Perth to Melbourne Road Trip - January 2020

Crossing into South Australia in the small hours of Saturday morning, we weren't even halfway home yet.

Typing up this post as the Corona Virus spreads it's havoc and misery around the world, it's a little hard to reconcile that at the time we did this trip I was thinking that Australia's catastrophic bushfires were the worst thing that could possibly happen in our immediate future. Ah yes, it was a more innocent time. Sam and I had been stuck in Perth, holed up at the Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough for three nights as we waited for a route to open up to the eastern states. A combination of bushfires, flooding rain and then a cyclone had closed all the routes east, the main Eyre Highway having been closed for the best part of two weeks.

I'd been watching this site for a week waiting for something to open up.

When we got off the ship in Fremantle on Tuesday I grabbed the local paper, it only confirmed what I'd been reading online while we were on our way back from Indonesia.

With me being due back at work Melbourne at 5:30am on Monday things were looking decidedly unlikely as I headed out into a sunny Scarborough morning for breakfast on Friday. Sitting down to enjoy my coffee and granola I jumped online and fuck me if the Eyre Highway wasn't open (I'd been keeping an eye on the main roads site for more than a week waiting for it to open). After almost choking on my granola I spluttered to Sam that it was time to make a mile....well, after breakfast. Heading back to the hotel we packed up, checked out and were saying goodbye to the Indian Ocean as we headed out of Scarborough at around 10am Western Australia time....only 3,500 kilometres to home.

It was all go now :)

Just a Sunday drive really!

I wonder how long before I'll be lucky enough to see the Indian Ocean again?

After leaving the traffic of Perth behind I set the cruise control and settled in for the journey. It doesn't take long when you are heading east away from Perth for the country to dry out, after passing through the thickly forested Perth Hills I was soon in wheat country...and would for many hours to come. Our afternoon's drive punctuated with a refuelling stop at Southern Cross where I also filled a couple of Jerry cans up, with the Eyre Highway having been closed for two weeks I wasn't too sure how much fuel I was going to be able to get on the Nullarbor, especially as we'd be heading across overnight.

I wasn't too sure how much fuel that I'd be able to get overnight on the Nullarbor so I carried a couple of Jerry Cans.

The pipeline supplies water to the Goldfields region of Western Australia.

I'm generally pretty relaxed on these long road trips.

If you think all the photos look the same....you'd be right!

With around 120 litres on board we tracked east for a little bit longer before turning south at Coolgardie. We were now heading down towards the first of the fire closure areas however apart from some 'road closed' barriers that were left on the verge of the road there was little to tell that this highway had been closed for two weeks, well until we got 70 kilometres from Norseman anyway. Getting closer to Norseman the fires had burnt right up to and across the highway in spots, the low rocky hills now bare of trees. After reaching Norseman we pointed the ute east again and set off to cross the Nullarbor, heading once again into another fire area as we got closer to Balladonia. It wasn't the fires that initially held our interest tonight though...no, with day becoming night it was the big full moon slowly appearing over the eastern horizon as we crossed the Fraser Range that had us enthralled tonight.

At least it wasn't super hot today.

This is very close to the spot where the truck drivers died in the bushfire that I talk about in the text.

Only 3000 kilometres to go;)

Heading east along the Eyre Highway (kinda the start what people call the Nullarbor) through the Fraser Range, we had the full moon rise in front of us.

The rubber hit the road now, driving across the country through the night dodging roos and road trains is not for everybody, and indeed I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't have to get home quickly. Ironically the fires that had closed this highway for so long had largely burnt out be the time we motored through tonight, we passed by a few camp fire sized blazes burning in the dark beside the highway but for the most part the fire front had moved on. There is a reason that the Western Australian authorities are particularly gun shy when it comes to bush fires, back in December 2007 three truckies died in a fire after being waved through by the authorities, caution is the order of the day now. Thankfully for Sam and I our trip across the Nullarbor was a lot less eventful tonight, while Sam snoozed I just relaxed and enjoyed the drive, stopping to transfer some fuel near Mundrabilla and topping up at Border Village were the only times the wheels stopped turning all night. With the first rays of the rising sun lighting up the eastern horizon I nudged the ute off the road into the scrub just west of Peneng, grabbing an hours sleep while I waited for the sun to rise a bit. 

The middle of the night, somewhere near Mundrabilla. Things are a little more serious now.

The middle of the night on the Eyre Highway.

It was well after midnight when we crossed over into South Australia.

Diesel was pretty pricy on the South Australia / Western Australia border.

We were now crossing the official bit of the Nullarbor.

And the night rolls on... 2000 kilometres to go and hey, we've got a corner in 456 kilometres ...the highlights kept coming!

Early morning on the Nullarbor Plain.

After dozing for an hour or so I opened the ute's door and rolled out of my seat to emerge blinking into the new day, slowly managing to stand up and un-crink all my ageing muscles. Rubbing what felt like a sand pit out of my eyes I had a piss, swigged down some luke warm Pepsi Max and headed off to Ceduna for breakfast...ah yes, we were living the high life this morning. Breakfast in Ceduna came and went and we continued our eastbound journey, now mostly passing through the dry cropping country north of the Eyre Peninsula. By the time we arrived at Port Augusta in mid afternoon and I was starting to flag a little, however the thought of a shower and bed that night in Renmark kept me going somewhat (we'll that and the semi regular doses of Nō-Dōz Plus).  

After an hours fitful sleep we headed into Ceduna for breakfast. 

We were once again starting to get into cropping country.

Crossing the top of the Eyre Peninsula, still heading east on the Eyre Highway.

Approaching Port Augusta I was starting to flag a little by now.

Arriving at Port Augusta... another milestone ticked off on our long journey.

We crossed the very top of Spencer Gulf at Port Augusta.

Heading south we motored past Mambray Creek as I gazed wistfully at The Battery out my left hand window, another place to re-visit on another day unfortunately. Heading east again at Crystal Brook we crossed the rolling hills of the southern Flinders Ranges (or maybe the northern Mt Lofty Ranges?). Passing through Spalding and Burra I was able to regale Sam with stories of my Mawson and Heyson Trail adventures which kept me awake and put her to sleep. After hitting the Sturt Highway we pulled into Renmark at around 6pm, ignoring all the time zones we'd crossed we'd been on the go now for around thirty hours, it was time for a rest!

Looking across the salt flats to the Southern Flinders Ranges near Port Augusta.

Less than 1000 kilometres to go!

Heading across to Spalding in the Southern Flinders Ranges.

Cropping county near Burra.

When the sun was just peaking over the horizon next morning we were on our way again, first to Macca's in Renmark for some coffee and toasties and then over the Murray River and heading for home. After driving east for awhile this morning I was pretty happy to hit the Calder Highway at Red Cliffs and point the ute south again, driving without looking directly into the summer sun is always a bit more enjoyable. Driving south I was back in very familiar territory now and I was able to break down our journey as we passed by numerous spots that we'd visited over the years. By early afternoon we were rolling over the Bolte Bridge and forty minutes later we pulled into our driveway, we'd made it home and I had the rest of the afternoon and evening to get myself sorted for work tomorrow, no worries!

Crossing the Murray River at Renmark early on Sunday morning - we were on the homeward stretch now...literally!

The Murray River.

I cut down a back road between Cullulleraine and Red Cliffs. The long lasting drought meant that the parched paddocks were encroaching onto the road in spots.

The Dirt.

Around 36 hours of driving time coast to coast isn't the way I'd normally enjoy this trip, however I look at it a bit like cranking out a big day on walk, not something that is ideal but still something that I enjoy - it's still better than my best day at work. To be honest it would of been possible to push on and get home home in the early hours of Sunday morning, however I'm glad we stopped for Saturday night in Renmark as it would of turned into a pretty grim drive if we didn't stop (Sam was getting pretty sick of listening to Parkway Drive). The other thing to keep in mind about this drive is that if you are in a hurry it's a lot easier driving east to west. As you cross time zones between Victoria and Perth you gain three hours in summer. Driving west to east you loose those hours - it doesn't change the actual driving time however the day's go a lot quicker.

Relevant Posts.

Esperance to Melbourne, 2010.

Rawlinna to Melbourne, 1999.

Down near Sea Lake on the Calder Highway and the country was looking a bit more productive again.

Crossing the Bolte Bridge our road trip was almost over.

The Melbourne skyline was a welcome sight this afternoon.