Riding Darwin to Nullarbor to Adelaide by Motorcycle
August 2020 - Yamaha Tenere 700 motorcycle
Darwin to Nullarbor to Adelaide
In July 2020, South Australia and the Northern territory relaxed a little about Covid 19 travel restrictions. Click the following link to read of my ride from Adelaide to Darwin. This is the trip back to Adelaide, with some detours. I haven’t worked it out but this ride report probably covers about 4,000km (2,500 miles).
The Google Map to the left probably looks pretty confusing. You should be able to enlarge it and then unselect the maps that do not relate to this Darwin, Nullarbor, Yorke Peninsula, Adelaide route.
The Gawler Ranges is a remote area. Make sure you are properly prepared for the journey.
The identification of the flora and fauna is not me. Thanks to my more knowledgeable help.
I spent about five days in Darwin. Picked up a Motoz Adventure Tractionator rear tyre. From there it was a pretty straightforward run down the Stuart Highway. I stayed at places like Katherine, Karlu Karlu Conservation Reserve, Alice Springs and Coober Pedy. While at Coober Pedy I realised I wasn’t really ready to go straight down the highway to Adelaide, so I began working on alternatives. That’s when the Gawler Ranges Road came on my radar. It would get me across to the Eyre Peninsula to explore that area. Googs Track did come up also but that seemed a little to extreme for me going solo at the time.
About 200 kilometres south of Coober Pedy I turned off the Stuart Highway for Kingoonya. There was a store where I bought some food and fuel. The next fuel was in Wirrulla, about 250km away. With a 350km maximum capacity I wasn’t too badly off, as long as I wasn’t working the engine to hard and didn’t have to back track at all. It worked out fine but it would have been better to have a cheap 5 litre container with a little extra fuel.
The Gawler Ranges Road was pretty good, a little sand in areas but not deep. It would be a much more tricky road in the wet and I did see some evidence of this near the end.
Gawler Ranges Road.
A Pea of some sort.
A nice waterhole. There were even some tiny baby fish in it.
The little fish just to prove I am not mad.
I pulled off the road and followed a fence line track for 150 metres to find a campsite for the night.
The Sturt Desert Pea, South Australia’s floral emblem.
Helichrysum species of some sort (paper daisy).
Shingleback Lizard (Sleepy Lizard).
A Pea of some sort.
This wombat picked a dicey place for it’s burrow, right by the road.
I made my way to the Penong Caravan Park. The wind between Ceduna and Penong was super strong. It basically comes straight off the Antarctic along there. Cactus Beach is a famous surfing, and shark spot near Penong so I had a look after setting up.
With the Covid 19 restrictions at the time I wasn’t allowed to enter Western Australia but I thought while I was in the area I would have a little look at the Nullarbor Plain area. It was also whale watching season, so I called into the Head of Bight Lookout and watched some whales go by.
The caravan park owner suggested I set up in this caravan site to find a little shelter from the wind.
This is the Penong Windmill Museum. It’s actually very soothing to watch and listen to them go around. The one on the left is the biggest windmill in Australia.
A sandhill on the move near Cactus Beach.
Cactus Beach looking West.
Cactus Beach looking east (I think?).
Near Head of Bight. Plenty of whales but the photos didn’t work out
I rode on a little further to the Nullarbor Roadhouse, bought a tasty sloppy hamburger and rode back to the Penong Caravan Park for the night. It would be 6 months before the state of Western Australia opened it’s border.
UPDATE – I did make it across to Western Australia. On the way I took the original and now abandoned Eyre Highway. Here is a link to my story Riding the Old Nullarbor Highway by Motorcycle
On with the original story – So after Penong I began following the South Australian coastline back to Adelaide. I took in Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, some of The Flinders Ranges again and even a little of the Murray River. My photo taking was a little haphazard and time may have taken a toll on how well I identify the locations but they are pretty close.
I spent a bit of time around Smoky Bay and Elliston. The next few photos are from that area.
I spent a bit of time around Smoky Bay and Elliston. The next few photos are from that area.
A Pacific Gull and maybe it’s home above.
I spent a bit of time around Smoky Bay and Elliston. The next few photos are from that area.
An Emu and chicks making their way through the town of Coffin Bay.
At one point I found a fun dirt track that ran parallel to the main road. Maybe it was the old road before the new highway?
A flowering canola field next to the road on Yorke Peninsula.
An Eyre Peninsula Jetty.
Troubridge Hill red brick Lighthouse.
An old house near Wilmington in the Flinders Ranges.
During my detour through the Flinders Ranges, I chatted to a young woman that would inspire my next adventure – hiking The Heysen Trail.
Adelaide to Darwin, Australia
July 2020 – Yamaha Tenere 700
Hiking The Heysen Trail North End to Mayo Hut
Week 1 – October 2020