, located at the very head of Spencer’s Gulf. You can stand on the very spot where the navigator Matthew Flinders searched for the Australia’s never to be found inland sea. Day 2 Port Augusta to Ceduna (480 km)
Leaving Port August you join the Eyre Highway the great east-west road that traverses the Australian continent. It’s arid country of bluebush and saltbush, but in a little while the road dips south into the agricultural lands of the Eyre Peninsula. Little town with quirky name pass by – Kimba, Wudina, Minnipa, Poochera, each with their wheat bins (grain elevators), little bakery and old stone council chambers. Ceduna is the eastern outpost of South Australia, a town of agriculture and fishing and a great place to stay. Day 3 Ceduna to Eucla (500 km)
This is the day of the Nullabor. Leaving Ceduna the wheat lands gradually give way to dry eucalypt forest, after 200 km the forest begins to thin and grasses and low shrubs begin to dominate. At 300 km you reach the Nullabor Roadhouse. This is the southern extremity of the treeless plain, not a tree from horizon to horizon and in summer the mid-day temperature will be 45 Centigrade.
For most, Nullabor is just a hot, dusty stopping place. A drink, fuel and on your way; but for those who know and stay, there are delights. The great limestone caves of the Nullabor lie a little to the north, and only 20 km to the south is the ‘Head of the Bight’. Here the great Southern Right Whale and the Humpback cavort below the cliffs from May to October on their annual migrations from and too the Antarctic. Viewing platforms provide spectacular views.
From Nullabor Roadhouse it is only a hop of 200 km to Eucla, slowly the vegetation returns and as Eucla approaches there are spectacular views of the limestone cliffs and the great Southern Ocean. Day 4 Eucla to Norseman (700 km)
Eucla marks the border between South Australia and Western Australia. It was founded to service the telegraph line connecting Perth to eastern Australia and the old telegraph station building remain, slowly disappearing under the wandering sand dunes.
From Eucla the road traverses the Roe Plains, rich in wildlife, kangaroos and emu will always be seen and with luck the Wedgtail Eagle. This is station country and at Madora, where the road leaves the plain, the station once bred horses for the Indian Army. A little further on at Cocklebiddy a track can take you to the Eyre Bird Observatory for an overnight (or longer) stay. Beware though, its 20 km of limestone rubble and 9 km of loose sand – strictly 4 wheel drive territory. If not equipped for this, other tracks can be followed to spectacular blow holes and beaches along the coast.
It will be dusk by the time you complete the 700 km to Norseman. This is an old gold mining town on the greenstone belt that is one of the world’s greatest gold provinces. Stay awhile and take in the history. Day 5 Norseman to Perth (700 km)
Head north from Norseman to the gold mining centre of Kalgoorlie famous for its goldminers –and goldminers girls! The, turning west again travel through the dry eucalypt forest and then the agricultural lands until you reach Perth. You have ‘crossed the Nullabor’ – and more.
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Pottery History
A site devoted to 20th Century UK pottery
www.potteryhistories.com
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Thank you for sharing this Nullabor journey, Mike.
It's great to travel, and sometimes, we can only do it thruogh the eyes of others.
Keep up the good work.
Best wishes.
Frederick
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