Fri, 7th Nov, 2025 72hr Rest Area, Norseman to Bush camp at Jillbunya Rockhole Rest Area, east of Caiguna, WA (Nullarbor golfing)

Shower of rain during the night. 14 degrees min in the camper with blue sky and a few clouds this morning.

Packed up and headed onto the Eyre Highway to head east.

It was 12-22 April 2016 when we first came across and we loved all the caves, blowholes and golf spots along the way. We have Tom and Sandy this time so won’t be doing too much exploring but they are happy to play the golf holes - well Sandy is. Tom isn’t sure as he is left-handed.

Good smooth road for a change after all the road-train affected roads we have been on.

Pulled off to have a cuppa at Newman Rocks where we had camped on the way over. The dirt track was full of wet pot holes so Tom & Sandy waited while we checked it out. Decided not to stop here. Back on the bitumen - another view as the greenery changed to lower shrubs.

Continued on to Balladonia Roadhouse for a cuppa and play the golf hole here. I am sure I took a photo of this old boiler on the way over. The sign needs redoing.

Sandy was the winner of this hole. We all agreed to not keeping a score! Steve lots his ball into a tree on the first hit but he then found 3 to replace it in the bushes. I forgot to get a photo of me having a hit.

Lots of trucks and the fuel was cheap, $2.27/L compared to the roadhouses further on so we topped up. Into the roadhouse to pay and check out the museum. Still the same so I didn’t take any photos. Cute friends near the playground.

Still grey clouds and a few spits of rain as we passed the old Telegraph Station at Balladonia Rock. Looks like it is in need of roof repairs at least. It is now private property so no access. Info off Wikicamps - “Because the salt was affecting the Overland Telegraph line from Albany to Ceduna, a new telegraph station was built in 1896 at Balladonia Rock. The large rock area also provided a catchment area for their water supply. Seven acres was excised from Balladonia Station, and when the repeater station ceased being used in the 1920s it reverted to Balladonia Station once again. It was used as a fuel station in the 50s for a short while until the Roadhouse was built 26km to the west.”

Pulled off for a photo at the west end of the 90 Mile Straight. The stickers are nearly blocking out the words.

Pulled off into a rest area for lunch. Still cool and the flies are very annoying so we ate inside.

Continued on the straight road though it has rises and dips.

Passed the turn off into Woorlba Station. The Skylap debris landed on this station somewhere.

The trees have thinned out as we head towards Caiguna. We can see along way over the grass plain. No wildlife about.

At Baxter Rest Area I saw on Wikicamps there was a blow hole here - we didn’t have that app when we came across in 2016. Very handy, though I like the old version better than the new one. We followed tracks into the bush and eventually found the blow hole which wasn’t blowing unfortunately.

Back to the main rest area section for lunch. Steve found this pile of rocks where people are leaving their ‘calling cards’.

Continued eastward on the ‘straight’. Saw our first roo but it was dead by roadside then a wedge-tail eagle, they are so slow at taking off so you have to slow down when you see them.

Spotted some bustards (plain turkeys) - I just got a photo of them on either side of the green shrubs.

East end sign. Time for another photo. Sky clearing up.

Into Caiguna Roadhouse for the next hole of golf. Sandy did the best again.

Got some texts from Annalise and Fran with photos of the kids having fun.

Better look out for the wildlife.

We will change our clocks to Central Western Time - advance our clocks 45 min so we can adjust. Unfortunately that means I have missed afternoon coffee time! Another 45 min when we reach the border too.

20km on we pulled into a roadside rest area that didn’t look very good. It was called Jillbunya Rockhole so Steve went for a walk along the dirt track to see if there were better spots. He found two caravans parked up in cleared areas so we drove along the track and found a spot for us. Tom parked to try and block the wind which is still blowing and cold.

We went for a walk to try and find the ‘rockhole’ or the ‘blowhole’ that is also marked but we couldn’t find either. Back to camp for drinks now we adjusted our clocks. 

Chatted for a while then headed inside for a hot shower and dinner.