First time across the Nullarbor

I have crossed the Nullarbor and arrived in Kalgoorlie. Crossing the Nullarbor is like a rite of passage for many Australians. You’re not fair dinkum until you’ve done it.

I was happy to revisit Ceduna after an absence of 14 years. South Australia’s Mid North, Eyre Peninsula and Far West are fascinating for their history. There are ruined buildings dotted throughout the landscape as monuments to failed agricultural hopes.

There must be a couple of dozen signs around Ceduna and Penong showing old school sites, where 100 years ago there were scores of families and today there is one or none.

The pastures looked pretty good though and Ceduna has polished up a little, with plans being advertised for a marine estate.

Beyond Penong (80km west of Ceduna) was new territory for me. Agriculture stops at Nundroo, where Aboriginal land starts. At Yalata the car thermometer showed 38 degrees. Soon afterwards I was on the bare Nullarbor Plain, where I was greeted by a sign warning to beware of stray kangaroos, wombats and camels!

Surprisingly, the temperature was a pleasant 23 degrees, with a fierce wind blowing off the ocean. I paid 158 cents a litre for petrol at the Nullarbor Roadhouse near the Head of the Bight.

At the WA/SA border a quarantine officer seized a cardboard box from my car that once contained apples.

There’s not much in that part of Western Australia, just some station properties and a couple of roadhouses.

At one point I was on the 90-mile straight leading towards Balladania, proclaimed as the longest section of straight road in Australia.

Half way across I encountered an electrical storm. There was no rain, but plenty of lightning.

I was wary to the point of being paranoid about the possibility of hitting kangaroos. Strangely, I never saw any until I was 40km out of Kalgoorlie when one of the buggers headbutted the side of my car.

I was even more watchful from there, and spotted dozens of them over the short distance into town.

It’s 43 degrees here today. I expected that, but the locals all claim it’s unusual. I’ve even been told that winter can be “bitterly cold” with occasional frost. I think I’ll survive the winters.