Crossing the Nullabor

This sign greets you as you turn on to the Eyre highway.

"Where are you headed? " I was asked in the petrol station.
"Sydney" I said.
"Down the road, turn right and keep going for 4000 kilometres" was the reply. I laughed slightly nervously as I considered all the moving parts that could fail on my 1986 Toyota and the distance I was about to take it.


Much of the way there is vegetation - trees, shrubs, grass etc. However the road does pass through the South part of the Nullabor plain. This was one of the last trees before the plain starts and it is easy to see why not many survive after this point. This area experiences extremes of temperature, lack of water and strong winds (guess which way they blow!)
Nullabor roadhouse - on the outskirts of the plain. Mobil petrol station (I thought Mobil was no more)
A welcome sight on day 2. The Great Australian Bight.
An emergency air strip on the road. There were several of these during the journey for the Royal Flying Doctors Service.
90 Mile Straight. Australias longest straight road. Apparently there is an attractive nymph who frequents the desert near the road! So I was told - I looked but must have missed this time. I was tempted to turn round and look again but thought better of it.
The Nullabor. Tree-less but plenty of shrubs as far as the eye can see.
All things considered it wasn't lonely or boring or even that long a drive compared to what I was expecting. Sure it is a long way and if the car fails a big (and expensive) problem but it was just over 20 hours actual drive time between the towns of Norseman and Ceduna.

I passed one man on a push bike - that is a real challenge.