– at Mundrabilla, WA 6443. – Eyre Highway, SA 5690. At Nullarbor there is a bar that will serve you a cold beer; tempting after a long day on the road! The highway was constructed between July 1941 and June 1942, but was trafficable by January 1942. You do not want to be 100s of kilometres away from the nearest roadhouse and running on empty. Driving at night: The main resident of the Nullarbor is the kangaroo. MeanderWithMeg is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.co.uk. It is signed as National Highw… For your best chances of getting reception in Australia’s more remote areas, Telstra is the mobile network provider you should be with. Whaling ceased here around 1843 but you can still see whale bones outside the old whaling station at the south side of the town. It’s not uncommon for it to reach 40 degrees celsius. It is on the border between South and Western Australia on the Eyre Highway. [5][6] The vast majority of the highway is a two-lane single carriageway[3] with a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph), except in and around built-up areas. Meander with Meg is a travel blog blog that focuses on how it feels to travel solo. About a week later, I was driving on a country road, about 100 kilometres from Melbourne. I am not a mechanic, so I would definitely recommend doing your own research (or speaking with your mechanic) about how you can ensure your car is prepared to undertake this long journey. The Nullarbor Roadhouse is a welcome sight, where I stop for a good lunch (ie not deep-fried). The Nullarbor gets its name from Latin for "no tree",[11] and the typical view is that of a straight highway and practically unchanging flat saltbush-covered terrain,[12] although some parts are located on ridges. It’s a long and sometimes monotonous drive! This is a scary feeling, particularly if you are cruising in a smaller car. Half way between Norseman and Balladonia on Eyre Highway is the lovely. If you’ve got a question about planning your Nullarbor road trip, let me know and I’ll be happy to help. [35]:223–225[55], In South Australia, a decade-long program to seal the highway began in the mid-1960s. At the border, either make sure you have already eaten all of your fresh fruit and vegetables, or destroy them at the quarantine point. Whale watching at the Head of Bight. I stopped here to make lunch on the first day of my Nullarbor road trip and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings. A proposal for a single name to be used in both states was put by the Western Australian committee to the South Australian committee when the highway was completed. Crossing the Nullarbor, for many Australians, has become the quintessential experience of the "Australian Outback" Construction of Eyre Highway started in July 1941, exactly a hundred years after Edward John Eyre’s tremendous feat, and was completed six months later. [33], An inland route across the Nullarbor was established with the 1912 to 1917 construction of the Trans-Australian Railway, from Port Augusta via Tarcoola to Kalgoorlie. 50km/h is the maximum default speed limit in towns and cities. [40] The finished road, while an improvement over the previous route, still was not much more than a track. The historical memorials committee of the Royal Geographical Society in South Australia was disappointed in 1938 that no road had been named after Eyre, despite its suggestion that the road from Port Augusta towards Perth should be Eyre Highway. The construction of the East–West Telegraph line in the 1870s, along Eyre's route, resulted in a hazardous trail that could be followed for interstate travel. During your drive the options for accommodation can vary from roadhouses to camp grounds, depending on your budget and your preference. You have to drive 1365 km to complete 18 holes. where you can arrange whale watching and other day trips to view the cliffs, flora and fauna of this beautiful area. If you’re a fisher then there’s plenty of fishing to be done in Fowlers Bay, otherwise you can enjoy the sand dunes spreading back from the town or take a boat trip to spot whales, seals, dolphins and sea eagles. Unfortunately these beautiful creatures are quite fond of headlights. [3] Eyre Highway is part of the National Highway route between Perth and Adelaide, and also forms part of Australia's Highway 1. Therefore the driver of a vehicle towing a trailer or caravan can drive at the posted speed as long as it is safe to do so. [35]:367, The highway was rebuilt with a seven-metre-wide (23 ft) pavement, with shoulders partially sealed to a width of one metre (3 ft 3 in). The formed width was 30 feet (9 m), with some sections[b] lightly gravelled over a 16-foot (4.9 m) width. Main Roads in Western Australia spent around a million dollars a year on rehabilitating 50-to-100-kilometre (30 to 60 mi) sections. Higher speed turnouts of say 60km/h with say 1 in 18 crossings have long switch rails which may require multiple drives making them unsuitable for hand operation. In Tasmania all vehicles towing trailers or caravans must abide by the posted speed limit, unless the trailer or caravans has a GVM of 12 tonnes or more. Across the Nullarbor, I paid up to $2.00 per litre. Though originally named Forrest Highway, after John Forrest, by the war cabinet, it was officially named and gazetted Eyre Highway, a name agreed upon by the states' nomenclature committees. I stopped off at the Kalgoorlie Visitor Centre where the helpful staff gave me a Nullarbor map marked with the holes, golf balls and clubs for the journey, telling me to drop them off in Ceduna. [37], On 21 January 1942, Prime Minister John Curtin announced the war cabinet decision to name the newly constructed road Forrest Highway,[49] for military purposes. (National Highway 94 / National Route 1), In Western Australia, approximately 280 out 452 miles (450 out of 727 km), CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (. Out of five stars, approximately 10% was rated as one- or two-star in Western Australia, generally towards the Norseman end, and 91% was rated three- or four-star. – large stretches of this drive will be done without phone reception, so remember to download a big stash of music and any important apps you’ll need so you have them offline. [41] In some cases the tanks were accompanied by amenity such as a shed,[42] or a hut and stove,[41] or even petrol and cafes at Ivy Tanks. Native animals such as kangaroos roam these parts, which is why you do not want to be driving after dusk as it’s difficult to spot them in the dark. [50] Separately, the states' nomenclature committees were considering names for the road. Due to popular demand, we’ve compiled an Interactive Map of fuel stops across the Nullarbor… a complete list of Eyre Highway fuel stops! [22], Because of its remoteness, some widened sections of the highway serve as emergency airstrips for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. 3. Between the months of May and October, these whales come to the coastline to breed and nurture their newborns. It’s 11km from the ancient Murrawijinie Cave and just 24km from the Head of Bight Lookout. He’s definitely worth pulling over for and taking a few pictures. The Nullarbor Plain is part of the area of flat, almost treeless, arid or semi-arid country of southern Australia, located on the Great Australian Bight coast with the Great Victoria Desert to its north. The Eyre Peninsula has been extensively cleared for agriculture, although there are remnant corridors of native eucalyptus woodland alongside its roads. Unfortunately, I wasn’t there at this time, but the tremendous coastline is still worth a look at any time of the year. Perth in Western Australia or Adelaide in South Australia are your best bet if you are flying as they both have international and national airports. Taking a variety of layers means you can wrap up if you need to and of course stay warm at night, when the temps can drop quite dramatically under clear skies if you’re camping. [36] In 1938 the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) called for a national highway to be constructed by the federal government, as it would be a strategic defence road, provide another link between Western Australia and other states, and improve the tourist experience. It is the world's largest single exposure of limestone bedrock, and occupies an area of about 200,000 square kilometres (77,000 sq mi). Cheers, Known as the oyster capital of Australia, if you’re visiting in October the locals celebrate their title by holding an annual Oysterfest. [17] In 2013, Eyre Highway similarly received a lower safety rating for the South Australian sections, compared to the Western Australian section. You can take the train across the Nullarbor if you fancy an alternative to driving this distance. Eyre Highway is the only sealed road linking the states of Western Australia and South Australia, running east from Norseman in Western Australia for 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) across the Nullarbor Plain to Ceduna, South Australia. Fowlers Bay is a township on the coast with a history in whaling and sheep farming. Some companies to compare prices: Hertz, Thrifty, Avis, Europcar and Wicked Campers. Perth: Main Roads Department. Western Roads: official journal of the Main Roads Department, Western Australia, 2(1), p. 2–6. of Tourism. Stations were later added at Franklin Harbour (Cowell) in 1885, Yardea in 1896 and Balladonia in 1897. If you want to wild camp for free, Wikicamps can provide suggestions for where to pitch your tent and look out for a shower the next day at a roadhouse. Two names were suggested: Great Western Highway, in line with similar directional names in Western Australia, and Eyre Highway, after the explorer. Speed Limit 25 km/hr Penong School Zone For die hard golfers to play the world longest golf course Nullabor Links is an experience never forget. I wouldn’t advise this approach, especially if you’re a solo driver, as it’s likely that you’ll become extremely fatigued and miss all the sites along the way. If you’re lucky enough to have more time, you could extend your road trip further and spend time thoroughly taking in the geological formations along the coastline, whale watching and playing golf (more on that later). [10], The Western Australian section of Eyre Highway is on the western side of the Nullarbor Plain; the South Australian section crosses the eastern section of the Nullarbor Plain, and the top of the Eyre Peninsula. 100km/h is the maximum speed limit on most rural roads in South Australia. [39] A northerly route, close to the Trans-Australian Railway, had been considered, but extensive limestone outcrops made it impractical. Further improvement works have been undertaken since the 1980s, including widening and reconstructing portions of the road. See more ideas about nullarbor plain, australia travel, australia. At Border Village, which is located rather unsurprisingly at the border between Western and Southern Australia, you will find Big Roo and his can of Vegemite. As I drove past Caiguna in WA I noticed that my phone moved forward by 45 minutes. [35]:223 Construction began in 1960, at the Norseman end. This viewpoint gives you a magnificent look over Madura Pass and the Roe Plains over to the Great Australian Bight in the distance. [43][44] The establishment of Ivy Tanks in any form was being lost by the 1980s. One hole of the Nullarbor Links golf course is here too, so you can spend a while at Border Village grabbing a bite to eat at the restaurant or refuelling. The speed limit of 110km per hour was adhered to by the greatest majority of drivers mindful of the erratic movements of kangaroos, emus, goats, as well as cattle, and the traffic flowed along without a hitch on day one. Nov 7, 2013 - Nullarbor plain. It was a rough stop, but all went well. Since the speed limit was 70 kph, and I was driving at slightly less than the limit, I figured I could drive off the road, and be able to stop without any major incident. Driving the Nullarbor is a road trip that every Australian and visitor to the country should experience at least once. Speed limits: The open roads have a speed limit of 110kph, lowering to 80kph or 60kph as you drive through towns and settlements. [28][29], An alternative route between Ceduna and Port Augusta, formerly signed Alternate Route 1[30] and now signed B100,[31] follows Flinders Highway and Lincoln Highway down the western and eastern sides of the peninsula respectively. Constructed between 1875 and 1877, it followed the same route across the Nullarbor and along the Great Australian Bight, after John Forrest retraced Eyre's route in 1870 and confirmed its suitability. The Southern Right Whale supposedly gained its name because it was seen as the ‘right’ whale to hunt. It is 644km east of Norseman and offers. Whatever you’re driving, ensure your car is road trip ready with air, water, oil, screen wash and fuel all topped up and tyre pressures checked. Continuing to the South Australian town of Ceduna, it then crosses the top of the Eyre Peninsula before reaching Port Augusta. [35]:223 Large numbers of vehicles travelling the highway in 1962, for the Commonwealth Games in Perth, damaged the road in numerous locations, and the lack of moisture required salt water to be pumped from 350 feet (110 m) below the surface for use in repairs and maintenance. Eyre Highway is the only sealed road linking the states of Western Australia and South Australia,[2] running east from Norseman in Western Australia for 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) across the Nullarbor Plain to Ceduna, South Australia. It was a rough stop, but all went well. It is signposted, so it’s well worth getting out of the car for a photo at this point! The Great Southern Railway’s Indian Pacific railway serves this area between Perth and Adelaide. The weather from Perth to Adelaide can vary and temperatures on the Nullarbor can be extreme. By the end of that year five miles (8 km) had been reconstructed, and was ready to be sealed over a 20-foot (6 m) width. In a crash your body will keep moving at the travel speed of the vehicle. There is a visitor centre at the Head of Bight where you can arrange whale watching and other day trips to view the cliffs, flora and fauna of this beautiful area. Fuel prices range from $1.51 per litre at Norseman, to $2.00 per litre at the Nullarbor … At the end of the Nullabor Plain is the small town of Ceduna, approximately 780km by road from Adelaide and 1900 km from Perth. As the federal government refused requests from Western Australia and South Australia for a special allocation to fund the sealed road, the work was left for the states to finance, over a number of years. We are looking at about 5 weeks including 4 days in Canberra. – or give yourself plenty of rest breaks if you’re driving alone. With a war in the Pacific seemingly imminent, construction soon began, in July 1941. However be prepared and on the lookout for heavy vehicles towing big rigs. This is how long I took for the Nullarbor section of my road trip from Perth to Melbourne. Highways in Tasmania have speed limits of 100km/h and 110km/h. [47] After receiving a letter from the South Australian Premier in May 1943, supporting the nomenclature committee's recommendation, Curtin agreed to the name, subject to approval from the Western Australian government. Learn how your comment data is processed. Efforts to seal the highway began in Norseman in 1960, with the Western Australian section completed in 1969 and the South Australian section finished in 1976. – the Eyre Highway is sealed so you won’t need a 4WD if you’re only planning on driving straight across without nipping off to explore any unsealed roads along the coastline. The new alignment also took into consideration the potential tourism opportunities provided along the coast of the Great Australian Bight. Eyre Highway is a 1,660-kilometre (1,030 mi) highway linking Western Australia and South Australia via the Nullarbor Plain. Don’t blink as you’re passing through most of the stops along the Nullarbor, which on your map may look like major towns, but are actually little more than roadhouses. As you can see, Eucla Roadhouse, 40 minutes east of Mundrabilla, is one of the more modern … – you can pick up a map at tourist information centres in towns like Norseman, Esperance, Kalgoorlie in Western Australia and Ceduna in South Australia. [32], Three decades later, the East–West Telegraph line was installed. Crossing the Nullarbor I just really wanted to capture my experience and put it on youtube. There are tours of the station, plus some local walks to enjoy by yourself with help of maps provided by the office. A national highway was called for, but the federal government did not see the route as important enough until 1941, when a war in the Pacific seemed imminent. Wikicamps Australia is an app that recommends free camping and campsites across the country. There have been larger-scale works including reconstruction of sections near Caiguna, Balladonia, and the Frazer Range in Western Australia,[60] as well as Cungena and Kyancutta in South Australia. [2] These are located 65 to 180 kilometres (40 to 110 mi) apart,[19] at Balladonia, Caiguna, Cocklebiddy, Madura, and Mundrabilla. Along the Nullarbor, most roadhouses offer camping facilities. The Nullarbor highway is actually called the Eyre Highway and is approximately 1675km long, taking Refuel @ 121.8: In between: Achieve Today's Challenge and create a Nullarbor Disco for the trees. The Nullarbor Roadhouse is a popular overnight stop for travellers with a few major sights nearby. [7][8] Road trains (A-double or B-triple) up to 42.5 metres (139 ft) are permitted on Eyre Highway, with Quads upto 49.5 metres (163 feet) between Ceduna and Colona Station turnoff[9] but are limited to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph). [25], Edward John Eyre was the first European to traverse the coastline of the Great Australian Bight and the Nullarbor Plain by land, in 1840–1841, on an almost 2,000-mile (3,200 km) trip from Adelaide to Albany, Western Australia. Eyre Highway is part of the National Highway route between Perth and Adelaide, and also forms part of Australia's Highway 1. Speed limit – the national speed limit of the Nullarbor / Eyre Highway is 110km / 68mph, however, this decreases in towns and built up areas. You have to drive 1365 km to complete 18 holes. Taking a route east from Norseman, with some detours around limestone ridges, would allow a road to be formed quickly and easily. An eight-hour drive from Perth brings you to Norseman, where your Nullarbor journey begins. [14]:3[15] In Western Australia, the recorded traffic volumes ranged between 430 and 760 vehicles per day in 2013/14. [35]:186–7, Work to seal Eyre Highway was undertaken in the 1960s and 1970s. [61], Map of South Australia and southern Western Australia with Eyre Highway highlighted in red. [18], Eyre Highway begins at the town of Norseman, on the Coolgardie–Esperance Highway. It is 12km west of the WA/SA border. At the border, either make sure you have already eaten all of your fresh fruit and vegetables, or destroy them at the quarantine point. If you’re staying a little longer, the coastline here is dotted with white sandy beaches, rocky bays and lots of water based activities such as whale watching, scuba diving, fishing, sailing and surfing. Especially important if you have dietary requirements that roadhouses may not cater for, or want to cook your own meals to keep costs down. Most of the highway exists as a two-lane single carriageway, and in most places, the speed limit is 110 kilometres per hour, although this is not true within and nearby more heavily populated areas, in which the speed limit drops. In deciding the new alignment for the South Australian section of the highway between Yalata and the state border, long, straight, flat sections were purposely avoided to prevent driver boredom and consequent fatigue, as well as sun-glare and glare from oncoming headlights. If you’re hiring a car or campervan in Perth or Adelaide, research whether you can find a relocation vehicle so that you only need to drive one way. Some of the spots along the coastline could get quite windy, so my best advice would be to pack what you would usually take for a road trip: layers. It may throw you out a little! Although it doesn’t seem much, this landscape is millions of years old and was formed by differing sea levels. – the time difference between Western and South Australia is 1hr 30 minutes. Track speed is 115 for passenger trains and MP7/PM7/SP7/PS7 services. The land has been extensively cleared for agriculture, but you can still spot wildflowers amongst the scrub. After passing through Wirrulla, Poochera, Yanninee and Wudinna, the highway arrives at Kyancutta where it meets the north end of the Tod Highway. [35]:187 By the mid-1960s, approximately 60 miles (100 km) were being sealed each year. There’s an option to take your car with you onboard so that you can travel by train one way and drive back the other. The speed limit along the Eyre Highway varies but is often 110 kilometres per hour. Department for Infrastructure & Transport, trip from Adelaide to Albany, Western Australia, Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia, "Eyre Highway: Driving directions from Norseman via Ceduna to Port Augusta", "Route Numbering System in Western Australia", "Operation of Road Train vehicles in South Australia", Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, "Statewide Traffic Digest 2009/10 – 2014/15", "How Safe are our Roads? Speed Limit 25 km/hr Penong School Zone For die hard golfers to play the world longest golf course Nullabor Links is an experience never forget. [56], Between Yalata and the state border, the highway was realigned and deviated considerably from the original unsealed route. After Ceduna, the highway passes the intersection with Flinders Highway and heads south-east towards Kyancutta. Don’t, for heaven’s sake, do that thing where you lie on the road listening for the vibrations of distant cars. Out on the road you will appreciate why as the Nullarbor Plain is flat as far as the eye can see. Consider taking your trip in Spring or Autumn when the temperatures are cooler and the weather is less likely to be wet. There is a welcoming outdoor camp kitchen that is free for hungry travellers to use. Signed as National Highways 1 and A1, it forms part of Highway 1 and the Australian National Highway network linking Perth and Adelaide. Speeding is the biggest killer of young drivers. Required fields are marked *. Increasing numbers of truck and tourist coaches caused fretting, and reduced the actual sealed width to 5.6 metres (18 ft) along much of Eyre Highway. However, if you’ve got time on your hands to relax and enjoy the ride, then you’ll discover this remote section of Australia harbours incredible vistas, star-studded skies, jaw-dropping coastlines and the kind of wilderness that only crossing the Nullarbor offers. Perth to Norseman to even begin the Nullarbor journey is 721 km, so for many Australians this is a major barrier and makes both Westerners and Easterners think twice before crossing from one side to the other. It skirts the bottom of the escarpment, climbing back through the Eucla Pass just before Eucla. You may think the Nullarbor is flat and boring, but the Hampton Tablelands are proof that it is anything but! Work began in mid-1985 near Cocklebiddy, with a 58-kilometre-long (36 mi) section completed in 1986. In town there are all the amenities you’ll need after a long drive, with a supermarket, bank and a tourist information office. How to get there Around 80% of those killed are male. It offers budget motel rooms (suitable for groups), hotel rooms and campsite/caravan park. The name ‘Nullarbor Plain’ exudes a certain air of mystery and compel. Eucla. Repeater stations were installed at Port Lincoln, Streaky Bay, Smoky Bay, Fowlers Bay, Eucla, Israelite Bay, Esperance and Bremer Bay. The only sections with a bitumen surface were the Madura and Eucla Passes. This does reduce when passing through towns and settlements along the way. [14]:5 In South Australia, the estimated annual average daily traffic as of September 2015 varied between 500 and 1500 west of Lincoln Highway, and was 2700 to the east. [35]:93–96, While initial estimates placed the construction cost at £125,000 over a period of four months, it actually cost twice as much, and was not completed until June 1942,[35]:95–96 though the road was sufficiently trafficable and in use by January of that year.
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