 Visit the Nullarbor WA
Norseman is at the beginning (or end!) of the Eyre Highway. It is yet another community, with a gold-strike history. Here you can find gold mines still operating with informative lookouts to view the many activities.
Pay a visit to Norseman, a bronze statue of the sturdy little horse who is the town’s namesake. Stretch your legs at the Beacon Hill Lookout and walking trail. Provides excellent 360 degree views of the town and surrounding countryside.
There are several fantastic natural attractions nearby, including Mt Jimberlana, Buldania Rocks, Dundas Rocks, Bromus Dam and Peak Charles. Visit or call the Norseman Tourist Bureau for road conditions and directions.
Heading off along the Eyre Highway you will come across many other interesting places.
Around Balladonia you’ll be surprised by how green the countryside is, home of the world’s largest desert woodlands.
But Balladonia’s biggest attraction is the $1 million museum dedicated to the region’s history and the event that thrust it on the world stage more than 20 years ago – the fall to earth of Skylab.
Near Cocklebiddy is the Eyre Bird Observatory. Its isolation and unique surroundings make this an excellent spot to observe the native birdlife and long stretches of coastline.
Getting closer to the Western Australia-South Australia border is the small town of Eucla, which sits between the dry arid Nullarbor Plain and the wild seas of the Great Australian Bight.
Close to the ocean lies the remains of the old Eucla Telegraph Station which now lies partially buried underneath tonnes of shifting sand.
Further east along the highway, it is a must to go and stand at one or more of the viewing points along the cliff line. The best spots are well marked with 'camera' signs.
If you are here between May and October there is a possibility you will see whales migrating along the Bight. Take a drive 19 kilometres (12 miles) east of the Nullarbor Roadhouse, on the South Australian side of the border, where you will find another camera-friendly view.
These experiences and the vast landscape of the area are what make the Eyre Highway one of Australia's 'Great Road Journeys'. Quarantine checkpoints are located at the Western Australia - South Australia border (westbound) and at Ceduna in South Australia (eastbound).
The Nullarbor Plain of WA
The Nullarbor Plain is the stretch of land between Norseman in Western Australia and Ceduna in South Australia. In 1867 surveyor E.A. Delisser journeyed out into the treeless plain and named it Nullarbor taking its name from the latin 'Nullus' and 'Arbor' meaning 'no trees'. The Aboriginal name for the Nullarbor Plain is 'Oondiri' meaning 'the waterless', the average rainfall is eight inches per annum.
The plain was created about 25 million years ago when it emerged from the sea; prior to that it had been the seabed. Inhabitants of the deep had deposited their lime-secreting skeletons and shells on the seafloor. These deposits with sediments of sand eventually created the limestone that covers the plain.
For much of the its 1,200 kilometre length sheer cliffs drop from the plain into the Great Australian Bight. The plain is crossed by the fully-sealed Eyre Highway and a transcontinental railway. Part of the highway is 478 kilometres of straight track, the longest stretch of straight road in the world.
The highway takes you past old telegraph ruins, a number of scenic lookouts over the Great Australia Bight, the Eyre Bird Observatory at Cocklebiddy, excellent fishing and whale watching spots, nature reserves and National Parks, historic towns, blowholes and Aboriginal communities.
Wildlife in the plain is plentiful and includes wedge-tailed eagles, kangaroos, emus, snakes and dingoes. There is also a number of interesting caves scattered throughout the plain waiting to be explored. Tour operators offer access to all the main attractions in the region.
Take time to explore the Nullarbor Plain because it has a lot more to offer than it would seem at first glance.
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WA's National Parks & Reserves can be closed at times because of bushfire danger, Cyclone or flooding and other natural emergencies. Phone 1300 657 721 for emergency alerts or visit the FESA for more information. Find out about the National Parks and forests of WA by visiting CALM. Remember, play it safe and tell others where you go and when you will be back.
All images © WA Tourism.
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Disclaimer: The information contained about this region is provided as a guide only. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, Break Loose Publishing disclaim any liability or responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. For our complete Disclaimer please follow the link at the foot of the page.
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