Day 10 Penong to Nullabor 1st May
We are now entering the east end of the Nullabor Plain (without trees). this appears to be incorrect as there is an extensive expanse of trees and thick bush & shrubs on all sides for great distances. We stop for a cup of tea and biscuits made by Declan (gluten free), this is an enjoyable aspect of traveling without no apparent time limitations. Our stop is close to Yalata, which is an indigenous coastal & desert community, currently closed to safeguard against covid. Suddenly without realizing it, the trees cease and the low bush scrub of saltbush and bluebush abounds to infinity. The only thing that is visible above the scrub are trucks and caravans and occasional cars. The road is straight, wide and light traffic wise, quite relaxing from a driving perspective. Little bit of a south west breeze which nudges the economy to about 22 lt /100klm.
Quadruple bunch of bogies Start of the Bight closest to the road Southern Right Whale Skull
The first opportunity where the road is closest to the Bight, we turn off to view 12klm down the road. This does not disappoint after the flat limestone plains of the Nullabor. This coastline is famous for whale watching, as they head up from Antartica, to breed, calving and rearing to warmer waters all along the southern and eastern Australian coastline, as well as many other parts of the southern hemisphere. This period of respite is from May-September, interestingly the adult do not feed over this period but live off their stored fat supplies.
Onwards and upwards to the Roadhouse stop called Nullabor. Fuel out here has jumped up 60 cents a litre to $1.92, along with all other prices, which is food items, motel accommodation, caravan parking areas, bar etc.
We decide to back track 10klm to a free camping area set a few klm from the main road. Very quiet. Soon three other couples arrive in vans thinking that we must be normal or inviting! Lovely sunset, no wind as the day ends. Another night around the fire, story telling and tiring after the days travels.
Two sisters traveling and heading back to QLD, and a South Australian Couple returning home. Lovely friendly couple with a very verbous wife, when her husband places his hand over his wife mouth and says, “I’ve got the talking stick dear,” this went down like a lead balloon with Sarah and Trish, I think I heard them say, “This guy is going to wake up on the tiles with a crowd around him.”
The original Nullabor Roadhouse. We have an estimated 300,000 feral camels (down from 1 mill) introduced from British India and Afghanistan in the 19th century for construction and exploration of the outback. Many released into the wild as motorised transport replaced them.
