Day 3 - Monday 18 June 2007

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Last night we had a ‘roast of the day’ dinner, apple pie and a good bottle of Taylors Shiraz and the bill was half what it was in the dreaded Gol Gol. We decided to hit the sack early and since we are going to gain 1.5 hours time (SA -30 minutes on NSW and WA – 2 hours on NSW) during tomorrow’s journey we had a little sleep in before leaving the Motel at 06:15.

Steve driving – had a better night’s sleep - up at 05:30 (thanks to Steve snoring even louder than Simon!) which was before our planned 06:00 wake-up call. On the road by 6:05, temperature 3c. For once working out our route was easy as there is only one road (A1) in/out of town which we will use for the next 1,200kms.

Before dawn the road was intermittently misty for the first 200kms, although nowhere as bad as yesterday. The fog lifted after about an hour and whilst around created a weird optical illusion where the car was driving through a fog tunnel as it lifted above the car and then under it – effect highlighted by cars excellent xenon lights.

The sun was rising in the east (behind us) as we drove west and we stopped for some great photo’s which we will post later with all other pic’s.

The road toll on these long drives can be huge so State governments put up lots of ‘Stop, Revive, Survive’ type signage all over. In South Australia they place posts on the roadside that signify places where road crashes have occurred - black with a cross for each person killed and red for person injured in an accident – very sobering and has the desired effect.

We got to Penong at 06:49 (73.3 kms) and Nundroo at 07:34 (153 kms). Apart from the odd dead one, we saw our first and as yet only live kangaroo today (!) as it bounced across the road well in front of us. Roo’s on these trips, and in the country in general, are a huge issue if you happen to hit one at speed at worse coming through the windscreen and at marginally best falling under the car! The danger is heightened during drought as the roo’s come up to the road to drink water that collects on the road sides – recent rain almost certainly explains why they not around the roads, hence a lot easier & safer so far! During Steve’s last trip across the Nullarbor he encountered 100’s of dead roo's.

We reached the start of the Nullarbor Plain (not the desert I had expected but very green after all the rain) at 08:43 (278 kms) and filled up at the Nullarbor Motel (295 kms). Been raining heavily round here and again confirmation that very few roo’s around which is good! Interesting to see that at certain points the road turns into a fully fledged emergency runway for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) - keep an eye out for approaching planes!

Simon driving - we started a competition (anything to pass the time!) to see who could eek the best fuel economy out the best fuel economy over 100 kms. During my attempt we used 8.7 litres at an average speed of 111.9 kms p/hour over 100 kms. Steve later scored an amazing 8.6 litres at an average speed of 110.3 kms p/hour over 100 kms. Not sure who wins and my excuse that I started my 100 kms from a standing start, whilst Steve reset the counters on the move! The challenge will continue tomorrow and whoever wins the numbers are amazing in how little diesel we are using on an extended run.

Stopped (405 kms) to take some pics of the hugely impressive Great Australian Bight that runs parallel to us for a long stretch of the Nullarbor. Next we reach the WA border at 11:18 (480.5 kms) and line up to get inspected which only took a few minutes (maybe our NSW plates & the fact that we had all our fruit confiscated entering SA!) whilst other WA vehicles were getting the full search.

All times to date (including ones is SA as can’t handle a 30 minute time zone change) are in NSW (EST) time, but now as we move into WA we take clocks back 2 hours and all times now in WA time – our 2nd time zone change in one day!

We topped up the tank at Eucla (11:30, 493 kms) and then surprised to see a cyclist having a rest at 514 kms – he was heading East so must have been at least 1,400kms out from Perth – total nutter and we discussed how daft cycling across the Nullarbor must be!

A bottle tree (dead tree decorated with bottles!) caught our attention at 10:22 (573 kms) and then stopped for a picnic lunch (sweet chilli tuna sandwiches & tea!) at 613 kms.

Steve driving – all up an awful lot of nothing, but an amazing place in just how vast it all is. Steve did his 100 kms challenge - see above. Light rain started around midday and then off & on for rest of the day. We reached Cocklebiddy at 12:30 (765 kms) and Caiguna at 13:00 (830 kms) where we topped up again – saw a West Coast Eagle (huge).

Simon driving – took over at 14:07 (918 kms) and continued smooth drive for rest of the drive through Balladonia (14:56 – 1,010 kms) which claims fame based on where Skylab fell to earth in 1979 and then finally arrived in Norseman at 16:43 (18:42 NSW time) after covering 1,197 kms!

Checked into the Norseman Eyre Motel (grim as all to date but more expensive as most rooms taken due to WA mining boom!) after a total days tally of 1,200.5 kms which is exactly what we forecasted! Total car speedo reading now 5,719 making a total since leaving St Ives Chase (NSW) on Saturday of 3,224 kms!

For the record Telstra Next-G did not work at any place outside of the major towns and that includes the Nullarbor. Vodafone coverage proved to be non-existent and Optus patchy at best.

Road kill count today: Roo’s: 6 / Fox: 1 / Wallaby: 1 / Misc: 7 / Camels: 2 (!) – again Steve refrained from direct hits!