Roadhouses on the nullabor

Gazzburger · Veteran Member

Roadhouses on the nullabor

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

"Nullarbor" = Null arbor = no trees :)
Personally, we don't stay at any of them. Plenty of better (and cheaper) alternatives.
Cheers,
Peter

LLD · Guru

Nothing in particular. As mentioned all across this forum, Wikicamps can be your friend. It costs $8 per version (Android or Apple) but once you have bought it you can put it on all the same devices. We have 2 iPhones and 2 iPads and we just paid $8 once. Wikicamps has the latest comments on every camp type but some comments you have to take with a grain of salt.

You can also get a great map of the Nullabor from Adelaide to Perth. This is the link to the digital version www.nullarbormap.com.au/

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

We stopped and spent a little after fuel up . Didnt have to . But I feel a little money going their way doesnt hurt . Some of them are doing it pretty tuff !!

Whenarewethere · Guru

We slept in gravel pits & other areas & had enough fuel from Norseman to Ceduna plus a few side trips. We bought a bit of food on the way, but the outback is far nicer & spent about 5 days also walking up a few escarpments as well. We got Wikicamps, handy at times but you get better at spotting areas not on the map which are a lot cleaner.

Long Weekend · Guru

Actually, they are all long distances apart. So it isn't a matter of picking one to stop at but rather where you find yourself when you need to stop for a tank or tummy fill.

Murray

Ger08 · Senior Member

As others have said there are lengthy of free camps across the Nullarbor

Desert Dweller · Guru

LLD wrote:
Nothing in particular. As mentioned all across this forum, Wikicamps can be your friend. It costs $8 per version (Android or Apple) but once you have bought it you can put it on all the same devices. We have 2 iPhones and 2 iPads and we just paid $8 once. Wikicamps has the latest comments on every camp type but some comments you have to take with a grain of salt.

You can also get a great map of the Nullabor from Adelaide to Perth. This is the link to the digital version www.nullarbormap.com.au/

We use Wikicamps to research places to stay away from. It's great! If it's very popular, stay away from it is our motto.

We mostly only stop at roadhouses for fuel & bush camp in between them.

If you find a great camp spot don't post it on Wikicamps because the next time you go there you won't be able to find room for yourself. It'll also have campfire scars everywhere & not much native bush cover around.

Gaylehere · Guru

We crossed the Nullabor in 2015 and stayed at ****lebiddy Roadhouse caravan park. Good hot showers. If I remember correctly they gave you a token to use for the shower. I also used their laundry and clothesline. No problems there. The roadhouse people lent hubby a big heavy duty jack so he could change tyres on the motorhome as we had had a flat tyre not far from there and he wanted the 2 new tyres on the front. We also did free camping too on that trip.

O dear - the internet has decided I have said the wrong thing.

-- Edited by Gaylehere on Friday 7th of December 2018 08:51:19 PM

PeterD · Guru

The roadhouses mostly have crappy camping facilities. There are so few powered sites at many of them that there may not be one for you when you arrive at your selected one anyway. If you are just doing a fairly quick crossing then the best way to tackle the journey is to do what is commonly called "drive till you drop." In other words, drive until you feel you only have another 100 km driving distance between the two drivers and then look at your guides (WikiCamps if you are on the Telstra network, Camps Australia Wide or preprinted notes.) Select a likely looking rest area or a roadhouse if you need power for a CPAP machine or other medical device. In the listings you will note there are a couple of rest areas with composting or long drop dunnies located between Caiguna and Balladonia you can use if required. You will probably get across quicker using the drive till you drop method that planning your stops.

You can easily park one night off power. Nearly all vans are built so that the lights and water pump can be powered from the battery in the tug. If your rig does not do that then you should have a hot wire installed in your tug so you can have lights away from mains power. When you are travelling on long remote roads like the Nullarbor or around the top end you are likely to get held up for a night or two where you can not get to a powered site. Most vans older than 20 years did not have batteries fitted and that is how we camped for a few nights (and that was in the days of power hungry incandescent lights.) Do that even if you do not intend to camp off site. I would suggest you try an overnight stop without power on this trip to see how you cope. Anyone can get used to having one night with a quick wash substituting for a bath.

The best website for the Nullarbor is Nullarbor Net. It is a little clunky but the info is great.

-- Edited by PeterD on Saturday 8th of December 2018 09:10:38 AM

villatranquilla · Guru

we had to stay in the caravan park section of the road houses one trip as we were taking a freezer in the back of the ute so plugged it into power each night. You need to camp away from the generator as it runs all night. Also the ablutions are very ordinary. On subsequent trips we used the free camps spots. Have also stayed in the motels rooms which are also very basic (always use our own pillows).

Greg 1 · Guru

Nullabor roadhouse is not too bad. Plenty of power poles and level road base area. Facilities not too bad either although don't expect 4 or 5 star. Border Village is ok but the rest are very average. I occasionally stay at Caiguna if I want power for the night. They have recently tidied up the facilities a bit which had been really awful before. Not too bad now. Park just a dirt area with some power poles. Frazer Range quite good too. As stated earlier, there are some good free camps across the Eyre Hwy some with toilets particularly on the WA side. Make sure you take enough water for your trip across, as the roadhouses are in short supply and will not give you any. Fill at Ceduna or Norseman depending on the direction you are travelling. Othet than that have a great trip. Always enjoy the Nullabor.

scoota · Veteran Member

Out of curiosity how many days does it take to cross with a caravan, and are there many things to see on the way.

jrg · Senior Member

You didn,t say whether you are towing or not .We tow and free camp heaps of great spots that you can get anywhere up to a Klm off the road and are very safe and very seldom would you be home alone .This year we went with an older bloke who needed power so we stayed at Frazer range excellant ,he stayed at Madura and was happy and we both stayed at Nullabor r/house which had ample power and level sites. All the r/house have c/Parks although basic they do the job. Now motel accommadtion at the r/Houses are again pretty basic but the better ones IMHO Ecula ,Fraser Range, Balladonia.
Work out how far you intend to travel per day and stop at the closest Spot don,t forget you pick up at this time of the year 2 1/2hrs coming west using the additional light can also make for a 10/12hr driving day but thats your call. Enjoy it,s a great drive .

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Whenarewethere,
Are you trying to make me homesick with those photos?

Warren