The 5 Best Free Campsites Nullarbor Plain
Our 5 Best Caravan Parks for Crossing the Nullarbor Plain
The Nullarbor Plain is one of the great road trips on Earth — 1,200 kilometres of treeless limestone plateau between Ceduna, South Australia, and Norseman, Western Australia, including a 146.6-kilometre stretch that’s the longest straight road on the planet. It’s remote, it’s raw, and it demands a bit of planning, especially when it comes to where you’ll pull up for the night. Fuel, water, and powered sites are hundreds of kilometres apart out here, so booking ahead and knowing your stops is essential.
Here are five of the best caravan parks to break up your Nullarbor crossing, listed roughly west to east.
Sitting right at the start of the long straight stretch of the Eyre Highway, Balladonia is a simple, no-frills roadhouse with fuel, a small shop, and a museum worth a wander — it houses debris from the Skylab space station, which famously crashed nearby in 1979. The caravan park offers powered sites and basic amenities, making it a solid first-night stop for travellers heading east out of Norseman, or a welcome return to civilisation for those coming the other way. Good for:** an easy overnight stop right before (or after) tackling the 90 Mile Straight.
Perched near the WA/SA border with sweeping ocean views, Eucla is a genuine highlight of the crossing. The caravan park is clean, well maintained, and part of the Family Parks network, with powered sites, hot showers, and a roadhouse and pool next door. From here you can head down to Eucla Beach in a 4WD, explore the old telegraph station ruins half-buried in sand dunes, and take in one of the best lookouts on the whole route. Good for: travellers who want a scenic stop with real character rather than just a fuel-and-sleep pit stop.
Set within Nullarbor National Park, this roadhouse is the true midpoint oasis of the crossing. It offers everything from motel-style rooms to powered caravan sites, along with a restaurant serving hearty meals. It’s also your gateway to the Bunda Cliffs and the lookouts over the Great Australian Bight, where the limestone plateau drops straight into the Southern Ocean. Kangaroos are frequent visitors around the grounds, so keep the eskies zipped up. Good for a central base to explore the Bight cliffs and break the drive into manageable chunks.
A short detour off the highway near Nundroo, Fowlers Bay is worth the extra kilometres. This former whaling station sits among huge sand dunes on a sheltered bay, and if you’re crossing between July and September, it’s one of the best spots on the entire route for whale watching — southern right whales, dolphins, fur seals, and sea lions are all regularly spotted just offshore. The caravan park itself is relaxed and well set up for a longer stopover rather than a quick overnight. Good for travellers doing the crossing during whale season, or anyone wanting a coastal detour away from the highway.
The unofficial finish line for eastbound travellers (or the starting gun for those heading west), Ceduna Foreshore Caravan Park sits right on the water with cabins, powered sites, and camping options. After days of red dirt and saltbush, the green foreshore and easy access to town — supermarkets, pubs, and fresh seafood — feels like a proper reward. It’s also a smart place to restock before the long haul back into the outback, or to decompress after finishing it. Good for a comfortable finish-line stay with full amenities and services close by.
Planning Tips for Your Nullarbor Crossing
- Book ahead, especially in peak travel months (April–October) — accommodation options are limited and fill up fast.
- Carry extra fuel and water. Roadhouses are often 150–200 km apart, and prices climb the further you are from major towns.
- Watch your speed and the wildlife. Kangaroos, emus, and wombats are common, especially around dawn and dusk.
- Cross during whale season (July–September) if you can, for a shot at seeing southern right whales from the Bight lookouts.
- Prepare for big temperature swings — scorching days and near-freezing nights aren’t unusual, even outside winter.
Whichever direction you’re travelling, these five stops turn the Nullarbor from a driving endurance test into one of the most memorable legs of any Australian road trip.