One last trip to the Streaky Bay library to return a book and bid farewell to newfound friends and we were on our way towards the Nullarbor. Our first stop was Ceduna where we stocked up on a few things I hadn't been able to get in Streaky Bay and had a bite of lunch overlooking Smoky Bay and out towards The Great Australian Bight. Our first day's drive was pretty uneventful. We pulled into Nundroo Roadhouse around 3:30pm and on learning that no whales had been seen that day decided to stop the night in the hopes that the whale watching at Head of Bight might be better tomorrow.
Jay putted Wombat Hole on the Nullarbor Links golf course, the longest golf course in the world at 1365km in length. Described as "a unique must-do" and the "quintessential Australian experience" we just had to have a go, be it small, at this 18 hole par 72 golf course.
19th May 2011
A mild morning greeted us as we moved on. Our journey took us past the Dog Fence one of the longest continuous fences in the world built to keep wild dingoes out of pastoral lands. Starting in Queensland this 5 614km fence extends to the Great Australian Bight in South Australia. Not far beyond the fence we entered the Eastern end of the true Nullarbor Plains.
Flat and treeless for as far as the eye can see in all directions but with a unique and awe-inspiring beauty. Deviating off the highway we went to the Head of Bight. I can't believe how many travellers refused to pay the $5 entry to go into the observation platforms. In the middle of nowhere with toilets and pleasant facilities do they not realise how expensive it is to run even a small operation such as this. We gladly paid our money and were rewarded with a sighting of the first two whales to have entered the shallow sheltered bay. Later in the season up to one hundred magnificent Southern Right whales will make this stretch of coastline their home as they mate, give birth and prepare the calves for the long journey back to the Antarctic waters for the summer.
It was thrilling to see even one of these beautiful mammals so close to the cliffs. Back to the Eyre Highway we only ventured a little further today to Bunda Cliffs. These majestic limestone cliffs tower ninety metres above the pounding Southern Ocean. Another viewing spot for the whales, the waters here are much deeper and we didn't sight any along this stretch.
My main reason for stopping here was to cook up all the vegetables I'd bought, before hitting the Quarantine at the border, where they would have been destined for the bin. We whiled away a pleasant afternoon cooking up vegetable soup and listening to the radio play of "The Lord of the Rings" with the azure blue waters of the Southern Ocean as a backdrop. When evening fell we ventured out to gaze at the dazzling night sky. Two female backpackers, a German and an American, joined us and were blown away by the Star Walk app on the iPad. Disappointingly it ran out of batteries very quickly and we had to continue our astronomy session using my meagre knowledge. We were even treated to some meteors from the Eta Aquariids, an area associated with Haleys Comet that is know for it's meteor showers. If it hadn't been for the mice scuttling around the bins, and the fact that it probably got down close to zero overnight we would have dragged out the sleeping bags and slept under the stars. As we prepared to retire, the moon arose amid an orange glow, dimming the spectacular vista. As we drifted off to sleep the haunting call of a whale broke the eerie silence.
20th May 2011
Having seen their car and van drive through our campsite the previous evening Jay was keen to catch up with the Bakers whom we'd met in Streaky Bay. As we re-entered the highway a huge wedge-tailed eagle was sitting in a bush not metres from the road. I swung around to try and get a photo but as we approached from the other side he took flight. During the day we saw many more of these huge birds of prey, often feasting upon the fresh roadkill from the previous night. In the early morning light I was amazed by the variety of greens in the low shrubs that comprise the Nullarbor Plains. We found the Bakers at the next campsite and amid squeals of delight made plans to try and finish at the same campsite the coming evening. Along this stretch we reached the end of the true Nullarbor Plains. I was surprised by how short the actual stretch is, although it does extend hundreds of kilometres inland from the highway. Soon after, we reached the Border Village, a rather generous term for a roadhouse and quarantine station.
After having a photo with Rooey II and the signpost to the rest of the world we went and straddled the Border to SA-WA. Passing through quarantine I only had to relinquish one lemon and half a jar of honey. Not far beyond we took another side trip to see the ruins of the old Eucla telegraph station. Opened in 1877, the Eucla telegraph station helped link WA with the rest of Australia and the world. Just 33 years after Samuel Morse invented the telegraph the first message was sent to Perth on the 8th December 1877 and stated "Eucla line opened. Hurrah!"
I was excited to see some Major Mitchell cockatoos in a large tree behind the station. These beautiful cockatoos are smaller than a sulphur-crested cockatoo with delicate pinks and yellows under their wings. With determination we then set our sights towards our overnight destination only stopping for fuel and a very brief lunch break. At Mundrabilla roadhouse we learned that two children resided there who were schooling via the School of the Air. I would have liked Jay to be able to speak with them and see how their schooling worked but they had just returned to classes after recess and were't allowed to see us. My preconceived ideas of the Nullarbor Plains have been smashed having now made the trek. I was surprised by the diversity of vegetation. I found the drive to be very interesting.
The Nullarbor Plains is home to the one finger wave. There is an unspoken code amongst the drivers. Motorcyclists don't wave, their hands are frozen to the handlebars. Cars will occasionally raise a finger non-commitially. Truckies give a lazy one fingered wave if they are actually watching the road. Caravaners and other motor-homers give a more hearty wave even using the whole hand at times, and other Toyota Coaster drivers give an energetic and enthusiastic full blown wave. After a massive ten and a half hours of driving we pulled into a rest area on the Fraser Range. Surprisingly I wasn't especially weary after all that driving with very few breaks. Perhaps I've become conditioned to the driving after 3 months on the road. Jay was disappointed that the Bakers didn't quite get as far as us and we had the rest area to ourselves.
21st May 2011
Finishing our crossing we pulled into Norseman around 10:30am. We quickly toured the major tourist attractions of the town. Beginning with the bronze statue of Norseman, the horse credited with finding gold bearing quartz as he pawed the ground with his hoof, and after whom the town is named. Next were the tin camels. They stand as a tribute to the early camel trains which brought freight from the east coast and are the reason for the wide streets which allowed the camel trains to turn around. Our town tour has brought us to the end of this leg of our journey.
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