Campervan guide Nullarbor Australia: the long road done properly

The classic crossing from Ceduna in South Australia to Norseman in Western Australia is about 1,200 km on the Eyre Highway. It is sealed all the way, so a 2WD campervan or motorhome can do it in normal conditions. What catches people is not corrugations; it is distance, wind, heat and the temptation to say, “we’ll just push on a bit further”.

Three days is the rushed version. Four to six days is better for a nullarbor campervan trip, especially if you want whales at Head of Bight, Bunda Cliffs at sunset, the Eucla sand dunes and a proper leg-stretch on the 90 Mile Straight.

• Do: start each day with a full tank when leaving major stops such as Ceduna, Norseman or Kalgoorlie.
• Do not: plan your day around a single remote roadhouse staying open late; hours and fuel availability can change.
• Allow: 250–350 km per day if you want to arrive at camp before the roo-and-emu dusk shift begins.

Fuel stops are not rare, but they are far enough apart to matter. Typical gaps include Ceduna to Penong at 75 km, Nundroo to Nullarbor Roadhouse at about 143 km, Nullarbor to Border Village at about 184 km, Caiguna to Balladonia at about 181 km, and Balladonia to Norseman at about 192 km. That last figure is not frightening on paper; it is more interesting when there is a headwind and your fridge has been running hard all day.

Remote fuel is usually dearer than city fuel. Budget as if unleaded or diesel may be 40–80 cents per litre higher than Adelaide or Perth, and occasionally more during supply hiccups. Carry drinking water separately from your van tank: 5 litres per person per day is a sensible minimum in hot weather, and more if you are free camping.

• Last big shop eastbound: Norseman or Esperance, depending on your approach.
• Last big shop westbound: Ceduna, with supermarkets, servo options and a bottle-o before the long stretch.
• Gas/LPG: swap or refill availability is better in larger towns; do not assume every roadhouse can handle your bottle.
• Water: fill in Ceduna or Norseman, then top up only where signs clearly allow it.

A motorhome Nullarbor crossing works best with a mix of powered sites and simple overnight stops. Ceduna, Penong, Eucla, Madura, Balladonia and Norseman all have roadhouse or town-style camping options where you can pay for a site, buy fuel and reset the van. Expect basic facilities in the middle: you are paying for location, not resort theatrics.

There are also signed roadside rest areas and free-camp style stops, including several near the Bunda Cliffs. Use only formed tracks and signed areas, keep well back from cliff edges, and take every scrap of rubbish with you. South Australia and Western Australia both treat illegal camping, dumping grey water in the wrong place and wandering into closed conservation areas as fine-worthy behaviour, not “having a go”.

• Powered nights: useful every second or third night for air-conditioning, battery recovery and a proper shower.
• Free camping: check current signs; rules can change after storm damage, erosion or overuse.
• Dump points: reliable public or caravan-park options are easiest at Ceduna and Norseman; roadhouse dump points may be for guests only.
• Grey water: if your hire van is not self-contained, choose sites with facilities rather than bush-camping on fragile ground.

The best things to do Nullarbor campervan travellers can manage are conveniently close to the highway, which is good because rental agreements usually do not love mystery dirt tracks. Head of Bight is the headline stop from June to October, when southern right whales calve below the cliffs. The viewing centre is off a sealed access road and is one of the few places on the crossing where even the most road-hardened grey nomad goes quiet.

Bunda Cliffs are the other must-see: limestone dropping straight into the Southern Ocean, with sunsets that make instant noodles taste almost sophisticated. Eucla’s old telegraph station is partly buried in sand and worth the wander, while Caiguna marks the start of the 146.6 km 90 Mile Straight, Australia’s longest straight sealed road. Balladonia’s small museum adds Skylab debris and old crossing history to the mix.

• Do: park fully off the highway at lookouts and rest areas before wandering about with a camera.
• Do not: drive rental campervans onto beach sand, cave tracks or unsigned station roads.
• Worth the stop: Madura Pass lookout for the sudden drop from plain to escarpment.

The Eyre Highway is sealed, but it is still outback driving. Road trains can be over 36 metres long, throw serious spray in wet weather and take a long time to overtake. If one is coming the other way, hold your line, ease left within your lane and keep both hands on the wheel. Do not drop a tyre onto the gravel shoulder unless you enjoy paperwork.

Passing needs patience. A campervan is heavier and slower to accelerate than a car, especially into a westerly or easterly headwind. Wait for a long, clean view, and remember the 90 Mile Straight is not a racetrack; it is a very long place to make one silly decision.

• Avoid dusk and dawn: kangaroos, emus, wombats and wandering livestock are harder to spot.
• Tyres: check pressures and visible damage every morning, especially after gravel pull-offs.
• Heat: summer days can exceed 40°C, so never leave people, pets or food shopping in a closed van.
• The wet: heavy rain can close side tracks quickly; stay on the bitumen unless local signs say otherwise.

April to October is the kinder window for a Nullarbor crossing. Winter nights can drop below 5°C, but driving is easier than in a 40°C summer blast. June to October is whale season at Head of Bight, while school holidays bring more caravans, fewer casual sites and the odd queue for the roadhouse coffee machine.

For two travellers, a compact campervan is manageable, but a toilet/shower motorhome gives you more freedom with overnight stops and early departures. If you are doing the crossing as part of the Big Lap, check vehicle height, length, included kilometres, one-way rules and whether dirt-road exclusions affect side trips before you book.

• Best pace: 4–6 days Ceduna to Norseman.
• Best comfort: self-contained van with toilet, house battery and decent fridge space.
• Booking tip: check availability online early for whale season, Easter and winter school holidays.