Nullarbor with toddlers!

Hi eviec

It's a huge wide open area. You can pull off the road in many places and have the area to yourselves. It may be hot, so take plenty of drinking water.

Motherhen

Hi guys ... having travelled with kids the one thing i do know is make the first leg the biggest leg and reduce them according to the "feedback" you get from the kiddies..... we have found you can clock up well over 1000klms on he first day without a problem, after that the kids start to get bored, i mean really bored and you HAVE to stop, it can get down to as little as 300klms and they want out big time .......
So leave real early and get as many klms up on the first leg and take each day as it comes, stop every 2 hours and get out and MAKE the kids run around and let off steam, it will also do you good, and just take each day as it comes as you have the camper so you dont need to plan or "book" ahead ..... drive until tired, stop and turn left into the bush and camp, what more could you ask for :-)
Cheers
Joe
oh and make certain you buy 2 DVD headrest players before you leave... and some DVD's ... hahaha

Print out the brochure below - it has all the roadside rest areas for South Australia. Unlike WA, we allow people to overnight camp in these areas in SA.
SA roadside rest areas

If you can get to Kimba early on day 3, then camp at Lake Gilles Conservation park - can camp on the lake and it is free. Its about 10k North of the highway - signposted turnoff is 20k east of Kimba. You'll then have 900k to do on the final stretch to Swan Hill.

So long as you have plenty of food and water there are plenty of places to camp along the Eyre Highway in WA. Just look out for a rest area with some shade and then follow the tracks away from the road. It will be quiet and safe for children to play and you won't have close neighbours. You cannot obtain drinking water along that road!

Do you really need to do that trip in four days? Even one extra day would see everyone arrive in much better shape! Don't be like several families we met on our last trip trying to corral howling and protesting small children back into the vehicle for yet another long day's driving! Looked and sounded like a nightmare for all concerned! Lynne

Some of the lookouts and parking areas (not camp sites) that are on the cliff edges of the Bight east of Eucla have been re-opened and have new fencing and some walkways.

However, the fences are NOT childproof.

If you go to these places there are fabulous views and it's easy to get distracted with cameras etc, so please keep hold of your kiddies.

You don't want to make the trip memorable for all the wrong reasons.

There are a few good rest stops on the way, but really only for overnighting. There won't be much to entertain the kids until the Eyre Peninsula. I would suggest making a fast run to Streaky Bay then take a few days down the west coast and up the east coast of the Eyre Peninsula. The towns there are good to look around and there are a lot better choices for camping.

Hi eviec76,
Not sure if this helps but we did a trip to Tasmania in 2004 from Perth and although we travelled Perth - Sydney, you are asking about the Nullarbour so maybe you'll find something relevant in my blogs.

If you take a look through my blogs, you'll find we documented our trip with our (then) 8th old prone to scream baby and a fiesty 4 year old (but yes, they travel well too!), its just hard work on mum! It was a few years back and I write a lot of blogs (my index is 16 pages long)! so I'll try to make it easy for you to find it - here is the link to page 4 of - My blogs. If you go to the bottom of the list of that page, you'll see I've named each blog by day - starting Perth to Peterborough (which took us 4 days), then they are titled Peterborough - Sydney (which took us another 3 days). We were taking the Spirit of Tasmania from Sydney to Tasmania so the return journey to Perth was from Melbourne where we spent time in the High Country and then to Murray River - Cocklebiddy, then Cocklebiddy to Rawlinna then Perth. We couldn't travel that distance with kids in 4 days. I can't handle the hours on the tar, so we take diversions whenever there is an opportunity and poke around too much but best of luck for your trip!

Michelle

Fowlers bay is a good stop. Just past Nundroo, inbetween eucla and streaky bay.

fowlers bay

wizzer

Be aware that flys can get VERY bad. Pack fly nets (head) for the kids. Best investment I have ever made. The black netting is the best.
I went from Esperance to Madura two weeks ago and will tell you that between the Blowflys and Marchflys things can get a bit challenging. One afternoon we were covered the next none. Depending on the wind and temprature. Bushmans, Off etc did nothing to deter.
As for the cliffs Awsome.. and worth the flys.

Regards
Craig

We have done this trip a couple of times with a toddler and our camper trailer.

One strategy that worked was - put in 3 big days from Perth - similar to Joe's suggestion - biggest day first - reducing each day. say 900km, 700km, 500km.

Get to Streaky Bay on the 3rd afternoon. Have the whole next day off in Streaky Bay. It adds 30km to your total route - and sure beats hanging out in Ceduna. (Remember to book your site if its summer).

Then we head off for the central coast on day 5 - same again - big day first - 3 days travelling.

I'm not sure if this will suit a trip to Swan Hill and we take more than 4 days.

Camp wherever other people camp - there are plenty of road sides stops - and roadhouse caravan parks. Don't get to bothered about where you can legally camp - everyone does it - just consider your own safety - safety in numbers work for me.

Enjoy

Phenergan.

thanks for all the tips, i feel much better knowing that there are ample spots to camp!looking forward to it...hope our boys enjoy the experience!!