Fowler's Bay

Cliffs of the Great Australian Bight


We left Ravensthorpe on Monday morning and drove to Norseman. It’s a nice little park for an over night stop and it was much cooler than last time we were through here. I reckon it was over 42c when we arrived there around 6pm in March earlier this year.

Tuesday we drove about 540ks to Madurah Roadhouse, stayed the night then drove on yesterday to Nundroo Roadhouse. After just under 600ks with a strong side wind almost the whole way, we were exhausted, so it was a bit disappointing to find out they didn’t have a site left. We were thinking of staying two nights and driving out to Fowler’s Bay so it seemed a good idea when the woman at the roadhouse suggested we stay out there the night. It’s 32ks of unsealed but good road and we were lucky to get the last site here. We booked for two nights. Remind me never to stop at Madurah again-it was expensive at $24, they forgot to give me a token for the hot water in my shower (Russ didn’t need one) the sites were really uneven and there was no drinking water that we could find.

Fowler's Bay

Ruins of Yalata Station


I have been past the turn off into Fowler’s Bay a few times now and always wanted to see it. It’s one of the oldest settlements in SA and is the first or last (depending on the direction you’re travelling) “town” on the Nullabor. It’s got about two dozen houses, an old hall, a B&B, rental house, 2 blocks f flats, kiosk, caravan park and a long jetty that they seem to catch plenty of fish and squid off. The town is in danger of being buried under an amazing set of sand dunes-one house is about to be swallowed up and I’d think twice before signing a lease on the kiosk near by (it’s for sale).

A Portion of the Magnificent Sand Dunes at Fowlers Bay


We are really eking out the last of our fresh fruit and veg as we cross the border check outside Ceduna and have to hand over any left overs. I hate to give them anything and have squeezed lemons, deseeded chillies and caramelized onions and frozen them all!

Yesterday drove to Scott’s Beach and back across the birrida for great views of the dunes. Then we stopped at the extensive ruins of the Yalata Homestead-a station that once reached from the Head of the Bight to Streaky Bay.

Last night a family turned up quite late (after 7 and in the dark). It sounded like they were building a second caravan as they clattered and banged until almost midnight. I won’t miss the crowded park.

Windmills of Penong at the Eastern End of the Nullabor

This morning we drove to Streaky Bay stopping in Ceduna to shop and have a counter lunch. It was a lovely windless drive and lunch was good. Groceries seemed very, very cheap after the small towns of SW WA.
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