To all you more experienced nomads out there I have a question with regards travelling early march across the Nullabor ... have visited various threads on this subject but not for the month of march ... HOW HOT DOES IT GET THAT TIME OF YEAR AND SHOULD I LEAVE IT UNTIL APRIL OR MAY ?
mezza56 said
07:45 AM Jan 28, 2018
Hi Goldy , I have been over that way a few times in march, working , oops that dirty word for those lucky to be retired but inching their way to the end , and its been good weather between 20 - 30 degrees .
Hey Jim said
08:45 AM Jan 28, 2018
Hi Dave,
What are you traveling in????????? and are you wanting to stop a while along the way???
Having said all that, we traveled smack on April 1 2017. We took the boat across to Exmouth WA.
We do not muck about Wudduna to Eucla. Eucla to Frazer Range Station. These are long drives. 2 nights / 2 days.
We used AC accommodation on this trip.The truck is AC as well. So the day time temps don't worry us. I would use 30 deg as a daytime guide.The nights still get cool.
In 2016 we had the van with us, however it was In June then.
We use the BP garage on the western end of Ceduna to take on full fuel tanks for our crossing.
Enjoy your trip and keep safe.
Jim & Lambie
goldenyears said
08:59 AM Jan 28, 2018
jim have a small hiace campervan with all the essentials but have never been across the nullabor before thanks all for the advice
Meredith said
10:26 AM Jan 28, 2018
Weatherzone shows the average temperatures for places, see www.weatherzone.com.au/climate/station.jsp Eucla, which is about the middle of the crossing, averages 25.5 maximum in March, which sounds quite pleasant. Of course the maximum recorded is 44.2 and the minimum 18.1 so like all the south of Australia large variations are possible. March should hopefully be quite pleasant.
jules47 said
11:08 AM Jan 28, 2018
Hiya Goldy - I would think March would be fine for the Nullarbor - not too hot, but not too cold. As people have said above 20 - 30 - perfect.
Great trip going across - so much to see, heading through SA and come to Minnippa - head out to Pildappa Rock for a night or two, beautiful free camp. Kimba - the halfway mark across Oz - has two free camps, one down at the rec ground is a donation camp, with hot showers, water, dump point, nice spots to park. The other is closer to town and is the Lions/Apex Park - nice bbq, toilets, grassy spots.
At Eucla, make sure you go down the back to the old telegraph station, slowly being completely covered with sand.
You can camp on the cliffs at a couple of spots - a great experience. No whales I wouldn't think at that time of the year but at Head of Bight is a great free camp, nothing there, but a big flat area, but stay as long as you like, can use the loos at the Whale Centre through the day.
WA have some great free camps, with toliets, Wi-Fi and dmp point.
Water will be your issue, probably, carry as much as you can from a good source, or buy 10l containers.
Take your time, head off the beaten track, within reason, enjoy the journey.
madaboutled said
11:29 AM Jan 28, 2018
jules47 wrote:
...... Water will be your issue, probably, carry as much as you can from a good source, or buy 10l containers.
Take your time, head off the beaten track, within reason, enjoy the journey.
Sorry if this is a bit off topic but thought this tip might be helpful .....
If you're running low on drinking water just buy a couple of bags of ice (the cold stuff not the drugs type) from any roadhouse. The water used can't be bore water as it stuffs up the ice machines. So the roadhouses have water trucked in for that purpose. Learn t this whilst working at Ballidonia RH many moons ago. These days the RH's might have very good filtration systems installed for drinking/ice water.
Cupie said
11:36 AM Jan 28, 2018
Thanks Jules ... I have saved that info for my next trip across.
Possum3 said
12:25 PM Jan 28, 2018
In March the wind is predominately Westerly - so be prepared to travel early mornings before wind come up. and have provisions to be able to sit for a couple of days to sit out wind - otherwise your fuel won't make it between fuel stations. It can be like trying to drive though a brick wall.
Hi Dave,
If your intending to go across the Nullarbor to visit WA for a few months then be aware that Perth and south off can be and usually is cold and hopefully wet in winter. The weather usually turns cold beginning of May. May is the month many Perth grey nomads hook up and head north to get out before the cold weather begins.
sparra said
08:11 PM Jan 28, 2018
I will be traveling across in March to catch up with friends at Useless Loop(shark bay) where I worked for 15 years until I retired from there nearly 2 years ago. Will be leaving here,Bairnsdale,vic, around 15th March. Have been across Nullabor several times over the years,mostly around Xmas time,plenty of bush camps along the way.
gwb said
05:05 PM Jan 29, 2018
We too are heading off at the end of February. From Bribie Island to Pinjarra to catch up with family. We have done this trip several times before, sometimes a bit later on and we just judge the weather on its merits on the day.
Geoff and Bev
blaze said
09:19 PM Jan 29, 2018
the nulla is a good trip any time of the year
cheers
blaze
jules47 said
10:36 AM Jan 30, 2018
I agree there blaze - have heard so many people say how boring it is.. How can they say this - it is one of the iconic Aussie trips Probably because they just get in the car and travel from camp to camp - explore - so much to see out there, and camping on the cliffs is one of my favourite camp spots. We usually have no schedule, if it rains, we just sit and wait it out, if it's too hot, we sit and wait it out a bit. Our aircon in the motorhome (Fiat end) actually froze - guy coming today to give it a service. Before you hit Ceduna turn down and camp at Haslam, about 50k to Ceduna, leave the van -quite safe there, you can fish for squid and fish from the jetty, buy the cheapest, biggest, most delicious oysters from one of the oyster farmers who come round. You can drive down to Streaky Bay for a looksee, or into Ceduna for shopping - watch the fruit and veg you buy though, lots can't go through the quarantine. Oh, and don't take any honey!
We came back over East in December last year, and it was pretty hot, we also got colds (?? I think we are allergic to leaving WA once we get there) - but the sights were amazing, salt lakes, beautiful green trunked gum trees, not too many people - but enough to be friendly.
Thinking we might go over the top next trip, and down the road through Newman etc. , jus to be different.
Sorry for the ramble, but I am an enthusiastic person, especially when talking travelling this great land we call Australia.
It is definitely a very interesting drive with lots to offer away from the actual Eyre Hwy - and that is the key ... get off the highway. Particularly on the WA side there some excellent camps where one can get way back off the road amongst the red dirt and trees - I can spend days back in there.
However, if one is looking for 'remoteness' it is no longer a 'remote drive' - highway is in excellent condition, roadhouses dotted close by and plenty of traffic to keep your attention.
I would find the drive definitely 'boring' if I only just drove across without any sightseeing along the way.
To all you more experienced nomads out there I have a question with regards travelling early march across the Nullabor ... have visited various threads on this subject but not for the month of march ... HOW HOT DOES IT GET THAT TIME OF YEAR AND SHOULD I LEAVE IT UNTIL APRIL OR MAY ?
Hi Goldy , I have been over that way a few times in march, working , oops that dirty word for those lucky to be retired but inching their way to the end , and its been good weather between 20 - 30 degrees .
Hi Dave,
What are you traveling in????????? and are you wanting to stop a while along the way???
Having said all that, we traveled smack on April 1 2017. We took the boat across to Exmouth WA.
We do not muck about Wudduna to Eucla. Eucla to Frazer Range Station. These are long drives. 2 nights / 2 days.
We used AC accommodation on this trip.The truck is AC as well. So the day time temps don't worry us. I would use 30 deg as a daytime guide.The nights still get cool.
In 2016 we had the van with us, however it was In June then.
We use the BP garage on the western end of Ceduna to take on full fuel tanks for our crossing.
Enjoy your trip and keep safe.
Jim & Lambie
Great trip going across - so much to see, heading through SA and come to Minnippa - head out to Pildappa Rock for a night or two, beautiful free camp. Kimba - the halfway mark across Oz - has two free camps, one down at the rec ground is a donation camp, with hot showers, water, dump point, nice spots to park. The other is closer to town and is the Lions/Apex Park - nice bbq, toilets, grassy spots.
At Eucla, make sure you go down the back to the old telegraph station, slowly being completely covered with sand.
You can camp on the cliffs at a couple of spots - a great experience. No whales I wouldn't think at that time of the year but at Head of Bight is a great free camp, nothing there, but a big flat area, but stay as long as you like, can use the loos at the Whale Centre through the day.
WA have some great free camps, with toliets, Wi-Fi and dmp point.
Water will be your issue, probably, carry as much as you can from a good source, or buy 10l containers.
Take your time, head off the beaten track, within reason, enjoy the journey.
Sorry if this is a bit off topic but thought this tip might be helpful .....
If you're running low on drinking water just buy a couple of bags of ice (the cold stuff not the drugs type) from any roadhouse. The water used can't be bore water as it stuffs up the ice machines. So the roadhouses have water trucked in for that purpose. Learn t this whilst working at Ballidonia RH many moons ago. These days the RH's might have very good filtration systems installed for drinking/ice water.
Thanks Jules ... I have saved that info for my next trip across.
www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_018106_All.shtml
Fact is it could be anything in March and you should be prepared for the extremes.
Cheers,
Peter
If your intending to go across the Nullarbor to visit WA for a few months then be aware that Perth and south off can be and usually is cold and hopefully wet in winter. The weather usually turns cold beginning of May. May is the month many Perth grey nomads hook up and head north to get out before the cold weather begins.
I will be traveling across in March to catch up with friends at Useless Loop(shark bay) where I worked for 15 years until I retired from there nearly 2 years ago. Will be leaving here,Bairnsdale,vic, around 15th March. Have been across Nullabor several times over the years,mostly around Xmas time,plenty of bush camps along the way.
Geoff and Bev
cheers
blaze
I agree there blaze - have heard so many people say how boring it is.. How can they say this - it is one of the iconic Aussie trips Probably because they just get in the car and travel from camp to camp - explore - so much to see out there, and camping on the cliffs is one of my favourite camp spots. We usually have no schedule, if it rains, we just sit and wait it out, if it's too hot, we sit and wait it out a bit. Our aircon in the motorhome (Fiat end) actually froze - guy coming today to give it a service. Before you hit Ceduna turn down and camp at Haslam, about 50k to Ceduna, leave the van -quite safe there, you can fish for squid and fish from the jetty, buy the cheapest, biggest, most delicious oysters from one of the oyster farmers who come round. You can drive down to Streaky Bay for a looksee, or into Ceduna for shopping - watch the fruit and veg you buy though, lots can't go through the quarantine. Oh, and don't take any honey!
We came back over East in December last year, and it was pretty hot, we also got colds (?? I think we are allergic to leaving WA once we get there) - but the sights were amazing, salt lakes, beautiful green trunked gum trees, not too many people - but enough to be friendly.
Thinking we might go over the top next trip, and down the road through Newman etc. , jus to be different.
Sorry for the ramble, but I am an enthusiastic person, especially when talking travelling this great land we call Australia.
Gday...
I reckon ya rite Jules
It is definitely a very interesting drive with lots to offer away from the actual Eyre Hwy - and that is the key ... get off the highway. Particularly on the WA side there some excellent camps where one can get way back off the road amongst the red dirt and trees - I can spend days back in there.
However, if one is looking for 'remoteness' it is no longer a 'remote drive' - highway is in excellent condition, roadhouses dotted close by and plenty of traffic to keep your attention.
I would find the drive definitely 'boring' if I only just drove across without any sightseeing along the way.
Cheers - John