Bush camping along the nullabor

yep you can go just about anywhere, i drove across on a full moon, it was fantastic. tip, take some hardwood pieces for your campfire.

That's the camping spot you put us onto Stephen.
A great base for a few days camping and oh so quite and secluded.

The turnoff is about 10K's past the Nullabor Roadhouse, heading west and on the left hand (ocean) side.
Just follow the track for a few kilometres and select your spot amongst the low lying scrub.

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Hi Bill

That's the one and as you would know, it you were not told about it you would never know that great little location was there.

Glad you enjoyed it.


Cheers


Stephen

These pictures are very much what we like. I drive a suzuki, but unfortunately the clearance isn't that great. Think someone once mentioned they have the 'ground clearance of a shovel'.

But it is quiet capable for what I've been in so far. I've had it in tracks around the flinders and also arkaroola. Also I pull a lightweight trailer behind me.

We're totallyl self sufficent. Enough water, beer and wine. Also enough petrol to get around 1000 K's before needing to top up.

To us, nothing better than just finding some fairly isolated spot and making camp for a night to more. We enjoy caravan parks too but definitely prefer bush.

Thanks for the tips so far.

Hi Bill.... We are heading that way mid Feb.2010 could you get a 19ft, full height van into this area we tow with a D-Max..

Cheers Ros.

hi gordon /adel
the actual nullarbor is a treeless plain so your camp will stick up like a dunny in the desert
you can get well back off the road we went over a km to enjoy the vastness of it and escape from vehicle noises as endless numbers of trucks go past during thenight
can be a bit windy if you strike the wrong night you may be lucky enough to see a wombat in its natural habitat as we were and damit we were out of film so couldn't get any pictures this was back in the late 80's
in so far as someone saying that the campsites mentioned are not known about
that made me laugh
as i saw on e/o yesterday where they have had in excess of 58000 visitors view the explore oz site
so dont be surprised if there are moreamped there than you see at a beachside camp lol
the word is out and just watch how the rubbish gets left there by the irresponsible types
i personelly hope not but that is wishfull thinking based on experience
to me its an interesting part of aus depending of course as to what you find interesting in remote zones everyone is different
take in the experience
cheers barry

Barry,

You are kind of right, but not where we camped.
The area Stephen and I mentioned is not "treeless" and you would be hard pressed to notice any tents, or campers, etc., amongst the low but considerable vegetation.

This area is about 7 kilometres in from the main road.
The only people that might see a glimpse of you is other folk traversing the track looking for a camp spot, or someone travelling out to check a couple of water tanks in the area.

We had our own supply of fire wood and like all bush camping sites, chemical toilets is the go for the least impact on fragile, remote environments.

You don't happen to have a way point for that site?

Hi

Turn south off the highway at

31° 29' 48.0938" S
130° 47' 22.4010" E

(Datum WGS84/GDA94)

Road leads to a microwave tower...but if you get that far you have pasted the camp areas the guys are talking about I figure.

Cheers
Greg

pasted = passed.

Cheers
Greg

You're a legend!! Thanks heaps people.

Hi All

Looks like I have opened a can of worms with some doubting that there is such a spot out there west of Nullarbor Roadhouse. As Bill has said, it is a little spot that you can not even see well away from the Main Highway. The small group of trees there are very dense and it just a perfect little spot to camp. The only thing that I would advise in all areas away from the dog fence, is make sure that you pack up your gear at night and do not leave any shoes out, as there were quite a few dingos in the area. Here are the waypoints for the camp and turn off:


Camp.........S31 33 39 E130 45 57.8

Turn Off.....S31 29 28.4 E130 47 22.7

The datum is WGS84

This is a screen dump from Ozi

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The spot is very secure and you could camp there for a couple of days and no one would ever know you are there. Do not do any night driving as this is where the track ends when you follow the track further south.....

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Cheers

Stephen

Hello

Stephen - your co-ords for the turnoff appear to be out by 500 metres (north). No big deal as you won't get lost. Strange as the eastings appear to be OK. Camp site coords appear to be out by a few hundred metres north as well, but again no big deal.

Dont think you have opened a "can of worms" - just one persons opinion on the density of trees..doesnt rate up there with the normal ExplorOz user created melodrama :)

Have attached screen shot from Ozi using 100k map.

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Cheers
Greg

Hi Greg

Thanks for that and the 100k screen shot looks great. Is that one of the Natmap series, as I would expect, gives a great detailed view of the area. As for the turn off, I used my track files and I know that there would be some variation, as I used the Data from where I started to head south. I am surprised that it is about 500 metres out, as I have my Ozi set to record data at every 30 metres.

It does seem hard to believe that there is that type of vegetation out there like that. That stand of trees is only in that small area and once you head south towards the ocean, it does not take long to get back into the open terrain of the bluebush and small ground covers.



Cheers



Stephen

In reply to Ros (Beth49)

You should have no trouble getting your van into this camp area.
There is a small lip from the graded track to cross, but nothing to concern yourself about.

Stephen,
Now you have made me drag out some more photos:-)

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Actually, right now is the time to see this!
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Hi Bill

It looks like you were there to see the full potential of the area in flower. We were a little too early and this is all I could take where we were camping. They were not wildflowers, but these very big tree fungi were the size of a bread and butter plate.

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it was only when we left the wooded area that we encountered small daisies growing near the top of the cliffs.

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Also like you, there were many whales to be seen from the viewing platform, and to hear the noises that they made expelling air was unreal.

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Last year when we went back, there were only two whales close by the viewing platform, but there were up to 20 in the bay, and were only possible to see with binoculars.

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It sure is another great place to visit here in SA.



Cheers



Stephen

Hi

Make sure you also stop at the Fowlers Bay Caravan Park. Great spot that a lot of people just by pass because it if well off the Main Highway. If you are looking for bush camps, there are countless top little spot along the way as yo make your way towards the coast, and Dog Fence Beach is one such place.


Why is it called Dog Fence Beach??????

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This is the track going into Dog Fence Beach...

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Cheers


Stephen

You get my vote for Fowlers bay. There is bush camping at Scotts bay about 20-30 mins from Fowlers bay. The caravan park at fowlers is good. If your into fishing there can be great fishing around that area aswell.

Josh

Hi Barry

No problems with that. I was not sure if you had been there and it sounds like you are a real veteran. Yes it is a treeless plain and the below images were take as you leave the Nullarbor Roadhouse and there is not anything larger than the bluebush.

It would have been a great experience when it was all dirt, just like it was when it was all dirt to Alice Springs.

Thanks for that.


Cheers



Stephen

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hi stephen
wow that must have been a real wet year that those pics were taken
i have never seen grass like in the pics amonst the salt and bluebush on any of my 7 crossings
even the blue and salt bushes are in lush condition
gee thanks for that yes it was a real experience driving on the dirt there were only a few single drive prime mover ordinary size semi's in those days and and very little general traffic

when you got up behind them and you wanted to pass when they saw you through the clouds of red billowing dust if no one was coming towards them they would pull over to the side of the road where the dust was blowing to whether it was right or wrong side and keep going so as you could overtake without being in the dust and see where you were going
this system worked well for those in the know otherwise you could sit behind them all day and not get past because of the blinding dust
corregations rough cattle grid crossing potholes and limestone boulders were all part of that road plus the very trying hot conditions without any airconditioners with the constant hot north wind zapping your sweat and energy ah yes forgot the millions of flys
gee ayh those were the good old days
cheers barry