Road tripping the Nullarbor

Can you call yourself Australian if you haven’t yet crossed the Nullarbor? The iconic road trip links Perth to Adelaide, measuring some 1200km of bitumen between the bookend towns of Norseman and Ceduna.

It is both marvelled at and misunderstood, not least because of its Latin name which means ‘no tree.’ Often seen as a flat, empty no man’s land with nothing but Australia’s longest straight road cutting through it, the Nullarbor grants access to the dramatic crust-edge cliffs of the Great Australian Bight, the whale mating and birthing waters at Head of Bight, and the world’s longest golf course, The Nullarbor Links.

Many drivers aim to barrel from one side to the other in as short a time as possible, but this guide is for those eager to stop often and savour the wonders found in the most unexpected of places – especially on the side trips. Before leaving, pack plenty of water and expect poor mobile phone coverage, with fuel stations roughly 150km-200km apart, as well as a limited number of public EV charging stations for those travelling in an EV. You can do the Nullarbor in a two-wheel drive – most do – but if you want to explore unsealed roads, a four-wheel drive is recommended.

Norseman to Ceduna

Our departure point is the gateway town of Norseman, on Ngadju Country. It can be reached from Perth either via Esperance or Kalgoorlie. Pack a golfing iron and drop into the Norseman visitor centre to buy a scorecard for The Nullarbor Links so you can combine driving with putting.

Norseman is a 1890s gold rush town. It sits within the Great Western Woodlands, the largest temperate woodland on Earth - it’s twice as large as Tasmania. Springtime wildflowers bloom among eucalypts and rocky outcrops. Explore both history and nature by following the 50km Dundas Coach Road Heritage Trail; allow a couple of hours.

Next, embark on Australia’s longest and straightest road, the 90 Mile Straight, snapping evidence of your achievement with a brown tourist road sign selfie. You’ll spot a trio of iconic yellow wildlife signs, too: keep an eye out for emus, kangaroos, wombats, and even camels – especially any attempting to cross the road.

Now for a side trip. After passing Baxter Rest Area, head off road to explore Nuytsland Nature Reserve, home to rare banksia species and the 80m-high and 190kmlong Baxter Cliffs. Reaching them is for experienced four-wheel drivers adept at navigating slow-going, dusty bush tracks, dunes, and sandy beach driving. Wild camping is an option, with epic stargazing. It’s best to check the tides and bring a Personal Locator Beacon for such a remote, off-grid place.

Another worthy side trip is north to Rawlinna, via Pondana Road. It’s a dot on the map visited by the Indian Pacific train; passengers are served dinner under the stars. Essentially a ghost town, there’s a disused post office and storefront edging vast Rawlinna Station - one of the largest sheep stations in Australia. Understand its scale this way: a single paddock takes eight hours to muster by plane.

Return towards Cocklebiddy, to visit blowholes and see the entrance to Cocklebiddy Cave, one of 20 limestone caverns along the Nullarbor – many filled with water and explored by experienced divers.

About 17km east of Cocklebiddy on National Highway 1, four-wheel drive vehicles can again head off road. Take the southern route to the Eyre Bird Observatory to see Major Mitchell’s cockatoos, singing honeyeaters, and brown falcons.

Continue to Eucla, 9km from the SA border. The town is the largest settlement on the Nullarbor Plain and was once the country’s busiest telegraph station outside of Australian cities. Eucla National Park’s shifting sand dunes can best be admired at the Old Telegraph Station, as it slowly drowns in sand.

Crossing the borderline, stop at Border Village Roadhouse and hit a golf ball around the Border Kangaroo Nullarbor Links hole. Continue to the Nullarbor Roadhouse and lash out on a scenic flight over the longest line of sea cliffs in the world, the 90m-tall Bunda Cliffs. Alternatively, head to The Head of Bight lookout for awe-inspiring views from land’s edge. From June to October, gaze out at the southern right whale nursery below.

Back on the bitumen, turn onto Corabie Road and head to Fowlers Bay (formerly known as Yalata) and the surrounding conservation park. There are more whales and wildlife to spot, sand dunes to hike and a beautiful beach. Return to the A1 and pause at the quirky Penong Windmill Museum, which opened in 2016 as a tribute to farming. It contains the largest windmill in Australia, called Bruce; it was originally used by the railways to pump water to steam trains. Ceduna is 73km east, where you can celebrate finishing the Nullarbor Links golf course at Ceduna Golf Club.

From here, how you continue on depends on the type of adventure you’re after. Read on for two good options.

Ceduna to Adelaide, via the Gawler Ranges

Cross the top of the Eyre Peninsula, passing through a collection of small, rural towns. From Minipa, take a 15km unsealed (but two-wheel drive accessible) road to Pildappa Rock, a towering formation similar to Wave Rock.

Continue to the Gawler Ranges National Park, which is best explored using a four-wheel drive but can be tackled in a high-clearance two-wheel drive in dry weather. It contains more than 400 different plant species, as well as gorges, rock formations, and campgrounds. A must-do morning hike is the easy, 1.4km trail to The Organ Pipes formation, tall, slender columns created from volcanic eruptions that occurred more than 1500 million years ago.

Visit Kolay Mirica Falls (where there are similarly angular formations) as the sun goes down and watch the red rock wilderness glow. They’re found along a 3.1km return, moderate-level hike to Mount Fairview.

Old Paney Homestead, a remote pastoral property relic, is also worth a look. As you explore, keep an eye out for hairy-nosed wombats, goannas, and yellow-footed rock wallabies. The ranges lie about six hours drive from Adelaide. Return to the A1 at Kimba and pause at Iron Knob, where Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP) got started, mining its first major deposit of iron ore. There’s a museum charting the mining history and a $5 per person tour of the Iron Knob Mine; book at the visitor centre.

Head to Whyalla, a large port town centred around the steel industry. Step out onto the 315m-long, circular jetty that opened in 2020, and look for dolphins following boats. From May to August, tens of thousands of giant Australian cuttlefish cluster in Whyalla’s waters to breed and rest. Join a snorkel or dive tour, or take the dry option with a glass-bottomed boat (May-July) to see these wonderous creatures as they change colour and camouflage.

From there, pause at Port Augusta and learn about local fauna and flora at the Wadlata Outback Centre and Australian Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. Head towards Lochiel and pull into the pink flats of Lake Bumbunga to spy the Loch Eel, South Australia’s Loch Ness Monster. Continue on Blyth Road to the Clare Valley, where you can take a jaunt through riesling vineyards and wineries. Put Skillogalee, Jim Barry Wines, and Pikes Wines on your list. From there, it’s only 143km and just under two hours’ drive to Adelaide.

Ceduna to Adelaide, via Port Lincoln

If seafood is your thing, weave along the Eyre Peninsula coastline to Streaky Bay for King George whiting, Coffin Bay for oysters and Port Lincoln for tuna. Inside the Streaky Bay Visitor Centre and Shell Roadhouse, find a fibreglass replica of a 5m great white shark – believed to be the biggest in the world caught on a 24kg line, by a local fisherman.

Some 42km further along the Flinders Highway, take a side trip to Murphy’s Haystacks, looming boulders eroded into rounded shapes. Entry is on private property; toss a gold coin into an honesty box. The coastal scenery between Venus Bay, Elliston, and Mount Hope encompasses sea cliffs, limestone stacks, and surf breaks. Allocate time for the 13.6km Elliston Coastal Trail, which can be hiked over one long or three short walking trails (1-6hr) or it can be driven. Stop at every lookout you see.

Hunt down the Oyster Xpress vending machine at Coffin Bay (yes, really), and do a farm tour where you’ll pull on waders to eat molluscs while seated in the water. There are four-wheel drive tracks to explore at both Coffin Bay National Park and Lincoln National Park; in the latter, take the rough road to Mikkira Station Koala Sanctuary to wander through the only wild koala colony near Port Lincoln. In the fishing town, dine out on ocean-fresh seafood at The Fresh Fish Place or Del Giorno’s Cafe while you muster the courage for a shark cage dive.

Continue to Whyalla, where you can be guided inside the first ship built in the Whyalla Shipyards in 1941, the HMAS Whyalla, found at the Whyalla Maritime Museum. Grab a map of the town’s art trail at the visitor centre, or town library. Spot 29 marine-themed murals and sculptures and sit on an award-winning mosaic seat. Continue through Port Augusta and the Clare Valley, finishing in Adelaide.