Nullarbor Traveller passenger standing on edge of Great Australian Bight in South Australia

Australian Outback Tours – Crossing The Nullarbor

September 14, 2018

Australian outback tours

Hassie, owner of Nullarbor Traveller, describes his experiences

I can remember Crossing The Nullarbor for the first time. It was in 1973 with my father when I was 13 years old. We were in our Valiant Station Wagon and the road was all dirt at that time. There were huge potholes and my dad thought the best way to get over them was to not go in them. He would go as fast as he could to pretty much fly over them. I remember pulling up at Eucla where we were going to sleep the night but Dad said: “you’ve snored most of the way across son, let’s just keep driving”. That’s my first recollection of the Nullarbor.

My first Australian outback tour across the Nullarbor was back in 2004 when we first purchased Nullarbor Traveller. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve been back and forward those 4000km each way between Adelaide and Perth. But I can tell you I haven’t done it near as many times as my guides or wife. One guide might do up to 80,000km back and forward in one season alone! It is one of the longest haul tours in Australia. But they keep coming back every year because they love it.  That says something, does it?

Every time I cross the Nullarbor, whether it’s taking a tour, camping with my wife or transferring a vehicle, it always holds something special for us. It’s just a really unique destination. It combines the outback, world-class coastlines and wildlife. It covers two thirds of Australia. And it ticks all the boxes of what people come to Australia for. It’s the wildlife, the outback, the nature, the landscape, the coastline, all of those things the Nullarbor holds. The Nullarbor is one part of a very comprehensive journey. You’ll see an amazing part of Australia as you travel east to west across Southern Australia.

Epic sunset at Koonalda Homestead in Nullarbor National Park campground

Australia’s ultimate road journey

The rock, the reef, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Traditionally people come to Australia for those iconic things, and they spend most of their time there. But those places are very commercial and there are lots of people there fighting for space, for time and experiences.

To really get a feel for Australia I think it’s important to do all that, but then move on from there and see other parts of Australia.

For example, the journey from Melbourne to Perth is an iconic journey, whether you come along the Great Ocean Road through to Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, the Flinders Ranges, the Eyre Peninsula, The Nullarbor then over into the South West of Western Australia.  That’s what Australia is really about.

Australia is a very north south country in my thoughts. But it when you come across from east to west when you see the differences and diversity in landscapes.

A classic is coming out of Sydney. You’ve got Sydney Harbour, the Blue Mountains, the hay plains, the Flinders Ranges the Great Australian Bight and Nullarbor, the beaches of Esperance and the old growth Karri forests of the Margaret River region. So it’s a very different experience when you are travelling ‘across’ Australia. People that do this – go on Australian outback tours – get to see so much more, and they are always blown away.

If you can take the time, slow down and see it all, you’ll see something really special in Australia.

You can experience the magnificent beauty and diversity of The Nullarbor on our Adelaide to Perth Tours , Perth to Adelaide Tours and discover our Margaret River Tours from Perth.

If you’re looking for a great tour between Adelaide and Melbourne, or vice versa, travelling Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road & Grampians National Park, we recommend Autopia Tours.

Passenger overlooking Cape Le Grand National Park on Esperance tour from Perth