Nullarbor SA, Kinka SA, Big galah, Head of Bight, whales

Nullarbor Roadhouse SA May 7, 2015

Last but one to leave the van park this morning and made the 380km trip over to the Nullarbor Roadhouse in fairly easy style, stopping only at Border Town for a rest and a coffee. We filled up at Nullarbor and had some lunch before deciding to stay rather than go any further, besides, we could then take our time going the 25 odd km side tripe to have another look at the Head of the Bight. Sadly we are still too early for the whales, just as well that Judy ‘captured’ one on the wall of the cafe before we went out. Certainly had the lady on the desk at the visitor centre going for a while!

Whale. Nullarbor Roadhouse SA

Kimba SA May 8 2015

From Nullarbor we kept travelling East toward Ceduna. At Ceduna we stopped at the west-east quarantine station, but we had eaten our fruit and cooked all or veggies this time, so we had nothing to offer. Leaving Ceduna we started looking for lunch, which we found by turning off the Eyre Highway, over the railway line and into a tiny tiny town called Wirrulla. Tiny is the key word here. We went into the only shop / cafe /post office in town and ordered some bacon and egg sandwiches. We were ravenous, so we took the hot chip option as well. It was delicious! Didn't want to leave, but we still had a way to go so it was back on the road again.

We pulled into Wudinna, also a flea-bite off the road, for fuel. Moments after coming back onto the road we run straight into an RBT. Just as well we dont drink before making camp.

Arrived at Kimba, where we are staying the night. First job was to bags the only washing machine and then get into town for some much needed groceries, such as bread, which we ran out of two days ago. Kimba has its own glossy brochure, so we are expecting big things. First off all we had to check that this was the correct van park, because the reality seems to underwhelm the glossy hype. Ohh well, its a bed for the night. The town proper is quite pleasant, but the big attraction was so big and so grand that it was on the other side of the tracks, on the way out of town. You be the judge: 

Big galah, Half way across Oz. Kimba SA

You will also notice that the oasis behind the galah is labelled with a big boomerang which proclaims, ‘Half way across Australia’, which makes Australia 2x 2310 km wide from Perth to some undeclared point on the East Coast. By road at least that is. The perceptive among you can tell that it's been a long day, the shot-of-the-day was taken one-handed through a dirty windscreen. At least i avoided the crack!

Nullarbor SA, Head of Bight, Nullarbor Roadhouse SA

Nullarbor Roadhouse SA April 8, 2015

The freight trains into Ceduna come in all night, we know, we could hear them rumbling by. Just as we left this morning, the road comes up to a railway crossing and there was another train, so as we had to stop, we snapped it as it trundled across with its two engines and 56 carriages of gypsum.

Gypsum train. Ceduna SA

Gypsum train. Ceduna SA

Gypsum train. Ceduna SA

After it passed we started out proper on the journey from Ceduna and across to ‘The Nullarbor’. Well there was a sign that declared it was, so it must be. It’s is certainly flat enough and barren enough, almost like being in the outback proper. Had to laugh though, there was another sign about 200k out from Ceduna, in the middle of nothing, exhorting us to take advantage of the Scaffolding Services that they have in the aforementioned town. 'Did you bring the scaffolding and planks, dear?' i asked.  

We started hearing chat on the 2-way radio and so were not surprised when we came up behind a very wide load travelling at about 75kph. It turned out to be not one, but two very wide loads of 5.5 metres width, two halves of a house or shed or something. We were behind a big old bus pulling a 4x4 and there was a camper-trailer behind us. The chat suggested that the lead escort was starting the process of stopping and moving oncoming traffic off the road. The trucks are easy as they all have radios and all know the score. Some vans and 4x4s are OK with radios but the lead escort needed the following two police escorts to get the rest of the traffic to actually take notice of all the flashing lights and get out of the way.

When the lead man said it was clear for as far as he could see, the big wide low-loaders moved right across to the right hand side. Now we could hear the tail-end escort calling us through on the left and some of us acknowledging, but this old bus, obviously without a radio just sat there blocking the road. I sure as hell wasn't going to try overtaking it and then getting back across to overtake the trucks.  Finally the camper behind us just whipped out and started overtaking me and the bus, right at the same time the bus finally got the message and started accelerating - well ambling forward a bit faster at least. I closed my eyes and held my breath as the camper chopped right back in front of the bus just missing it and the truck. Looney tunes. When it was clear, we called them and advised that we were coming past, which they acknowledged and we made it safely to the front of the convoy.

Later on as we neared the dot on the map marked ‘Nullarbor Roadhouse’ we looked for the turn-off to the left instead, down to the first of the attractions, the “Head of Bight’. This is where the whales all come to frolic in the sun after being down in the antarctic for summer. Sadly no whales as it’s a bit early for them, but plenty of spectacular scenery, easily accessibly from the great boardwalk they have built. And all for $5 a head. Bargain.

Head of Bight SA

Head of Bight SA

Judy looking as stunning as the scenery. Head of Bight SA

Head of Bight SA

Head of Bight SA

Croc tracks! Head of Bight SA

Head of Bight SA

Head of Bight SA

After a good look around we wound up at the roadhouse and booked ourselves into the otherwise deserted caravan gravelled area with the odd power pole. No water. No worries, who’s silly enough to cross the nullarbor without all their tanks full.

Nullarbor Roadhouse SA

We pigged out in the restaurant on a really nice hamburger and passable coffee ($6 a cup!) before checking out the a) a hole of the Nullarbor golf links and b) the old bullock waggon and c)  oh, there is no ‘c’! 

Hole 5, Dingo's Den. Nullarbor Roadhouse SA

Hole 5, Dingo's Den. Nullarbor Roadhouse SA

Bullock waggon. Nullarbor Roadhouse SA

The old and the new. Nullarbor Roadhouse SA

Judy decided to cook all our vegetables before we hit the WA border tomorrow, where we have to hand everything fresh fruit and veg-wise into the quarantine. The wind picked up again and is quite cold so we hid in the van and played on the pewters and read books.

I’ve checked outside. It’s now 530pm SA time but only 4pm WA time, so there may well be more than the six happy campers, that are here now, by nightfall