Perth to Adelaide Road Trip: Across the Nullarbor Plain in 10 Days

A Perth to Adelaide road trip is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Crossing the Nullarbor isn’t something you will soon forget.

Especially not when you did it with mono like I did.

From the Latin nullus arbor meaning “no tree,” this arid limestone desert runs parallel to the Great Australian Bight for close to 1,700 kilometers.

To those who haven’t crossed it, traveling along Nullarbor and Australia’s Great Southern Ocean is often thought of as “the Nullar-boring.”

In fact, when I told people I planned to take on this stretch of highway devoid of anything and everything interesting (their words, not mine), I almost started feeling like I was convincing people about my vacation choices.

Like I had to justify my holiday to them.

But really, where else can you get an idea of just how vast the Australian continent is?

Crossing the Nulla from Norseman (Western Australia) to Port Augusta (South Australia) along the sizzling Eyre Highway takes two days minimum. Prepare for haunting, beautiful monotony – abandoned sheep farms, Outback pubs, plains stubbled with saltbush – broken up by strange anomalies.

You’ll get to stand at the bottom of the world and look straight out towards Antarctica (no, you can’t see it on a good day), test your limits by bush camping and digging your own toilet, and encounter snakes, dingos, and friendly wombats in their natural habitat.

If you’re brave enough, you might even find yourself in a cage face-to-face with a great white shark (or two!).

This post is a part of my Outback Road Trip series. 

I’ll walk you through each day of this adventure tour from Perth to Adelaide across the Nullarbor Plain.

There will be tips and personal stories throughout, but each day will have a summary at the top of each day for all my skimmers out there.

Also, before you book, read up on how to get this tour for up to 20% off the total price.

Even if you are more interested in doing a self-drive tour of the Nullarbor, this itinerary is pretty solid and easy to follow for couples and families. You can also easily do the trip in reverse from Adelaide to Perth both on your own, or with the same tour company.

Book your Perth to Adelaide Road Trip here. 

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 1: Rabbit-Proof Fence, Wave Rock

Accommodation

Swag camping with facilities

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

Rabbit-proof fence, Wave Rock

The total driving time today is around 10 hours and approximately 600km. The total walking distance is approximately 1km.

Meals Included

Lunch/Dinner

This tour starts in much the same way as any other bus tour. It was early morning outside the Perth YHA.

As the pickup time approaches, more and more people appear outside the hostel, nervously making eye contact and shyly asking “Are you on the tour?” before the next most-asked travel question, “Where are you from?” Seriously, people often know I’m from Texas before they even know my name when I’m traveling.

My new friends and I, mostly young women traveling alone, although there was one older gentleman and one retired couple, sat in the bus in near silence as our friendly tour guide, Chris, tried to get us excited despite the early wake-up call.

He was honest with us. This tour was a lot of driving. Untamed Escapes had gone out of their way to make sure we got to see as much “cool stuff” in between as we possibly could, but there was no way around it. We were in it for the long haul.

As we left Perth behind, I was surprised by just how quickly things went from urban to bush. But this tracks, as Perth is the most isolated city in the world. Perth is just under a 4,000-kilometer drive from Sydney (clear across the continent!) and the nearest city is Adelaide…which is still a three-hour plane ride (not drive!) away.

And we were driving it.

We continued to head east from the city over the Darling Ranges and stopped for morning coffee and a bathroom break at Western Australia’s oldest inland town, York.

Then, the first real stop was near Wamenusking to check out the rabbit-proof fence.

What is the Rabbit-Proof Fence?

In the early 1900s, the government built a fence that stretched over 1,800 miles through Western Australia to keep rabbits out of farming areas, as they were an invasive species that were reproducing rapidly and harming crops. The fence also happened to run through areas where many Aboriginal communities lived.

Around the same time, the Australian government began a policy of forcibly removing Aboriginal children from their families and placing them in institutions or with white families. The idea was to assimilate them into white society and eliminate Aboriginal culture. This policy became known as the Stolen Generations and it had a devastating impact on Indigenous communities.

In 1931, three Aboriginal girls, Molly Craig, Gracie Fields, and Daisy Kadibil, were taken from their families and sent to the Moore River Native Settlement, a government-run institution. The girls were determined to escape and make their way back to their families, who lived hundreds of miles away. They followed the rabbit-proof fence, which led them north, back to their home in Jigalong.

Their journey took them 9 weeks and covered over 1,000 miles. They faced hunger, thirst, and the danger of being caught by authorities, but they persevered. The story of their journey was made into a book by Doris Pilkington, Molly’s daughter, called “Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence,” and was later turned into a movie.

The Rabbit-Proof Fence is now seen as a symbol of the resilience and determination of the Aboriginal people in the face of government policies that sought to erase their culture and identity.

It was really powerful to see it in person.

What is Wave Rock?

The next stop is Wave Rock for a picnic lunch. At the time of year I went, the outback flies were out in full force. I had a fly net, and it was a fun challenge trying to get my sandwich into my mouth under the net without picking up some extra protein along the way.

After lunch, we had about an hour to enjoy Wave Rock from all angles, including a short walk that goes along its top.

The rock is about 14 meters high and over 110 meters long, and its shape resembles a large ocean wave that has been frozen in time. The wave-like shape was created over millions of years by the slow erosion of the softer rock beneath the surface, which left the harder granite rock exposed.

Wave Rock is also significant because of its cultural and spiritual importance to the local Indigenous people. The rock is located in an area that is traditionally owned by the Ballardong Nyoongar people, who have lived in the region for thousands of years. They believe that the rock was created by a spirit known as the Rainbow Serpent, who is a significant figure in Aboriginal mythology. The rock is also considered a sacred site and is used for traditional ceremonies and gatherings.

In addition to its natural and cultural significance, Wave Rock is also significant for scientific research. The rock has been studied by geologists and other scientists who are interested in understanding the geological processes that have shaped the landscape of Australia.

Fitzgerald River

We stopped at a candy shop in Ravensthorpe and I picked up a few treats. I would always recommend buying some treats wherever you can. If you’re not much of a camper (like me!) it helps to take the edge off.

That evening, we pulled into camp and set down our swags and backpacks.

Each night, Chris laid a tarp down on the ground, so our bags wouldn’t get wet. We took them out of the trailer behind the bus and placed them on the tarp, so we could get what we needed out of them easily. While we brought our own sleeping bags and travel pillows, the company provided swags, or Aussie sleeping rolls, for us.

Chris placed a piece of duct tape on each one and we wrote our names on it. This way, we got the same one every night because we left our sleeping bags rolled up inside of them.

Chris took some of the group on a hike up East Mt. Baron, but I didn’t feel well and wasn’t up for the walk. Instead, some of my new friends who preferred a more low-key evening watched the sunset on the beach. I kept my fly net on. Just in case.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 2: Esperance, Cape Le Grand

Accommodation

Swag camping with facilities

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

Esperance, Cape Le Grand, Lucky Bay

The total driving time today is around 2.5 hours and approximately 250km. The total walking distance depends on if you join the hike or not.

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

After packing up camp, Chris really kicked our next day on the Perth to Adelaide road trip off with a bang by bringing a slithery friend aboard the bus. This was, of course, after he rescued him from being squashed on the highway.

After returning our new friend to the bush, we took the coastal route into Esperance for a grocery shop, an iconic oceanic wonderland. From there, we set up camp for two nights at Cape Le Grand. This is home to the famous Lucky Bay. You’ve likely seen the photos on social media of people sitting on a white beach, backed by bright blue water, with kangaroos.

But for real.

Crystal blue water, rugged walking trails, and the whitest sand in the land – Cape La Grand National Park has it all.

Unfortunately, the roos weren’t really on the beach much during our visit. Instead, they were just a short walk away up in the campground. However, the landscapes were stunning even without the social media shot.

We all did some swimming in the early afternoon, then did a few short hikes at other nearby bays, like Hellfire.

Overall, this day was very laid back. We cooked dinner back at camp (there were a few picnic tables to eat at from what I can remember) and had a good time swapping stories as a group.

I was glad I booked a tour instead of doing this on my own (even with a friend or two) because we had already covered so much ground this early on the trip.

I feel like with all the driving, I would have been too tired to enjoy anything else. At least this way I could rest in the car.

Everyone else had the same idea, too.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 3: Cape Le Grand

Accommodation

Swag camping with facilities

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

Cape Le Grand National Park

The total driving time today is around 10 minutes (you stay in the park). The total walking distance depends on how many hikes you do, anywhere from two to four hours.

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

I was pretty tired when I woke up on day three, as were some of the other girls. While Chris took the more adventurous in our group off to hike nearby Frenchman’s Peak, the rest of us stayed around camp. We played card games, took showers, and some of us even went back down to the beach to see the kangaroos.

By this point in my overland camping trip, I felt pretty used to sleeping in a swag. I had my first night in one while traveling from Darwin to Broome and then became a certified pro from Broome down to Perth.

Basically, a swag is like a fancy sleeping bag. As you can see, the outside is a tough canvas material. Inside, there is a thin mattress. You put your sleeping bag inside the canvas and on top of the mattress, then zip yourself in like a bug in a rug. I didn’t have a pillow (too much to carry honestly), so each night I just put my sweater on top of my small daypack and that worked.

In the grand scheme of things, it was pretty comfortable. It also zipped up tightly so I could make sure I didn’t have any visitors in the evening. It was pretty chilly, so snakes and spiders weren’t too mobile anyway…and it also didn’t get too hot. In the morning, you roll it up and secure it with straps, just to make sure nothing else gets cozy in it during the day while you’re gone.

This was the compositing toilet near our campsite. There were flushing toilets near the women’s shower as well, but you just had to walk a little bit further to get to this.

Make sure you take a shower at Cape Le Grand because you won’t be able to for the next few days as you cross the Nullarbor Plain and wild bush camp.

When the rest of the group got back from hiking Frenchman’s Peak, we had lunch ( a standard menu of pits wraps, lunch meat, and veggies) and headed off for a few more hikes around the area. We also finally got to meet some of the famous Lucky Bay kangaroos.

The girls who went on the hike said it was about 262 meters in elevation and they were treated to sweeping views of the Recherche Archipelago.

I don’t have any food in my hand, although this little guy (or gal IDK) thought that I must have.

Remember, never feed a wild animal. No matter how cute they are.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 4: Across the Nullarbor

Accommodation

Swag camping along the Nullarbor (no facilities … yep…not even a toilet)

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

Nullarbor Plain, 90-mile straight, Balladonia Museum

The total driving time today is around seven hours and there isn’t much walking.

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

The day you’ve been waiting for is finally here! It’s time to start crossing the Nullarbor Plain.

Nullarbor means ‘no trees’, which explains the lack of greenery along the 1,200-kilometer road. And for some reason, it was one of my “must-dos” while on my working holiday in Australia. Seriously, the idea of driving across the country’s longest, straightest road really got me revved up.

What is the Nullarbor Plain?

I am SO glad you asked.

This massive, dry-as-a-bone region of Southern Australia is made up of limestone bedrock. It’s like, 200,000 square kilometers huge and runs across the border of two Aussie states: Western Australia and South Australia. This place is notorious for its flat landscape that looks like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie – barely any trees or plants around.

But don’t worry, it’s not all barren – you’ll find some cool and unique species of animals and plants that have adapted to the harsh environment. Like wombats! And even a dingo or two.

And get this – there’s even a golf course that spans the entire region called the Nullarbor Links. It’s the longest golf course in the world, stretching over 1,365 kilometers from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. While I am not much of a golfer myself, it was fun passing each of the 18 holes along the way, as they are themed.

We also stopped off at the Balladonia Museum on our way across the Nullarbor.

The Balladonia Museum is a small museum located in the remote town of Balladonia, which lies on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain in Western Australia. The museum is famous for its association with one of the most significant events in Australia’s history: the re-entry of the American Skylab space station in 1979.

On July 12, 1979, Skylab’s debris fell to Earth, and a large piece of it landed in the town of Balladonia. The local authorities quickly retrieved the wreckage, and it was stored in a shed behind the Balladonia Roadhouse until the American government sent officials to retrieve it.

In 1983, the shed was turned into a museum to commemorate the event, and the Balladonia Museum was born. Today, the museum features a variety of exhibits related to the town’s history, including displays about the Nullarbor Plain, the local wildlife, and the story of Skylab’s re-entry.

While the museum’s association with Skylab’s crash landing is undoubtedly its main draw, the Balladonia Museum has become a significant cultural and historical attraction for visitors to the region.

We didn’t get to go inside, but did stop for a bathroom break here, so it was cool to see. If you are driving yourself across the Nullarbor, I think you could budget at least an hour to poke around here.

Then it was time for one of the tougher nights on the trip. True outback camping. As the sun began dipping farther and farther down towards the horizon, Chris came on over the loudspeaker.

“Hey guys, I know it’s getting dark, but I’ve been doing this for years. I am going to find a great spot. I need you to trust me, ok?”

I gulped.

I did trust him. But the idea of just kind of … pulling over on the side of the road and making camp there was entirely new to me. But that’s what we did.

Chris found this little road, probably a fire trail, he said, and pulled the bus in.

It had all the elements of a good bush camp:

• close enough to the road to get help in an emergency
• far enough away from the road that no one would crash into us or bother us (rob us? I’m not really sure what he meant by that)
• on a bit of cleared bush which made for softer sleeping.

We had to work quickly, as dusk was falling and we needed to set up camp and cook dinner. By this point, we were a well-oiled machine. We all had jobs and knew who set up the table, who helped Chris cook, who unloaded the trailer, etc.

But then it started to rain.

I really wasn’t feeling well at this point in the trip, either. Back in Perth, I had been diagnosed with tonsilitis and given some antibiotics. Unfortunately, I didn’t actually have JUST tonsilitis…I had mononucleosis (called glandular fever in Australia), so my antibiotics were actually making me sicker.

I just didn’t know it at the time. What I did know is that I was crouched about 20 feet from camp, peeing in the rain, crying.

And then someone saw a brown snake.

We had a quick briefing: don’t go too far from camp to use the toilet and bring your toilet paper back with you to throw away. Take the shovel if you plan to go #2. Somehow, I didn’t ever need to do this while crossing the Nullarbor. In an unfathomable turn of events, my body actually did me a real solid by only giving me the urge to take care of business each morning when we stopped at a roadhouse to get gas for the van.

It was seriously a miracle.

But back to bush camping: if you get lost coming back from the toilet, just stop walking. If you don’t come across camp in a minute or two, seriously just stop. Wait until the sun comes up and then you’ll be able to find your way back easily if you haven’t walked too far.

If you walk for a while trying to find camp, when the sun comes up, you might be long gone. You might even have walked over the edge of the Great Australian Blight to your death. Really great to think about, I know.

Luckily, we had tents with rain covers, so I stayed mostly dry. I was able to sleep a little bit, but was still so, so glad when morning came.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 5: Across the Nullarbor

Accommodation

Bush camp OR swag camping with facilities…I guess it depends on how far you get across the Nullarbor that day. We bush camped again, but the website says you get to go to a campsite. Maybe we just made bad time.

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

Nullarbor Plain, Great Australian Bight, Eucla

The total driving time today is around 7 hours. Not much walking.

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Timezones can be a little bit haywire across the southern coast of Australia. Adelaide works on Central Standard Time, Perth has Western Standard Time (which is an hour and a half behind) and then there’s Nowhere Standard Time, which applies to towns on the SA/WA border. Throw daylight savings times into the mix and you’re got an extra hour of confusion (but is that earlier or later?).

So today, when you cross into South Australia, prepare to feel a little bit confused and a lot bit jetlagged. When we crossed the border, Chris played a fun game with us where he passed out paper cups and filled them with a bit of water.

We all placed them on our heads and the last one to keep theirs balanced, won.

I think the prize might have been to sit up in the front seat, as it was the most comfortable in the house. Unlike other bus tours I’d been on where the first seat you sat in was yours for the duration of the tour, this group liked to play musical chairs a bit.

I’ll admit, this did stress me out.

And I also didn’t win the cup game.

Just before we crossed the border, we did stop for lunch next to a large tank of non-potable water. Chris probably saved about ten lives in the 30 minutes we stopped off because a few different caravans pulled up and were planning to refill their water reserves with it. We were sure to leave our mark on the tank, along with a small warning for those who came after us.

Can you spot what I wrote?

Why visit Eucla, Western Australia?

The town was established in the late 19th century as a telegraph station to connect Western Australia with the rest of the world. It was also an important stopover point for travelers crossing the Nullarbor Plain.

Today, Eucla is a small community with a population of around 50 people. It has a hotel, a roadhouse, a museum, and a golf course. The town is also known for its unique landscape, which is dominated by sand dunes and limestone cliffs. The area is home to a variety of wildlife, including kangaroos, emus, and wedge-tailed eagles. We didn’t see one in Eucla, but we did see one a few hours down the road, so they are definitely around.

One of the most interesting features of Eucla is the Eucla Telegraph Station Ruins. This historic site is a reminder of the town’s early days as a telegraph station, and it provides visitors with a glimpse into the past. The ruins are located on a hill overlooking the town and offer spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. It was hard walking up there, but worth it for the glimpse into history!

Next, it was time to cross the border, play our game, and see the game changer.

The Great Australian Bight

It’s like standing on the edge of the world.

Great Australian Bight is a bay that stretches over 1,160 km along the southern coast of Australia. It’s kind of like the White Cliffs of Dover in the UK. From a distance, you wouldn’t even know there is a cliff and then suddenly you’re there and all you can see is the ocean.

The Bight is home to a variety of incredible natural and cultural sites, including the largest population of Australian sea lions in the world (more on this in a bit). It’s also a breeding ground for southern right whales, humpback whales, and other majestic marine mammals. And let’s not forget about the fascinating Indigenous history, historic lighthouses, and shipwrecks that dot the region.

However, there’s also been some controversy lately. Some people want to drill for oil and gas in the area, but environmental groups are worried about the potential impact on the marine environment and local fishing and tourism industries. It’s a debate that’s still ongoing.

I was glad that I saw something so beautiful with my own two eyes because camping that night was one of the worst nights of my life.

If you’re good at camping, it probably would have been easy for you. But I am not typically a camper, so this was well out of my comfort zone.

As we crossed the final bits of the Nullarbor Plain and started inches back toward civilization, the sun betrayed us. It fell to the horizon a lot faster than any of us really expected. Suddenly it was almost dark and we needed to make camp.

As per usual, Chris drove until he found a spot that he felt was safe for us. This time, it was near an abandoned quarry. Yet tonight, it wasn’t cold and rainy. It was hot and windy! This day was wild because I didn’t know that “windy” could be a forecast, but gosh, I almost got picked up off the ground.

There was so much dust and someone saw a scorpion, so I pitched a tent even though my tentmate from the previous evening just wanted to sleep in her swag.

So I slept in the tent alone, but I wasn’t heavy enough by myself to keep things put, even sleeping diagonally.

The temperature soared (the mono I was cooking up, but still didn’t know I had also decided to really come out in full force this night) and the wind tried to carry me away à la “Wizard of Oz.”

I had never been so glad to see the sunrise.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 6: Sandboarding and Bucket Showers

Accommodation

Swag camping with facilities

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

Sandboarding, Ceduna Arts and Cultural Centre

The total driving time today is around 9 hours and approximately 600km. Not much walking.

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Unfortunately, the wind never really died down. My tent tried to fly away in the wind as I was packing it up and as we inched along the highway, the can rocked back and forth.

The wind wasn’t quite strong enough to blow the absolutely insane amounts of roadkill off the highway. I was baffled! Although our group had kept a tally of the number of flies we killed so far on the trip, this was nothing compared to the dozens of kangaroos we passed, splattered across the pavement.

The Nullarbor is bisected by the Eyre Highway, which is the only major road linking Western and South Australia. This means that there is a high volume of traffic on the road. Normally, private cars stop driving at dusk because a collision with an animal would not only kill the creature, but cause significant damage to the car as well. However, big trucks hauling goods across the continent don’t have to stop at all to maintain their safety.

So the animals pay the price.

We stopped for petrol, but couldn’t really set up our lunch station because the wind would blow it away. Instead, Chris bought us a bunch of french fries and we sat in town along the beach trying to eat them before they blew into the water, or a seagull snatched them out of our hands.

While Chris was shopping, he dropped us off for some shopping at the Ceduna Arts and Cultural Centre to hear about the styles and meanings of Indigenous artwork. The staff and artists there were fantastic, although most of the original work was a bit outside my price range.

After lunch, we were meant to go sandboarding, but this was canceled because of the weather. I wasn’t too keen on sandboarding, so this wasn’t the biggest disappointment. Hopefully,  there is better weather on your tour so you can give it a try.

Finally, with the Nullarbor Plain officially behind us, we rolled into Coodlie Park Farm Retreat to enjoy a barbecue feast and roll out our swags in a unique outdoor hut. I remember sleeping so well this night because it was chilly and being raised off the ground like this made me feel really safe from any snakes lurking nearby (not that there were any…but I’m paranoid).

This was a fun night because it’s actually the home base/headquarters of the company! We got to meet the tour coming the opposite way from Adelaide to Perth and have dinner with them. It was a blast to meet new folks. Plus, we bought t-shirts. I still wear mine all the time.

It was also amazing to have a shower after almost three days of being out in the wilderness. Writing that sentence makes me feel like the world’s biggest baby, but it was such a big deal to be at the time.

Even if we did have to fill up a bucket with lukewarm water, walk it to the shower, and turn it off and on in between sudzing up because we were only allowed one bucket each.

In that moment, it felt like heaven.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 7: Swim with Dolphins

Accommodation

Swag camping with facilities … but I stayed in a hostel this night along with a few of my tourmates.

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

Swimming with dolphins and sea lions (optional)

The total driving time today is around 4.5 hours and  400km.  Not much walking, but some swimming!

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

This day on the Perth to Adelaide road trip was actually a blast! It started out great with a chance to swim with wild sea lions and dolphins on a 3-hour cruise in the sheltered waters of Baird Bay. It was an extra cost, but I would definitely recommend splashing out on it. It’s operated by Baird Bay Eco Tours. I really enjoyed getting to see the dolphins up close. They were curious enough that I feel like we got some good interaction time.

It was also a great way to swim with sea creatures ethically. The guides didn’t chum the waters or anything and we were not allowed to touch the animals. We also went out into their natural habitat to see them, instead of feeding them at SeaWorld or swimming with them in a roped-off area in the Bahamas. As we become more aware, it’s important to always choose ethical animal encounters in our travels.

If you don’t want to pay to go out on the boat (a few on my tour didn’t), you can stay back at Point Labatt Conservation Park, the only place on the mainland where you can see Australian seal pups playing and resting on the beach.

While I had a magnificent time out on the boat, by the time I pulled myself in and out of the frigid water, swam about, and made it back to shore a few hours later, I was sicker than ever.

My tonsils were now the size of golf balls (a common symptom of mono, I later learned) and I had never felt so tired. At this point, I had been taking my antibiotics faithfully twice a day, so I thought I just must be run down from camping too long (I had been on the go for over a month now, from Darwin to Perth via Broome and now across the Nullarbor).

After a quick lunch and goodbyes to the tour traveling in the opposite direction as us, we went to Elliston, South Australia for a short coastal drive and to pick up some dinner.

I was covered in salt water and sick as a dog. It started raining and was quickly becoming dark.

“I know it’s not looking good out there folks, but I need you to trust me! Tonight is going to be good.”

Except I was at my breaking point. I knew we were meant to head to Mikkira Station to set up camp for two nights. This private property is home to the Eyre Peninsula’s only wild koala population, with around 170 koalas and lots of kangaroos and emus calling Mikkira home.

But the shower was quite a walk from the camping area. Everyone would be sleeping close together under a small metal structure.

So I asked Chris if he could drop me off at the YHA in town for the night so I wouldn’t have a mental breakdown. He agreed, since he was swinging back through town in the morning. He named a few activities I would miss, but I didn’t mind. In the end, five of us opted to stay at the YHA.

I am so thankful for Chris’ flexibility here because if he hasn’t been willing to drop us off and come back in the morning, I would have 100% have had a mental breakdown and had to leave the trip. I was feeling too sick and needed a night in a warm bed. I remember almost crying when the woman at the desk was so kind. She arranged for the couple to stay in a private room, the gentlemen to bunk in a mixed dorm, and three of us ladies who booked in had an eight-bed en-suite to ourselves.

The Port Lincoln YHA was honestly one of the nicest hostels I’d ever been to. I did a load of laundry, took a long, hot shower, and got almost 9 hours of sleep in a fluffy bed. We even went out for beer and pizza at a nearby restaurant.

When we came back to the hostel and watched the sunset, I felt like I was a new person. I was ready to finish my Perth to Adelaide road trip.

My tonsils were still causing me severe breathing problems, but everything was sorted. If your mind is strong, you can get through anything and this is the brain break my mind needed. This was the trip of a lifetime, yet without this interlude, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy it.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 8: Shark Diving and Seafood

Accommodation

Swag camping with facilities

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

The total driving time today is about 2.5 hours unless you are doing the sharks experience, in which case it is only 1 hour. Not much walking.

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

The next morning, I slept in. Chris contacted us via text (god bless free hostel WIFI) to let us know when he would be by. I remember calling my family and watching a little TV in the common room. It was heaven. While we were away, the rest of the group explored the natural highlights of Port Lincoln and its surroundings, including the rugged Whalers Way and white sandy beaches of Coffin Bay National Park.

When Chris came to pick us up, we greeted the rest of our friends and set off to properly explore Port Lincoln,  Australia’s Seafood Capital. We went to a fancy restaurant near the beach so anyone who wanted to try fresh oysters could. Chris also explained how the beaches in the area were used as the last point of refuge in bushfires.

Bit of a spooky timing, since the Black Summer bushfires started shortly after that conversation.

This is also the day that if you want to do Great White Shark diving, you’d do it instead. It’s an extra cost, but your tour guide can book it for you. Chris asked around a few days in advance, but none of us were up for it. If you are doing a self-drive Perth to Adelaide road trip, the YHA (or any travel agent) can get you sorted in Port Lincoln.

After a full day of exploring, we went back to Mikkira Station for a camp dinner and a rest.

Here you can see the metal structure that you can sleep under if you want a bit of shelter. It felt a bit crowded in there for me, so I chose to sleep outside under the stars. The ground was still a bit damp from the night before, so Chris gave us a tarp to put down so our swags didn’t get soggy.

I was refreshed and ready to take on camping head-on. That night was amazing because I could see the haze of the Milky Way through bleary eyes.

This is the walk from the bathroom to the structure we camped. It took me about five minutes at a slow pace to walk over. You can see the bus and metal house on the left-hand side.

This is the toilet and shower block that was available to use if you wanted. But, since we were camping in a field, if you needed to pee in the middle of the night, you could just go wherever if you really didn’t want to walk all the way down here.

When I got back to civilization, not just peeing wherever was a hard habit to break.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 9: Surfing in South Australia

Accommodation

Swag camping with facilities

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

The total driving time today is around 4 hours and approximately 400km. Not much walking, but some swimming and surfing.

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Cowabunga dudes! Surf’s Up! When you book the tour, you pay for a two-hour learn-to-surf lesson. The turquoise and calm water of Fisheries Bay is the perfect place for beginners to perfect their skills. It was my first time surfing and I feel like I nailed it.

When we got to the beach after breakfast, I, of course, felt sick. Turns out, taking antibiotics when you have a virus is horrible for you. I went off to throw up in the bushes while the rest of my team was gearing up. By the time I wandered down to the beach, only one wetsuit was left. I struggled to get it on, which was really embarrassing because I’m not the smallest person, but the teacher was so friendly.

Turns out, he knew my name since everyone had mentioned I was missing.

Just out having a good ole’ pre-surf chunder.

However, this really worked in my favor because I thrive on positive encouragement, so him using my name while teaching me and calling out “You can do it, Emily! Stand up!” really thrilled me and pushed me to do better.

I didn’t “pop up” all the way, but I didn’t actually catch a few waves and ride them into the shallows on my knees.

Suddenly, all the metaphors about “riding the wave” started to make sense. It was a thrilling feeling.

If you don’t want to surf, you don’t have to. Some of my new friends read a book on the beach, or just went swimming. But I recommend you do it on your Perth to Adelaide road trip. I’d never felt so sporty in my life and was really proud of myself for getting out there. I’d like to go surfing again.

Then, onwards to the ancient Southern Flinders Ranges to set up camp in Mt. Remarkable National Park. I had a doctor’s appointment booked for the day after we arrived in Adelaide. It was then I would finally get bloodwork done to learn I had been fighting mononucleosis, while bush camping across the Nullarbor.

That night at Mt. Remarkable, my tonsils were so swollen I could hardly breathe. I had gargled with salt water and didn’t eat dinner because it hurt to chew and swallow. Chris confirmed I had a doctor’s appointment booked and told me to take it easy.

I was sitting on the bus, in tears because I was in so much pain. I was 26 years old at the time, but I just wanted my mom. It’s so wild how the universe works sometimes because as I exited the bus and set up my swag next to the campfire, 1/2 of the couple on the tour came to ask me how I was feeling.

It was divine timing. I tried to choke out an answer, but she took my hand, told me to lay down, and then gave me, I am not exaggerating, a 20-minute foot massage. She said reflexology is good for the soul and she hoped it helped me to heal.

I’ve never had a prayer answered so quickly in my life. Oh, you want your mom? the universe said. Here is the next best thing. I will never forget her kindness and try to pass on her blessing to others as often as I can.

Perth to Adelaide Road Trip Day 10: Pink Lake, Clare Valley, Port Germain

Accommodation

Whatever you decided to book for yourself in Adelaide.

Nullarbor Plain Road Trip Included Activities

Drive time today is about 5 hours.

Meals Included

Breakfast/Lunch

I can’t believe it’s already the last day of the Perth to Adelaide road trip!  This tour was the shortest and longest of my life. First thing after breakfast, the rest of the group took a short hike at Davey’s Gully. I stayed back and read some of the informational signs at the tour head.

After the hike, Chris took us to Port Germein to have a look around.

The town was established in the mid-1800s as a port for the transportation of agricultural and mining products. It was named after the Germein family, who were early settlers in the area.

Today, Port Germein is primarily a tourist destination known for its historic jetty, which is the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere, stretching 1,500 meters out into the gulf. The jetty was built in the late 1800s and was once an important transport hub for the region.

As South Australia is well known for its world-class wine,  the last stop of the tour takes full advantage of this. We visited the Clare Valley wine region, world-renowned for its Riesling, for lunch and a wine tasting, and cheers to our adventure.

Then suddenly, we were in Adelaide. It was time to say goodbye to my new friends as we all ended up at different hostels.

I couldn’t believe it was over, but boy was I ready to get to the doctor.

Final thoughts on an Across the Nullarbor road trip

This Perth to Adelaide road trip pushed me to my absolute limits, but I think it’s because I was so sick. I would like to go back and do it again one day without mononucleosis to see how I do.

I loved the opportunity to see what I was capable of. My tenacity is one of the things I love most about myself. So many people get mono and can’t even get out of bed, but I went surfing for the first time! I bushed camped for two nights in the wildest bits of outback Australia. I swam with sea lions.

I am so proud of myself.

It was also amazing to see the sunset of the never-ending Eyre Highway. To see the end of Australia and stare off into the beautiful nothingness of the Great Australian Bight.

I would recommend this trip, with this company, to anyone. The itinerary was fantastic. Chris, our guide, was caring, knowledgeable, and tons of fun.

The value for money was amazing.

And most of all, I lucked out with an amazing group of tour mates.

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Emily Kammerlohr

Emily’s all over the place. She’s an expert on working holidays, studying abroad, and turning your #GapYear into a #GapLife. Learn how here.