Category: South Australia

Nullarbor

Nullarbor plain

The Nullarbor Plain stretches across the southern edge of Australia. It starts in Norseman, Western Australia, and ends in Ceduna, South Australia. The Nullarbor spans for over 1200 kilometers. The major highway running across the Nullarbor is the Eyre Highway. It connects Norseman and Ceduna. The Eyre Highway is sealed. It has a number of rest stops and a few roadhouses with basic facilities. There are also attractions along the way.

The name “Nullarbor” means “no trees” in Latin, reflecting the vast, arid landscape.

Western side of Nullarbor

Norseman

Norseman is the gateway to Nullarbor. It marks the beginning of the epic Eyre Highway, if you travel west to east. It is a great place to get information at the Visitor centre and buy food (after returning from east). If you are visiting in summer, you will enjoy in the Olympic size outdoor swimming pool. It was free to use when we travelled in early January 2025. We were returning from Nullarbor and swimming pool in hot weather was a real savior for us.

Norseman visitor centre

90 Mile sign

This is an iconic sign, signifying the beginning the straight road, without any turns or curves for 146 km. Everyone who travels across Nullarbor for the first time stops there to take a compulsory photo. That included us too :).

90 Mile straight sign on the Nullarbor

Balladonia Roadhouse museum

Despite being small, we found it was worthwhile to stop and visit the museum and learn about the history. The main focus of the museum is on Skylab space station. Although reading about European exploration and Afghan cameleers was also interesting. The museum is free to visit. Balladonia is the first fuel stop on Nullarbor after Norsman, traveling east.

Skylab replica in Balladonia museum on the Nullarbor

Eucla

Eucla is the most easterly town in the Western Australia. It lies 11km from the South Australian border

A woman with a child in Eucla on the Nullarbor

Eucla old telegraph station – history buried in the sand

Eucla was once a busy town. Its significance lies in its telegraph station that was built in the 19th century. Thanks to this telegraph station, communication between Western Australia and the east of the country was established. These days, there are only remnants of what once used to be a bustling place. The town itself was eventually abandoned due to rabbits’ infestation. The rabbit plague destroyed dune vegetation which is now causing constant sand shifts. The sand dunes movement is so rapid that the whole town became buried under the sand. Only the telegraph station remained. But even the telegraph station is only partially visible. It will be gone completely in the future. So, we took an opportunity to visit it while we could still see something.

Eventually a new Eucla town was rebuilt 4km away on a higher ground. Eucla old telegraph station is a few kilometres away from Eucla town and easily accessible.

Modern Eucla

Nowadays Eucla is a small settlement that mostly serves the government and border security workers. It is also a major stop for anyone travelling west to east or vice versa. It has a caravan park, motel, restaurant and museum. An interesting fact is that Eucla has its own time zone. It is 45 minutes ahead of Perth, the latter being 2.5 hours behind South Australia. It makes it all quite confusing when you travel. 😊

Different clocks showing different time in Eucla on the Nullarbor

Road trains on the Nullarbor

Australian road trains are huge and long indeed. Especially this one – carrying a hundred of cows (so it looked like). The truck hardly even fits into the picture frame 😊. You will see many road trains when you travel across the Nullarbor.

One of the many road trains on the Nullarbor

Middle of Nullarbor – WA-SA border

The border between Western Australia and South Australia is a must stop if you travel east to west. The reason for that is compulsory quarantine check. You are not allowed to bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the state because of fruit fly disease.

WA border quarantine point near Eucla on the Nullarbor

However, if you travel west to east, you do not need to stop. There is a quarantine stop in South Australia but it is at the end of the Nullarbor at Ceduna. It is worth checking what you can and cannot bring into each state, because the rules are different for each state.

If you travel east to west, make sure you stop at the WA-SA border sign for another photo opportunity. The sign is right after the quarantine point on the WA side.

SA-WA border sign on the Nullarbor

The nail that marks the border – something you might not know!

While the border between other states, e.g. between NSW and Victoria is very fluid and defined by the river, the border between WA and SA is very specific. At least in some places, where there is a road entry. The border on the WA side is marked by a nail! We were privileged to be escorted and shown the exact location of the particular nail. It is on the side of the road, right at the quarantine point. If you are curious, next time you travel across Nullarbor, ask the quarantine personnel to show it to you. The lady worker was very happy to share that information with us.

Eastern side of Nullarbor

Big Kangaroo at the Border Village

Once you cross the border and are on the South Australian side, you will arrive at the Border Village. Here, you can see a giant kangaroo statue. It is another iconic site and so uniquely Australia. The kangaroo, called Rooey, is holding Vegemite 😊. The statue is 5 meters tall.

Big Kangaroo statue at the Border Village on the Nullarbor

Bunda Cliffs

Bunda Cliffs are the best attraction on the Nullarbor, in our opinion. We would be willing to drive across the Nullarbor just to see them. These majestic limestone cliffs are up to 105 meters high. They are literally marking the end of the continent on the southern side, as they drop abruptly in the Southern Ocean. Bunda Cliffs are stretching for over 120 km along the shore of the Great Australian Bight. They are quite fragile and unstable, eroding rapidly.

Bunda cliffs on Nullarbor
Nullarbor cliffs

Camping near Nullarbor cliffs

As much as it seems like really cool to camp at the edge of Nullarbor cliffs, we didn’t do it. It is quite dangerous to camp or even drive too close to the edge of the cliffs. Being constantly eroded, they might collapse at any minute. It is also illegal nowadays for that same reason. Instead, we camped along the Eyre Highway, at one of the free rest stops, approximately 1.5 km from the cliffs. These rest stops have no amenities, although some do have picnic tables though. But it is quiet and peaceful and even occasional road trains didn’t bother us at all.

Camping on the Nullarbor

The best thing was the beautiful sunset that we could view from our camp.

Camping on the Nullarbor

Nullarbor Roadhouse

Nullarbor Roadhouse is a popular rest stop for anyone travelling across the Nullarbor.

We found Nullabor Roadhouse fuel quite reasonable during our visits in December 2024 and January 2025. This is notable because there is no such thing as cheap on Nullarbor. Not only that, Nullarbor Roadhouse is like an attraction in itself. It has unique signs, information boards, describing the history of Nullarbor and the old roadhouse building. We didn’t stay at the caravan park. Neither did we buy any meals at the restaurant. All of this is available there. But we did take showers there (for a small fee), which felt like heaven after days of not washing. Definitely a must stop on the Nullarbor, no matter what your requirements are.

Old Nullarbor roadhouse

Lake MacDonnell

We love pink lakes. But Lake MacDonnell is not just a pink lake. As you drive along the road, this pink lake is on one side. A green-blue lake is on the other side. This contrast is very picturesque. Many people don’t mind the detour when travelling across Nullarbor just to get this photo opportunity. Lake MacDonnell is 15km south of Penong on the way to Point Sinclair in South Australia.

Lake MacDonnell on the Nullarbor

Ceduna – end of Nullarbor

Ceduna marks the end of the Nullarbor. It has a quarantine stop, where you must stop to be checked. All fresh fruits and vegetables (except for a couple of items) must be disposed.

Quarantine point at Ceduna on the Nullarbor

Ceduna is also a place to fill up fuel and grocery. The fresh produce is still expensive there, but at least you can get some variety. There is information centre, different types of accommodation and restaurants. We were happy to find a cafe that served gluten free fish and chips there. After travelling for a few weeks, it was a delight to treat ourselves :).

Family eating fish and chips at Ceduna.

In conclusion

They say that you are not a true Aussie, unless you traveled across Nullarbor. After living in Australia for more than 20 years, we finally travelled across Nullarbor in 2024-2025. We did it twice – travelling eastward and then back westward. Will we do it again? Absolutely! We still have unfinished business and a few places to see on the Nullarbor. We hold dear memories of our trip to NSW and back to WA. No doubt, we’ll do it again.

Family of four on the Nullarbor

Eyre Peninsula

Murphy's Haystacks on the Eyre Peninsula

The Eyre Peninsula is a triangular shaped peninsula in South Australia. It is known for its rugged coastline with many natural attractions, endless beaches, unique wildlife and great seafood.

Western coast of the Eyre Peninsula

Haslam

Haslam is a small coastal town in the western part of the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. It is located 45km northwest of Streaky Bay, off Flinders Hwy. Established back in 19 century, it was originally a deep sea port and a coastal shipping town. There is an old jetty that was built in 1912. It still functions and serves as a fishing jetty.

Haslam jetty in the Eyre Peninsula

Haslam is a popular place for an overnight stop for those travelling east to west or vice versa. It was a savior for us, as we couldn’t secure any accommodation in Streaky Bay. There is a council-run campground, which costs us only $10 per night. Facilities include picnic tables. Public toilets, dump point and newly build playground with exercise equipment are only 100 meters away.

This is what I saw when arrived late at night at Haslam. It was pitch dark and I was struggling to see anything near the waterfront. The moon aligned with Venus looked beautiful up in the sky. The lights at the end of the jetty were reflected in the water. It was quiet and peaceful.

Streaky Bay

Streaky Bay is a larger coastal town further south from Haslam. It is known for its spectacular coastline with many natural wonders. It is also a prime fishing location. Being one of the largest towns for many hundred kilometers, it is the center for essential services. For us, Streaky Bay was the place to explore nature’s wonders. There are many scenic drives and trails around Streaky Bay. With limited time available, we only covered a small section of what it is there to explore.

Whistling Rocks and blowholes near Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula

Whistling Rocks and Blowholes

Cape Bauer Loop Coastal Drive was our first choice. It is 38km loop drive. First, we visited the Whistling Rocks and the Blowholes. We love blowholes and try to visit them as we come across them during our travels. These Blowholes were formed when vertical fractures in the limestone cliffs become enlarged by erosion over thousands of years. Sometimes these pipes are connected at the base of the cliffs with open air. In that case the waves force the air and sea water through the spaces. This is how the fountains of sea water emerge from the rocks with forceful sounds. The phenomenon is known as blowholes. Sometimes only air comes out. Other times you can see water too.

Yanerbie Sand dunes

Yanerbie Sandhills are part of Westall Way 32km loop drive. It was a fun place to visit for our kids as they were playing with the sand. Visiting sand dunes during sunset was quite magical too for photography.

Yanderbie sand dunes in the Eyre Peninsula

While walking towards Blowholes and Whistling Rock, we saw this Jacky lizard. I love how this little lizard has so many common names. According to wikipedia, it is also known as blood-sucker, stonewalker and tree dragon. No matter how it is called, it is a cute little lizard.

Jacky lizard of the Eyre Peninsula

Venus Bay

Venus Bay is a small tourist and fishing town that lies between Streaky Bay and Elliston. The place is quite picturesque. It has a unique curved jetty, used by marine vehicles, as well as fishermen.

Curved jetty at Venus Bay on the Eyre Peninsula

The beach is calm, thus making it a popular holiday destination.

Beach at Venus Bay on the Eyre Peninsula

Apart from a unique curved jetty another attraction of Venus Bay is Needle Eye lookout. You can see the beautiful coastline of the Great Australian Bight from there.

Needle Eye lookout in Venus Bay on the Eyre Peninsula

Walkers Rock

Walkers Rock campground near Elliston is a usual coastal campground on the Eyre Peninsula. We arrived late at night when it was dark. Only in the morning we had a chance to briefly see what the camp looked like. We were not particularly impressed by the layout. Some sites are more or less private, while others are cramped too close together with no privacy. The worst thing was that there was only 1 toilet (!) for 34 sites. And if you are far away from it, you would need to walk nearly 10 minutes towards it. Easier to drive.

But – this was the place where I was lucky enough to witness real Aurora for the first time. And what a show it was!

Leaving the campground, I saw these Cape Barren Geese.

Murphy’s Haystacks

Murphy’s Haystacks is a unique geological rock formation that attracts a lot of visitors, especially for those who love photography. These wind-eroded granite rocks are over 1500 million old. And what’s in the name? It happens that the rocks got their name from a Scottish agricultural expert. While travelling on day, he saw them from the distance and thought they were haystacks. Being located on Murphy’s property, they became known as Murphy’s Haystacks. But technically they are inselbergs, which means isolated rock hills.

Murphy’s Haystacks are 40km east from Streaky Bay and 2km off the Flinders Hwy.   They are located on private property and a small entry fee applies.

Talia Caves

Another unique natural attraction of the Eyre Peninsula is Talia Caves, which include the Tub and the Woolshed. It is the Woolshed that gets most of the tourists’ attention. We nearly missed it as the name sounded misleading to us. We walked down the steps to the rocks and spent some time marveling at the mighty ocean. Kids were exploring little rock holes with their marine treasures inside.

Then we took pictures outside of the giant cave but didn’t think of entering it.

The slippery slope inside did look slightly dangerous. But braving for the sake of memories and photo opportunity we decided to give it a try. When you look out into the ocean from the cave it feels like looking through a natural window. The window that has been carved by wind and waves, over thousands of years.

The Woolshed at Talia Caves on the Eyre Peninsula

The Tub is further down the track. It is a relatively large crater in the rocks that connects to the ocean via a tunnel.

The Tub at the Talia Caves on the Eyre Peninsula

Talia Caves are 40km north of Elliston.

Central Eyre Peninsula

Kimba

Who doesn’t know where Kimba is? Well, we didn’t know until our trip to eastern states in December 2024. Kimba is an iconic place, in our opinion. Probably, anyone who drove from east to west, or vice versa, knows that. Kimba is a small rural town, but it is significant. It marks halfway between the east and west of Australia. There is even a popular sign there Halfway Across Australia. This is next to an 8-meter-tall statue of a galah. It’s another photo opportunity.

Halfway across Australia sign and big Galah in Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula

There is also a silo art, as well as a nice free campground. We didn’t stay at the campground, as it was still early for us and we had to make more kms. But we heard good reviews about it, so it is on our list for any future travels.

Silo art at Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula

Iron Knob

Iron Knob is the birthplace of Australia’s steel industry. For such a tiny town, it is quite impressive that it has a Visitor Centre. The population is just slightly above 100. It also has a museum. They run tours of the nearby iron ore mine during cooler season.

Unfortunately, the Visitor Centre was closed due to extremely hot weather and then holidays at the end of December. But the town surprised us with great facilities for travellers. These include a free campground, newly installed toilets, showers, and a kitchen area. There is an interesting contrast that you can see in this town. Parts of the town look abandoned, making it almost like a ghost town.

Iron Knob on the Eyre Peninsula

Yet, there are new and clean amenities. The dedicated Visitor Centre has murals on the walls and looked very inviting from the outside. It also has a museum depicting local mining history. The “Aussie” spirit is trying to survive here.

Dunny painting in Iron Knob on the Eyre Peninsula