The Nullarbor

Kick off your road trip by slurping on some freshly-harvested oysters purchased directly from an oyster farm at Denial Bay. This tiny settlement, 12km northwest of Ceduna, is known for its thriving oyster farming industry. As you make your way through the town, keep your eyes peeled for “oysters for sale” signs - the local oyster farmers only advertise when they have a fresh harvest of these Pacific Ocean beauties.

If you’re travelling through the Nullarbor in late September and early October, see if you can time your stop for the annual Oysterfest. This all-out oyster-loving festival is usually held on the first weekend of October.

Get off the well-worn track and discover the surfing beach locals have been trying to keep a secret since the 1960s. Cactus Beach, located 21 km south of Penong, is renowned for its famous left and right hand surfing breaks which have been attracting surfers from across Australia for the last 50 years. Spend the day in the surf and then spend the night camping at nearby Point Sinclair Camping Ground.

Cast a line and catch your dinner at what’s considered the luckiest fishing spot you’ll find along the Nullarbor plains. This beautiful white-sand bay is known for its abundance and variety of fish including Snapper, Garfish, Whiting and the prized Mulloway which can weigh up to 80 lb. Take your rod down to Fowlers Bay jetty, located a short walk from the Fowlers Bay Caravan Park and Kiosk, or drive to nearby Scott’s Bay for a spot of surf fishing.

If you’re keen to take to the seas, Fowlers Bay Fishing Charters offers half and full day fishing excursions onto the ocean, otherwise you could head to the dunes for a spot of sandboarding - sandboards are available for hire at the kiosk. And after a busy day fishing and boarding, spend the night at the Fowlers Bay Eco Park, located right on the beachfront.

This iconic Nullarbor institution has been serving hearty meals to travellers for years. Try one of their beef and Guinness pies, a home-style burger or choose a steak cooked to your liking.

The roadhouse is also famous for its murals, dotted across the property, which celebrate the history of the area. A full-scale model of the old gas station has also been built out front.

Stay overnight in one of their motel rooms or pitch a tent at the campsite.

Take your sight-seeing underground in the cool, dark shadows of the Murrawijinie Caves, located around 10km down a rough, dirt road from Nullarbor Roadhouse. The caves can be up to 10 degrees cooler than the outside temperature, especially during summer, making them a comfortable spot for an afternoon of exploring.

Aside from enjoying the cool temperature, you’ll be able to get up close to ancient indigenous ochre hand stencils in the furthest cave. You’ll also spot the nesting sites of the swallows and hawks that frequent the caves known as 1 and 2 and marvel at the amphitheatre-size spaces dotted through this limestone complex.

Take in the sweeping ocean views or have a refreshing dip in the pool at the Eucla Motor Hotel and Caravan Park. This motel also has a restaurant, with take away food available for those who’d rather have a picnic on the beach. Before settling in for the night, do check out the Eucla Museum, near the restaurant, for a glimpse into their area’s settler past.

And do make sure you refuel before leaving town in the morning. Eucla is known by locals who frequent the Eyre Highway to offer some of the cheapest petrol around.

Take a look at what lies beneath the rocky outback ground at this geological wonder, located 5 kilometres west of Caiguna. Here you’ll be able to feel the cave beneath the Caiguna Blowhole “breathing”. This natural phenomenon occurs as air flows in and out of the cave, resulting in a pressure equalisation between the underground cavities and the air pressure above the ground. Make sure you stand right up close to the blowhole to feel the air moving in and out.

While blowholes can be found across Australia, the Caiguna Blowhole is famous for its very vigorous breathing. Air movement at one end of the cave is measured to be about 72km per hour – faster than any other cave in the country.

If you’re a space enthusiast you may recognise Balladonia as the site where debris from the US Skylab space station fell to the ground in 1975. Today, the only trace of its extraterritorial past can be found inside the Balladonia roadhouse where you’ll find a display of space debris and newspaper clippings.

Read about the area’s fascinating history then settle into one of their comfortable motel rooms or set up shop in their caravan park. The roadhouse is also famous for serving enormous burgers - big enough for two to share!

Keep driving east from The Roadhouse and you’ll reach Afghan Rocks. These eerie red rock formations were named due to a legend that has surrounded them since early pioneering days. Apparently, an Afghan camel driver was killed by passing travellers, whilst swimming in the sparkling waters formed by this catchment of rocks. The thirsty travellers apparently took exception to the man’s cavalier attitude towards this very precious source of drinking water and decided to do away with him and the bather’s grave lies nearby. Water has always been precious on the Nullarbor!

Home to the world’s largest Eucalyptus Forest, the fauna-rich Fraser Range is a welcome change from the barren landscape of the Nullarbor Plains. Take a walk through the dense forest to see the towering blackbutts, salmon gum and gimlet trees and the impressive selection of wildlife they attract. If you’re still feeling energetic, climb one of the granite hills that make up the Fraser Range. Mt Pleasant is the highest at 579 metres.

After a day of walking, relax with a glass of wine in front of the campfire at the Fraser Range campground. And if you’re too tired to pitch a tent, rooms in the 100-year-old stone house and self-contained cottages are also available.

If you take a short detour south of Norseman you’ll get to see the 550 million year old Dundas Rocks and the spooky site where the old town once stood.

After a brief walk through the bush, you’ll come to a plaque showing where the original settlement of Dundas once stood. Old telegraph lines and building ruins are almost the last remaining signs of this once bustling gold-mining town. However, if you continue along the walking trail to the end of Lake Dundas you see a more personal side of the derelict town as you come across the lone grave of a seven month-old baby who died in 1897.

On a chirpier note, if you’re feeling energetic, discover more about the area’s fascinating history by walking the entire Dundas Coach Road Heritage Trail. The Norseman Tourist Bureau will be able to help by giving you loads of information about the trail and walking maps to guide you once you’re out walking.

Book end your journey across the Nullarbor with a night at the Railway Motel & Inn in Norseman. Built in 1939, this traditional art déco building has provided accommodation to travellers making their way through this once booming gold mining town for almost 80 years. Since then, a series of owners have been working hard to maintain its former style. The current owners have even employed the services of the local psychic to cleanse the building of some of its more ghostly “guests”.