Traveling across the Nullabor

[Miss.September]

We're looking at driving across the Nullabor and I'm wanting to know what to look out for, the do's and don't's from people who have experienced it first hand.

It looks like we'll be flying into Perth, then hopefully hiring a Winnebago-style vehicle to return home to Melbourne. We'll have our two kids with us and have around two weeks to do the entire trip (spending up to a week in/around Perth, then a week getting home).

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[~Trish~]

We crossed the Nullarbor in both directions 3 years ago with 3 kids and a caravan . I can highly recommend stocking up on food and things like tissues BEFORE you go, everything costs 3 times as much at the roadhouses! Pack lots of snacks and have a portable DVD player handy for the kids, there isn't much to see, but it is really fascinating. Don't drive at dusk, that's when all the kangaroos, etc. come out. We drove only during the daylight hours, but we went as far as possible each day to get across quickly

[Miss.September]

Thanks Trish! What were the roadhouses like - the camping areas specifically? Were the facilities okay or are we better to hire something with a toilet and shower on board?

How many days did it take you?

[nickle730]

We did this when I was a kid, it must be about 30 years ago. We drove from Perth to Melbourne and stayed at motels/roadhouses along the way. I was about 5 or 6 at the time, I have a lot of memories - my clearest is of almost being blown of the Great Australian Byte as the wind roared and my dad held onto me for dear life!! I wonder if much has changes along the Nullabor since we did it? I remember plenty of wiiiiide open spaces and red sand! Cold chicken and salad (again!!!?????) for lunch every day and sometimes for dinner. Mum would get BBQ chooks at a roadhouse and serve them with salad she bought in Perth and then whatever she could lay her hands on at the time - the salad was pretty sparse and wilted by the end of the trip!!

Be prepared for a lot of 'are we there yet???'!!

[~Trish~]

Thanks Trish! What were the roadhouses like - the camping areas specifically? Were the facilities okay or are we better to hire something with a toilet and shower on board?

How many days did it take you?

I can tell you they have not been updated since at least the 70's! nickle730 - If you travelled along the Nullarbor as a child, I bet it is exactly the same as you remember it lol! Some places have pretty good facilities, others very basic. One place you just parked your caravan next to a power point and you looked out for snakes! As long as you don't mind basic bathroom and toilet facilities, you'll be fine. We crossed the Nullarbor in about 2 days each time. The Great Australian Bight was absolutely breathtaking

[~clover~]

Thought I may as well answer some of your questions For when you do get around to doing the trip.

As I said in the camping thread, I did motels/cabins on the first trip (Jan 2012). When we did the trip in Dec & Feb this time around (2012/13) we didn't really do caravan parks. I had clothes, an esky of ice, my trusty butane gas stove & a shower bag. Pretty much from the Vic/SA border there are camping area's along the road. Some have toilets, some have BBQ's as well, some only have bins. My kiddies are old enough to find a bush when needed We just pitched a tent, cooked some spaghetti or sausages & we were set. I boiled water for DD3 & DS to bath in our food tub when no showers were available & stopped at road houses for showers along the way ($4 a shower).

There was no phone reception on our 2012 trip right from Ceduna through to Norseman, but the last trip most of the road houses had reception. Wasn't easy not being able to check in with family the night we stopped in Balladonia.

The road houses/caravan parks are very basic. A couple of rows of power points on the dirt flat & toilets/showers. We only used road house showers, but I'd say the c'van park amenities would be similar. Balladonia & Nullarbor are the nicer road houses of them all! The rest are... clean.

Things my kids enjoyed... The dunes at Fowlers Bay (a bit west of Ceduna), the Bight (we added to the names on the fence), the camels we saw on the side of the road! There is an old telegraph station near Ceduna that's slowly going under the sand. We haven't had a chance to see it yet. The ridge after Ceduna that used to be the shore line. The 3 trailer trucks were exciting for a little while. There is Bromus Dam, just out of Norseman that is pretty cool. Made out of flat rocks/pavers?

Its a surprisingly easy trip to do. Plenty of places to sleep, road houses are at most i think 190kms apart. Just stock up on food before you hit the Nullarbor. It is ridiculous! Esperance has Woolworths, Kalgoorlie may do as well (not been there yet). Norseman has IGA & its the last town you'll see before Ceduna.

When you do get to do it, enjoy the ride There's not a lot out there, but its still amazing to see.

[Miss.September]

Thanks, nickle! I reckon I'll be the one saying "are we there yet?"!

Watching the footy at the moment and the commentators are talking about how boring the drive would be across the Nullabor! Oh dear!!!

[MummyNaomi]

I hope you are stopping in Adelaide!!!

[Miss.September]

But of course, MN! xx

[Sagres]

What time of year will you be going? I reckon the whales at the head of the bight (west of Ceduna) are a must stop spot but they are around at this time of year - later winger to spring - so it that may not work.

[Miss.September]

I thought about the whales too, Sagres, but we'll be traveling in April. Would be pretty amazing though.

[nickle730]

Lol... Byte=Bight. Apparently The Bight has been modernised and is now a smart phone accessory known as The Byte! I knew I had it wrong but couldn't figure it out.

[Miss.September]

Thank you! You've both made me really really want to do it now!

But we've put it on the back burner until we have more time. We have two weeks in WA all up and have decided to spend as much time as we can exploring there and then flying home. But I hope to return to this thread very soon!!!!!