Day 12

Day 12

30-06-2006
Friday

N20 – Though the Nullabor Roadhouse is another 20 kms away, we are truly on the Nullabor Plain. A few camels a beautifully perched on the horizon. The trees have all but disappeared here. As far as the eye can see there is ‘grass’ land. The knee-high shrubs that were so clustered together are no more. Neither are the rain clouds, which we left behind us to bring their life giving moisture to the grain fields of Ceduna and its surrounds.

Camels on the horizon

no trees

Ahead lies a long straight road leading us on to only blue skies. And, the Great Australian Bight. The sign reads “Whales between June and October – 12 kms to the left ”. We head left (south). Far on the horizon are those white peaks of what we now know for certain to be sand dunes. The road takes us close to then until, “Oh, wow!” The Southern Ocean. The Great Australian Bight opens wide in front of us. The round of the Earth can be seen on the broad horizon.

We stop at the Great Australian Bight Marine Park. “Enjoy your walk. There are 6 of them out there today.” the attendant at the entrance informs us.

Along the board walk down towards the cliffs and the viewing area we meet a chap from the UK. He’s travelling from Perth to Sydney along the coast. “I just spent 3 weeks in Norseman. My car broke down, so I got a job in the local servo to pay for it. Funny old town. Only 600 or so people in it.” He let’s us look through his telescopic lens for a closer view of the large shapes in the water far off. One, the closest kind of rolling in the water. (A female who, basically, wants to be left alone right now, I later read.) “I’m really looking forward to driving along the Great Ocean Road.” he responded, his eyes wide in anticipation, when we told him we were Victorians.

“The round of the Earth can be seen on the broad horizon”

As we officially enter the Nullabor National Park, the most photographed road sign in Australia gets another shot taken of it. “Camels, Kangaroos & Wombats next 96 km.”

On the advice of the chap from the UK we take the next left, unsealed road, towards the coastal cliffs. “There were two of them there, really close. You’ll get a much better look at them.”

There are yellow daisies by the side of the road and in the plain all around us. The road leads to a dead end at the solar power station – a few solar panels a steel tower and wire fencing round. No whales here. But it was worth the drive for these daisies.

“it was worth the drive for these daisies”

I’ve always had an affinity for small dainty flowers. If I were a botanist, I’d go wild. There are dozens of varieties. And all the little bushes look perfectly manicured. No need for trimming in this pristine rockery. Nature takes care of it herself.

The next sign suggesting a turnoff to the left shows a camera graphic for the tourist photo opportunity. We take another left. Soon we stand on the top of the cliffs and breathe it the wide-open space of the ocean before us. “It’s like we’re at the edge of the world here.” Chewie sighs.

Beneath our feet on the sandstone floor, half buried under the surface, are seashells. “I wonder how old these are?” I ponder. “There’d be heaps of fossils in those cliffs.” I think of Kal and his childhood eagerness, nay, passion for paleontology. “Gondwanah.” We say simultaneously with Chewie. We hold hands tightly as we cautiously approach a little closer to the edge for that perfect shot. Not too close, mind you. Somewhere over the horizon lies Antarctica.

The Great Australian Bight
(inset - our van for size comparison)

At the Nullabor Roadhouse there is a moulded whale, on it painted: “Do not climb on top of whale.” While taking its picture, just in case it is the closest depiction of the gentle giant we might see, three young larikans, drivers for the Aqua Irrigation Company arrived. Two trucks and a ute. “Do you want me to climb up on it for you, mate, for effect?” one of them suggests cheekily. “The sign says no climbing…” Chewie replies respectfully. “This is Australia, mate. You can do whatever you want.” He’s right. If you want to succeed in this country, you can.

In hindsight, I should have let them climb it