Adelaide to Kalgoorlie road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

Adelaide to Kalgoorlie road trip: Ceduna to Penong

From Ceduna, the Eyre Highway continues across the dreaded Nullarbor. The drive from Ceduna to Norseman in Western Australia is 1,201km long, and you’re unlikely to have mobile phone reception for any of this journey. Eucla or Border Village are arguably the best bets for an overnight stop on the way.

A few short detours along the route make the Nullarbor crossing much more enjoyable, however.

First up is Penong, where the Penong Windmill Museum brings together a delightfully weird collection of windmills. You can play a hole of the Nullarbor Links golf course here, too.

Branch off south down the Point Sinclair Road, and you can go for a dip in the netted swimming area at Point Sinclair. However, the main attractions are along the way – pink lake Lake MacDonnell and legendary surf spot Cactus Beach.

Adelaide to Kalgoorlie road trip: Penong to Head of Bight

The next worthwhile turn-off from the Eyre Highway is 46km west of Penong, towards Fowlers Bay. Probably the most attractive village on the Nullarbor, Fowlers Bay offers displays on whaling and telegraph history. There are also massive sand dunes to explore, and EP Cruises offers whale-watching cruises in the winter months.

They’re best in the winter months, when the southern right whales use the bay as a nursery.

The best single stop along the Ceduna to Border Village leg of the drive, however, is Head of Bight. The most northerly point on the Great Australian Bight is a fantastic place for land-based whale-watching. Even if it’s not whale season, the Head of Bight Lookout gives excellent views out over the seemingly endless Bunda Cliffs.

Click through to the next section: Head of Bight to Border Village.