Newbie - crossing the Nullabar

First of all,
Get yourself a good map and plan your trip accordingly to the speed you usually drive.
There are plenty of places to camp when crossing as most fuel stops have a camp ground and some even have cabins.
Make sure your vehicle is in top condition for the full journey.
And if going in summer that the air con is in good condition.
Carry plenty of drinking water and food.
Allow 2 days for a crossing without sightseeing then add more time for for sightseeing.
There is plenty to see and explore when doing the Nullabor the first time.
Get as much information as you can on the trip as this will determine what you want to see/do as you go.
MOST importantly take it easy and drive carefully and I am sure that you will enjoy the trip.
Enjoy your trip.

Bit of info here.
Check out your local library for 'Penelope goes West' by Tim Bowden. A good read and he uses 4wd and camper trailer.

Fowlers bay in SA is a good fishing and camping spot

You will need plenty of fluid intake. Don't plan softdrinks for the kids, they'll get crook in high temps. Cold water is the go during the day. Wet towels for the kids heads work wonders, and "wet ones" can revive the driver.
Window tinting can be good, but as posted make sure the vehicles cooling system and air con are in tip top condition.
Games etc can help to keep the kids occupied.
Be careful of winds and trucks. Keep the speed down as wildlife has been known to zap across out of nowhere.

We prefer to bush camp at the roadside rest areas - a fair number are away from the road. Main hassle is that many of them are littered with toilet paper (best to burn then bury paper).

All the roadhouses sell ice-creams.
Diesel: buy it at Norseman, Mundrabilla and then Penong.
Don't drive in the evening - too many roos.

Might be hot, might be a cool breeze, but it will certainly be windy, hopefully have a tailwind.

From Cocklebiddy, take a drive down to Twilight Cove and camp there.

Another Magic place is Davenport Creek just west of Ceduna.

The road is very good on the Nullabor. It's just like any other country drive, except it is very long if you try to do it too quickly. Fraser Range station, east of Noresman is a good place to stay. Check out this site Nullabornet
Rod

Hi Jewelz

As others have said re car air conditioner, and drinking water. We have been across in January and in February and it wasn't too hot. Always a lovely drive, and views of the cliffs are beaut. DON'T let your children too near the edge of the cliffs - some are very undermined and unstable.

At Eucla, drive down and take a walk across to the Old Telegrpah Station, almost covered by sand dunes.

I don't know how old your children are, but travelling for us with our four children would have been hell. Depending on their age and how they travel, plan for only a short drive each day, then take a break so they can run around, and let off steam. Youngsters usually love getting out in tents and sleeping bags and doing camp cooking if it is a new experience for them.

If you are OK about independent camping, you can pull off in ever so many places and be quite 'remote'. Otherwise as aforesaid, there is paid camping at most of the servos. As far as i know, Yalata servo is still totally closed.

You may be stopped by 'locals' asking for petrol 'to get them home'. Exercise your judgement.

Enjoy

Motherhen

Hello,
Thanks for all the great replies.

The kids are very good travelers. Often driving 5 hours to Perth city, without complaints or fights.lol
We live rural so used to country roads.

Car is new and will do a service before we venture out long distance.

Thanks for all the tips and advice. Im sure to put more daft questions on the forum.

Thanks for being friendly and helpful
Jewelz

Hi Jewelz,
We crossed the nullabor a while back. Was a great trip. There is heaps to see. Take your time to look around, it is not just a boring straight road. One spot we loved was Israelite Bay south of Belladonia. You can follow the coast along from Esperance (great beaches along there) to Israelite Bay then take the Belladonia track up to the Hwy. There is a bit soft sand and some rocky spots, nothing to serious though and we towed our camper in there. One spot along the track you come to an area that is covered in Banksias and gravilleas. Absolutly amazing. Also have to agree Fowlers bay and Scotts Bay well worth a visit. We often stopped on the road side but we were travelling with friends. One spot we walked down the cliffs and stood in the southern ocean in the great Australian bite, not to many people have done that. The roadhouses have heaps of info as well. Have a great trip and enjoy.

Josh

Hi Jewelz
Just come back from a Eucla run. Diesel at Eucla is the same price as Mundrabilla (was about 3 weeks ago). Caiguna and Madura slightly dearer.
For camping, east of Norseman, Fraser Range station has good camping for a fee, otherwise Newman Rocks is good. If coming from Esperance, you could take the Fisheries Road to the east, then Old Balladonia Road to go to Mt Ragged, then north to Balladonia. Good camping spot at Mt Ragged, but no water. Mt Ragged is a great climb. Great run, but pretty rough. The track was a bit sticky a few weeks ago, but should have dried out by now. Also Balbinya station north of Mt Ragged is a nice historic spot to visit and camp.
There are lots of spots east of Balladonia off the road. There are plenty of access roads to the old microwave sites (towers visible from the road, about every 40km) which will take you well off the main highway and out of sight for a good quiet night's camping.
Eucla has a good camping area for a fee with fantastic views and good fresh water showers and facilities.
Worth visiting on the way is the Eyre Bird Observatory, once the old Eyre Telegraph station; the turn is about 15km east of Cocklebiddy and about 30km south from there. Need 4wd, leave trailer at top of escarpment. Can also camp (unoficially) at the old microwave site on the way in. Camping not allowed in the Nuytsland Nature Reserve in the Eyre vicinity.
A good reference book is "Priceless Campsites & Rest Areas in the SW of Western Australia" Jan Holland. This covers campsites right out to the WA/SA border.
Into SA, Fowlers Bay is nice, and the smaller towns SE of Ceduna towards Pt Lincoln are nice - it's worth doing this detour down to the Eyre Peninsular. Nice country and much more interesting than the more direct run to Pt Augusta.
The only mobile phone coverage you'll get is NextG at Eucla after leaving Norseman, but there is better coverage over the border starting at Nullarbor.
cheers
Gerry