2 Geckos Travelling Australia: Tues, 12th Apr, 2016 Scott Beach, Fowlers Bay Conservation Park to 164k Peg Rest Area, Nullarbor National Park, SA (Head of the Bight & Murrawijinie Caves)

Nice sleeping weather, 20 degrees in the van though it is a lot cooler outside with the wind blowing and it feels like it is coming straight from Antarctica and overcast too.

Said goodbye to Tony & Yvonne as they are staying a few more days. Headed back out the corrugated road rather than risk sinking in the salt pans. Just need to sit cross-armed!! A bit bouncy!!

Through Coorabie with its old school site and hall built in 1910. There are lots of the ‘old school site’ signs around these parts. Turn off from here to go to other beaches on the other side of Cape Nuyts (Wandilla and Cheetima Beaches).

Past Coorrabie Farm which people can stay at. Back out to the Eyre Highway and Into Nundroo which has a roadhouse, mechanical shop, accommodation etc. Diesel is 118.9c/l. Lots of motorbikes there. On Sunrise, Sam the Weatherman said he was going on a ride from Sydney to Perth (I think) across the Nullarbor raising funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer. Didn’t see Sam though.

Another golf spot. Drove past all the rubbish on the ground to the ‘hole’ and followed the road around to the ‘tee’. Wombat Hole, Par 5, 520 meters. Didn’t read the info (till now) on the bottom about the name of the tee – an old well site used by the first settlers and the roadhouse for many years.

This should be interesting as we have to hit off and try and go over a hill and down to the hole down in those trees somewhere.

I am using my ‘new’ ball which I found on the beach yesterday. Picked up a few tees here too as there are lots of rocks so it will be best to get the ball off the ground.

Steve gave it a good whack but it went into the grass to the right.

Steve got me in three shots – well it was three shots over three swings!! My ball went in the same direction too, into the grass to the right.

We managed to get it back on course.

Unfortunately mine landed in a shrub – what’s the penalty – I added on shot!!

Steve had another big hit and we lost sight of where it landed. He wandered off trying to find it while I had a few more hits trying to get it up the hill. He couldn’t find his ball but found another one so hit off from there. When we walked over the hill, here was his ball, so he went back to his count and hit off from there. Finally we managed to make it to the hole.

Steve got it in easily. His score was 8.

I wasn’t so lucky – it kept missing the hole and I ended up on 18.

Back on the road. 330km to the border – that should take us a week!!

Small groups of the motorbikes overtook us, giving us a wave as they pass. They are even on tricycles – funny looking things. We are now in the Yalata Aboriginal Reserve.

Next we passed two guys rollerblading along the highway using ski poles to propel themselves – some people are crazy! Coming towards us were two blokes on pushbikes.

Beside us is the Dog Proof (Vermin) Fence which is one of the longest continuous fences in the world. It was built to keep wild dingoes out of pastoral lands. Built in 1880s the fence is 5614 kilometres long and starts in Queensland, goes through New South Wales and through South Australia to the Great Australian Bight. We then crossed over the grid which is part of the fence as it heads down to the coast.

The road rolls on, up and down little hills.

Passed the turnoff for the Aboriginal Community of Yalata. Just down the road is one of the iconic animal signs that the brochures say to get a photo beside. Unfortunately someone has stolen the camel sign!!

Wonder why this shirt is nailed to the tree!

All the tracks have signs advising we need to get permission to enter this land.

Climbed up to 140m and had a ‘whee’ ride down to 90m at the bottom. I thought the Nullarbor was flat!!

Only a few trucks going by today.

Stopped for lunch at the 222km Peg Rest Area. Plenty of room with shady trees well off the road.

Over the hill and this is what I call flat.

Then we passed the sign ‘Nullarbor Plain’.

Didn’t stop as there was a truck behind us. We could see a tower which is part of the Bight Centre.

Turned off and drove the 11km down to the Head of Bight Centre.

It is open all year but during the whale season (May to September) it costs more to visit. We paid $7 each (wouldn’t take National Seniors card!!) to walk down the boardwalk. It is owned by the Aboriginal Lands Trust but is run by two ‘white’ people who have been doing so for the last 7 years.

Inside was some information boards and usual tourist stuff to buy.

The chap said the whales arrive early May and they come right up to the cliffs with their young. They give birth further out so their placentas etc wash away quickly and so sharks don’t come to close to the cliffs after their young. They have had up to 170 whales in the bay – would be an amazing sight.

Outside were bones of a juvenile Humpback Whale which washed up dead on the beach near Twin Rocks in March 2009.

Followed the path down to the boardwalk – the Centre is set well back. More info about the Marine Park.

Went to the right to the lookout – The Bunda Cliffs are spectacular. The sun, of course, goes over the cliffs left to right so we don’t get the sunshine onto the cliff faces.

Turning the other way we look over white sand dunes which probably go all the way down to Cape Nuyts where we were yesterday.

Back up to the top of the boardwalk, looking over the Great Australian Bight. No land in front of us until we hit Antarctica!! Luckily we have a perfect day, the sky is blue, the sea is calm – all we needed were some whales!!

Cute little lizard.

The Giant Snake story about how Twin Rocks were formed. I can only see one rock.

Down to the bottom of the boardwalk where there is protected whale viewing spot. Steve thinks he sees one!!

Back up the boardwalk.

Little tubby tries to run away quickly – nature wasn’t nice giving him such short legs.

Back through the centre and into the car park where there is a picnic shelter with a lot more information. Shame they didn’t get the spelling right – plateau!!

Southern Right Whale – I read somewhere else they were called Right Whales as they were the right ones for good oil etc.

If they didn’t print such fancy tickets they wouldn’t have to charge so much!! Good photo though.

Back out to the old Centre where a big gate stops tourists from entering after hours. It is now a free camp area.

On the fence is a whale telling the story of the Anangu aborigines and what happened to them.

Drove back a couple of kilometres to the Nullarbor sign.

14 kilometres on we left the Aboriginal Lands and entered the Nullarbor National Park. The Roadhouse is at the start of it. Another golf spot. A couple of old wagons on each entrance.

Steve parked beside an animal sign – it has its camel sign. By the way we haven’t seen one animal on the roadside – which is a good thing, though there hasn’t been any roadkill either – don’t think we will buy a burger here!!

Checked out the huge whale which the aborigines called Kondole.

Lots of info on the roadhouse walls.

Why it costs so much here – diesel is 158.9 c/l.

This is the first bicycle ridden by a helmeted cyclist to cross the Nullarbor in 1962.

Steve was rushing into the pub till he read the last bit!!

No topless barmaids but the murals were great.

I asked about the caves nearby and was given a mud map. Around the white posts then out to the windmill and follow the markers from there – about 10km. He advised us to leave the van behind so we unhooked and headed off along the rocky dirt track which used to be the old Eyre Highway.

Turned right to Robert’s Well. This was once a big sheep station. They put in the roadhouse years ago to look after the poor travellers crossing the Nullarbor on the rough dirt road from the 40s to 70s. The new highway was bitumined in 1976.

Huge well. No snakes in this one.

Passed the old stock yards.

Then the horse tank.

Lots of wombat holes along the way. Found some fresh droppings but no wombats.

Next was No. 1 Bore – it goes a long way down. The old reel used to wind up the water bucket.

Murrawijinie Caves was something else. Just big holes in the ground. I wonder how many sheep they lost down there.

I walked around to the other side. Steve was standing above a huge cavern. Glad he has lost some weight!!

Continued walking around the rim taking photos.

A bit of information about the three caves here. There are lots all over the Nullarbor – will have to watch where we step!!

Drove down the road a bit more to Cave 2. Walked around it. A long way down if that rock breaks.

Cave 3 had lots of pretty plants around the opening.

We could walk down into this one. The photos don’t show the depth – there was plenty of room on the floor. Someone had been camping down there as there was a fireplace.

Two round holes above us.

Cute little swallows like to nest here.

A bit of limestone formations.

Back up on top looking down the two round holes – Steve found a good bit of timber like a nulla nulla.

Apparently you can camp here too but it isn’t widely advertised.

Headed back – a lonely tree on the ‘treeless’ plain.

Fuelled up. I gave the mud map back and chatted with the young attendant. He has been working here for 3 months and is going to go back to Adelaide and pack up his stuff and come back for another 6 months. He just loves the open skies and meeting all the people who stop at the roadhouse. It is privately owned with 2 managers and 12 staff. The old homestead is their quarters. I commented about the lack of trucks today and he said they would have stayed off the road because of the 400 or so motorbikes doing the charity ride. I asked about the golf course and he said the worst someone had owned up to is 27 for the Par 5 – I said I would probably beat that!!

Hooked up the van and parked in the van park near the hole. Walked up to the tee which is on the way to the homestead.

Halfway – looking back on the roadhouse.

Dingo’s Den. The hole is down that way, curve around the post and head for the van park and our van. $20 per night for unpowered, $30 for power.

I hit off well but Steve headed straight into the rough. My next hit I rolled over the wombat holes – no sand bunkers here – if you go down the wombat hole it is all over!! Luckily I went over the other side.

Another obstacle is the barbed-wire lying around with a few bones scattered here and there!!

Didn’t make it onto the fairway but I can see it clearly – on the airstrip!! Planes and helicopters land here and also the RFDS. They used to land at Yalata Community to run a clinic there but now land here and drive after their plane was vandalised at the Community Airstrip!! A few more people going to have a hit.

Onto the green, I went straight in for a score of 18 but Steve couldn’t get it in the hole this time and ended up on 22.

We need one of these.

Some more good murals on the shelter shed for the van park.

Making use of all the old bits and pieces.

Stopped for a photo of the animal sign, with a camel one.

Getting late so we headed down the road 20km to the 164k Peg Rest Area (haven’t found any pegs!!) Plenty of room well off the road. Another car came in and parked in amongst the trees and a motorhome went further over into the trees.