ROADTRIP: BIRDING AND WHALING THE NULLARBOR

16/9/2023

Spring had sprung, and this was the first leg of a big adventure: Melbourne to Broome return, via South-West Western Australia...and such an adventure it was even though everything didn't go to plan. Here is an account of the first leg from Melbourne up to Lake Cullerleraine in Victoria's far west corner, through South Australia and the Eyre Peninsula, savouring the Nullarbor and the Great Western Woodlands, and on to the South-West of WA via Esperance.

IT BEGINS

My first day was focussed on quitting the sprawling city of Melbourne and having a good go and heading to the far west corner of Victoria. It was a happily uneventful day, and I pulled in, tired but happy, to a peaceful evening at Lake Cullerleraine just beyond Mildura. I parked the Troopy and set about making camp for the night, and dinner. I must have been tired, or just out of practice...here comes the first disaster: one of the Troopy set up annoyances is that the comprehensive electrical system (which is very good) is behind the driver's seat. No drama there. But to activate the water pump at the rear, I go around to the battery and flick a switch, which I did. In the split seconds that it took me to get back to the rear of the vehicle, water was gushing everywhere...groan. The pump tap had been left open (by me!). Not a good start, and that switch just has to be changed so that human error doesn't happen. It's on the list of mods! No-one died, and dinner was made - and the next day I found a cheap hairdryer and it was really helpful in the drying out process.

Lake Cullerleraine is a magical spot, and that night was during the school holidays - it was just fantastic to see and hear the kids and families skylarking about and enjoying the great outdoors together. The campground is fantastic, and takeaway meals were happening at reception....perhaps that's what I should have done! No matter, it was all good, and I slept well tucked up in the Troopy.

Dawn at the lake was something else: cold and crisp, and absolutely serene with birds arcing over the water. I took a few shots, then hit the road towards Renmark. It was while I was driving along that I had the idea of filming parts of the drive on my new Osmo Action 3 camera, then distilling each day's drive into a two minute roadtrip YouTube clip .... it might be too dead boring, and I didn't want to do a voiceover, or manufacture crises to get more eyeballs on social media. No, this was just for fun, and perhaps a succinct way of sharing the experience with friends and family. Or strangers who want to know what the trip is like, or maybe can't get there themselves. So, here is Day One of that idea: let me know what you think...

From the dawn serenity to the art deco buildings of Renmark on the mighty Murray, through the historic port of Morgan, I trundled across to Burra then up the southern end of Flinders Ranges to nest for the night at Spear Creek Holiday Park, a place that sounded promising - and was!

ACROSS THE EYRE PENINSULA

I'd driven across the Eyre Peninsula before, and thought I might try something a little different this time: after leaving Spear Creek (highly recommended) and crossing the new bridge at Port Augusta, I saw the sign that said "Perth" and proceeded forthwith...but instead of going past Iron Knob, I headed south to Whyalla for a quick stop and a look about (it's pleasant enough - a large town) and then further south again to the very pretty coastal town of Morgan (that one deserves a longer visit).

Today's mission, however, was to keep heading west so I cut across the peninsula from Cowell, through Lock, enjoying the views of the farmlands. However, dark clouds were threatening, and I started to wonder what tonight would be like in my intended destination: Streaky Bay. This is a spectacular spot and it certainly wasn't looking its best on this day. That's okay - we're all allowed to have an off day.

As I pulled in, the town was deserted, and I managed to get an unpowered site right on the beachfront which on any other day would have been magnificent. On this night, I cooked in the camp kitchen and headed for an early night. I put the Troopy's roof up and it was safe enough but the roof tends to catch the wind and rock the vehicle around. I decided to get out and pull it down...so I did, and after getting a face full of beach sand. For this reason, it's really handy to have two beds in the Troopy - the one upstairs, and a second one downstairs for night just like this one. Once hunkered down and wrap in the sleeping bag, it was off to the land of Nod for me. Here's the gist of the day:

WHALE-WATCHING ON THE NULLA

In the morning, Streaky Bay looked as if butter wouldn't melt in it's mouth...the storm had blown itself out and I had a pleasant run northwards looking at some of the other little villages along the way.

I rather like stopping in Ceduna for three reasons - one is always fuel, but also there's an excellent camping store in Poynton Street (if you've forgotten some camping item, this is probably your last chance!), and straight across the road is my third reason: the Ceduna Bakery Coffee Lounge. After my camp kitchen dinner the night before (which was fine, thank you) I decided eggs on toast was the go, and the Bakery didn't disappoint. This place is always worth visiting.

But I had bigger eggs to fry because I was off to the Nulla, and hopefully some whale watching at the Head of the Bight. It had never been open or showing evidence of whales on my previous trips, so today was the day, and oh the weather was glorious.

The Head of the Bight is just twenty kms before the Nullarbor Roadhouse. It costs a few shekels to enter but in my opinion it's well worth it. The visitor centre is quite small but perfectly adequate with food and drinks available. Then once through the gate, you head down the path towards the ocean and a series of long walkways and whale-watching vantage points. I was so lucky: firstly, plenty of lovely birds about; and second of all, seven whales were closeby, including a Mum and Bub. Not to mention the Bight on an exquisite day:

I took my time and revelled in the experience - it's not everyday you drop by this place. Eventually I headed off to the Roadhouse, a place I enjoy visiting. I enjoyed a walk out the back of the roadhouse, looking for birds and just loving the expanse and the isolation. I find it soothing, though I know others find it unsettling.

The Troopy looked as if it felt as at home as I did!

Here are some glimpses of that great day on the Nullarbor...

DAWDLING ACROSS THE NULLARBOR

The Nullarbor is not very long - only about two hundred kms, so I decided not to rush across it this time but savour its beauty and its birds.

So, next morning, instead of heading West, I headed back to the Head of the Bight for another look, not just at the whales but at the birds as well. I wasn't disappointed...

I had also done some research on eBird and discovered there was a promising hotspot several kilometres past the roadhouse, so I took a detour. Again, it was amazing and so quiet to be in this remotest of bushland. The birds were not so plentiful here but it early afternoon so this was not surprising.

However, I had two great finds - a wedge-tailed eagle, always a delight; and a brown falcon making short work of its prey.

It was time to push on...and I made one more spectacular stop...putting the drone up over the Bunda Cliffs on this, yet again, perfect day. See the movie below for the footage. I only drove about 200kms that day, ending at Eucla caravan park. It's a great place for a stopover, though I've never tried the hospitality at the diner. I'm glad I dawdled across the Nullarbor on this trip, it was so enjoyable.

EUCLA TO BALLADONIA

This was a relatively uneventful day...highlights included the Madura Pass, and the Cocklebiddy eagles. Then there was pelting rain for quite a while before I pulled into Balladonia. I was very glad to go to the diner for dinner, and I had a decent parmi, once I had made myself understood (I made the big mistake of asking for a chicken parmigiana - and the waitress just stared at me as if I were speaking a foreign language. "Oh, you want the PARMI!" ). It was jolly tasty, too. I camped as far out the back the camp as I could - it's always a juggle. Out there you hear the generator; out front you hear the highway. Oh well, first world problem. Here's a look at the day...

are we there yet? yes, we're at esperance

I'm with Dorothea MacKellar: "I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains ..." and I would add many things to that list including red dirt and bronze-trunked gimlets such as those you see in the Greater Western Woodlands. The gimlets are gorgeous trees that glow in the spring sunshine - you can't miss them.

I generally don't spend much time in Norseman - I tend to head to Salmon Gums about half way down the leg to Esperance. It's a small town with a primary school, a pub and a general store - and on the outskirts of town an excellent community-run caravan park. And nearby, a beautiful track through the bush - and birds! You know you're in WA when the ringneck parrots appear!

I made good time getting to Esperance so I had a chance to ask about birding spots at the Visitor Centre. As recommended I visited Woody Lake on the edge of town and it was truly delightful seeing so many birds in the bright but waning afternoon sun.

Pink Lakes Caravan Park is always a great spot to stay in Esperance - with a bonus: mobs of Carnaby's black cockatoos come and roost in the trees of an evening at certain times of the year.

Here's a two minute synopsis of the day:

TO Manypeaks near albany

It was time to have another dawdle, and this time I followed the advice of the Visitors Centre in Ravensthorpe (great little town) as to where to see wildflowers along the path. Easy, they said, and it was: shortly after you leave the town boundary, deviate to the left and follow the path among the edge of the Fitzgerald NP. So I did, and it was worth taking the deviation less travelled.

Fitzgerald NP deserves way more attention than it got from me on this cursory glance, but that will have to be another time. For tonight, a perch at Manypeaks - you'll know where the name comes from when you get there - at the doorstep of the Stirling Ranges.

a moody morning in the stirling ranges

This was the last day of this particular leg of the big adventure. It was a cold and wild morning, with smatterings of rain: just perfect for the dark and moody Stirling Ranges.

Apart from the peaks, there are many flowers to be seen in this area. I took some time to savour it, but I needed to keep moving to make the coast by nightfall. So much to see and do in this corner of Oz, including our delectable birds.

Spring was in full flower, literally, and so here are some of the beauties I saw and photographed over the coming weeks. Enjoy!