Steve, Jo & Izzy Go!: An iconic Aussie road trip - Crossing the Nullarbor SA to WA

Days 50-54

Today was the day. The Nullarbor crossing is one of those drives you plan for but don’t really know what to expect until you’re on it. We’d stocked up, ticked off the last jobs, and pointed Izzy west. With that, we rolled onto the Eyre Highway and began making our way across the bottom of Australia.

Crossing Day 1

After topping up water in Ceduna (just in case), we headed to Penong, the Town of Windmills. The open‑air Windmill Museum was great - 26 restored windmills from across Australia, including Bruce, the largest Comet windmill in the country. Reading how the museum came to be was particularly entertaining; it seems a fair amount of local BBQs, beers, and big ideas were involved before it all came together.

Stephen completed his next Nullarbor Links golf hole, and we continued on to Lake MacDonnell, the pink lake. Pink lakes get their colour from a mix of algae, bacteria and salt, and while the hue was muted today, it was striking to drive between the pink and blue lakes with bright white sand dunes behind them.

Back on the Eyre Highway - which would carry us across the bottom of Australia - we couldn’t help laughing when Google Maps announced our next left turn was in 1,126km. After another hole of golf at Coorabie, we settled into camp in a peaceful bush setting just west of there.

Crossing Day 2

We hit the Nullarbor Plain almost immediately. Nullarbor literally means no trees (null = no, arbor = tree), and the transition was dramatic - from taller vegetation to low scrub stretching endlessly as far as the eye can see.

The Head of Bight was spectacular. No whales (a bit early in the year), but a couple of skinks made an appearance. We stopped at the iconic Nullarbor Roadhouse - quirky, atmospheric, and home to yet another hole of golf - before continuing on to the towering Bunda Cliffs.

We found a legal cliff‑top campsite with sweeping ocean views. Many of these areas are now closed due to instability, but our spot felt safe. As the flies and wind eased, we were able to sit outside and watch the sunset.

That night turned into a full on cooking session - tomorrow we’d cross into WA, and quarantine rules are very stringent. We made a huge ratatouille, enjoyed a fresh salad for dinner, and used the very last of our Kangaroo Island honey to make two honey mug cakes. Ninety seconds in a mug in the microwave and unbelievably good.

Crossing Day 3

It was a sad moment finishing the Kangaroo Island honey. We’re not convinced we can ever go back to regular Capilano.

We continued west, stopping at more scenic cliff lookouts - one of which featured a mobile hippy shop: a dreadlocked guy with a drum selling Temu bracelets and crystals out of the back of his car. We enjoyed the chat but declined the souvenirs.

Before crossing the border into Western Australia, Stephen knocked off another golf hole. When we asked for directions to the tee, we were told it was “just behind the giant kangaroo”. Of course it was.

The WA border crossing was smooth, though the inspector was very interested in our Standard Squeeze bottles (thanks Robert and Nat Wilson # IYKYK).

Eucla was our first WA stop - decidedly posh compared to some roadhouses. Another hole of golf about 5km out of town, followed by a visit to the old Telegraph Station, which was… underwhelming.

We played our final hole of the day at Mundrabilla and camped in a lovely bush setting, reheating last night’s ratatouille for a fuss free dinner.

Crossing Day 4

Time zones along the Nullarbor are… confusing. At some point during our drive we found ourselves in the unofficial Central Western Time Zone, often called Eucla Time. Covering a 340km stretch of the Eyre Highway from Border Village to Caiguna, it is 45 minutes behind South Australia and 45 minutes ahead of Western Australia. It’s not officially recognised, but roadhouses use it to keep operating hours sensible.

We didn’t bother adjusting our clocks — we figured we’d be back on Perth time soon enough, and honestly, what does time matter out here anyway?

Thinking we’d had a sleep‑in (or maybe not), we headed west again. After a quick golf stop at Madura, we drove through Madura Pass, with spectacular views over the Roe Plains to the Southern Ocean.

This drive so far has been quite different to what I expected. I imagined red dirt and desert, but instead we saw expanses of green - whether from recent rain or not, it was a beautiful surprise. And for large stretches, the road hugs the coastline far more closely than I’d realised.

Next stops were Cocklebiddy (more golf), then Caiguna, proudly proclaiming itself the Hub of the Universe. Diesel here set a new record at $3.65 per litre (fortunately we didn’t need to fill up there), along with the most expensive ice‑cream I think I’ve ever had - $9 for a Maxibon (worth it). Another hole of golf, and a ball lodged firmly in a tree - see Stephen’s Nullarbor Links post for details.

Just west of Caiguna we reached the famous 90 Mile Straight - 146km without a single bend. Obligatory photo taken. Nearby, the Caiguna Blowhole looked unimpressive at first - just a hole in the rock - but as we approached, a cold wind blasted upward, enough to whip hair and shirts around. The blowhole connects to a vast underground limestone cave system, acting as a pressure valve depending on atmospheric conditions. Very cool for something so unassuming.

We found another quiet bush campsite along the straight and pulled up just in time for drinks o’clock.

Crossing Day 5

A very slow start today. We toured the museum at Balladonia (population 14) and played another golf hole. Balladonia is famous for the 1979 Skylab crash, when parts of NASA’s space station landed nearby after re‑entry - a great story and well worth reading about it.

Along this stretch of the highway we also spotted Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) emergency airstrip markings - widened, specially marked sections of road designed for aircraft to land if needed. It would be amazing to have to pull over and give way to a plane.

Eventually the road began to bend again, and the landscape shifted dramatically as we entered the Dundas Nature Reserve within the Fraser Range. Deep red earth, tall salmon‑coloured trees (affectionately known as Salmon Gums), and a completely different feel - unlike anything I’d seen before.

By late afternoon we arrived in Norseman, officially marking the end of this iconic Australian road trip. Naturally, we collected our certificates from the Information Centre, admired some corrugated iron camels, played two final holes of golf (conveniently aligning with drinks o’clock), and treated ourselves to dinner at the Norseman Hotel.