Eyre Highway

A long, remote crossing that rewards careful planning and steady pacing.

Time to Drive: The highway is 1,664 km from Norseman to Port Augusta. Many drivers split it over 2-4 days to manage fatigue and enjoy stops.

Best Time to Go: Late autumn to spring is generally the most comfortable window for heat and driving conditions. Summer can be punishingly hot and increases risk if you break down far from services.

Getting there: Most travellers approach the west end by driving from Perth to Norseman as part of the National Highway link to Adelaide. The east end at Port Augusta connects directly to major South Australian highways for onward travel.

Costs: Budget for fuel as the main expense - distances between roadhouses are large and prices can be higher in remote areas. Accommodation is mostly roadhouse motels and a few towns, so costs vary by availability.

Road conditions: It is the only sealed road linking Western Australia and South Australia. The vast majority is a two-lane single carriageway with a 110 km/h limit outside built-up areas, shared with heavy road trains.

The Eyre Highway runs 1,664 kilometres from Norseman in Western Australia to Port Augusta in South Australia, linking the states via the Nullarbor Plain and then crossing the top of the Eyre Peninsula. It is signed as National Highway 1 in Western Australia and National Highway A1 in South Australia, and forms part of Highway 1 and the Australian National Highway route between Perth and Adelaide.

The Nullarbor section is defined by its Latin-derived name meaning “no tree” - a straight road through flat, saltbush-covered terrain that changes slowly over hundreds of kilometres. A standout is the 146.6 km “90 Mile Straight” between Balladonia and Caiguna, regarded as the longest straight stretch of road in Australia and one of the longest in the world.

Historically, the route follows the path of explorer Edward John Eyre, the first European to cross the Nullarbor by land in 1840-1841. A hazardous track later developed alongside the East-West Telegraph line built in the 1870s; the highway itself was constructed between July 1941 and June 1942 (trafficable by January 1942), then progressively sealed - Western Australia’s section completed in 1969 and South Australia’s in 1976 - with upgrades continuing since the 1980s.

• Norseman to Balladonia (distance varies by detour) - Leaving Norseman you quickly enter big-sky country and long, open road. This is where the remoteness becomes real, so top up fuel, water, and check tyres before settling into the Nullarbor rhythm.
• Balladonia to Caiguna (includes the 146.6 km 90 Mile Straight) - The classic photo stop is the signposted “90 Mile Straight” - a concentration test more than a cornering one. Plan driver swaps and rest breaks to avoid fatigue.
• Caiguna to Cocklebiddy (Nullarbor roadhouse hopping) - Services are spaced far apart, and roadhouses are the main infrastructure through this stretch. Watch for wildlife, especially around dawn and dusk.
• Cocklebiddy to Madura (approaching the Roe Plains) - The land subtly shifts as you push east; it is still mostly flat and expansive, but the sense of crossing a continent builds. Keep an eye out for signed emergency airstrip sections of widened roadway.
• Madura to Mundrabilla (via Madura Pass) - Travelling east, the highway descends through Madura Pass from the Nullarbor Plain to the coastal Roe Plains before skirting the escarpment. It is one of the more noticeable changes in profile on the west side.
• Mundrabilla to Eucla (via Eucla Pass) - The road climbs back through Eucla Pass just before Eucla, one of the few true settlements on the Western Australian stretch. It is a natural place to refuel and reset before the border.
• Eucla to Border Village (border crossing) - A short run takes you to the state line and into South Australia via Border Village. Treat this as a planning checkpoint: fuel, food, and a rest stop before the South Australian Nullarbor.
• Border Village to Yalata (through Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area) - The highway passes through the Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area and into the locality of Yalata. This is still remote driving, with long sightlines and little shade.
• Yalata to Penong to Ceduna (Nullarbor to the Eyre Peninsula) - The drive runs through Penong and on to Ceduna, your first larger service town after the crossing. This is a logical overnight point if you want a proper break from roadhouse-only options.
• Ceduna to Kyancutta to Kimba (across the top of the Eyre Peninsula) - East of Ceduna the route intersects the Flinders Highway then trends through a chain of small towns before reaching Kyancutta and Kimba. The landscape reflects the extensively cleared agricultural character of the peninsula, with remnant native eucalyptus corridors along parts of the road.
• Kimba to Port Augusta (via Lake Gilles Conservation Park area and the Lincoln Highway junction) - After Kimba the highway passes the southern end of Lake Gilles Conservation Park, runs north of Iron Knob and the Cultana Training Area, then meets the Lincoln Highway. It finishes at Port Augusta near the junctions with Augusta Highway and Stuart Highway, by the Joy Baluch AM Bridge over Spencer Gulf.

Comfort matters on the Nullarbor, and most travellers aim for the cooler months rather than peak summer heat. Strong sun, hot temperatures, and dehydration risk are practical concerns if you have any delay between roadhouses.

Year-round, the biggest hazards are fatigue on long straight sections and sharing the two-lane road with very large road trains. Reduce night driving to lower the chance of wildlife strikes, and take regular breaks even when the road feels easy.

Most drivers tackle the Eyre Highway as part of the full overland link between Perth and Adelaide, joining it at Norseman (connected by the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway). The eastern end at Port Augusta is a major highway junction town, making it straightforward to continue north or south within South Australia.

One-way trips are common west-to-east or east-to-west depending on your wider itinerary. For vehicle hire, organise a rental in major cities like Perth or Adelaide and confirm one-way availability and remote-area conditions before committing to the crossing.

The Eyre Highway is a public highway signed as part of National Highway 1/A1. It is a public highway signed as part of National Highway 1/A1.

What you do need is a vehicle and insurance suitable for long-distance remote touring. Fuel planning is essential because roadhouses can be 65 to 180 km apart on the Western Australian Nullarbor stretch, and heavy vehicles (including road trains up to 42.5 metres) are common - follow Australian road rules for safe overtaking and keep left unless passing.

Overnights tend to fall into two types: roadhouse stops on the Nullarbor Plain (such as Balladonia, Caiguna, Cocklebiddy, Madura and Mundrabilla in Western Australia, plus Border Village near the border), and larger towns where you can properly restock and slow down. In South Australia, Ceduna is the main service hub on the route and is a practical place to plan a fuller break.

At the eastern end, Port Augusta has broader accommodation choice than the roadhouses and works well as a finish-line night before you continue on Augusta Highway or Stuart Highway. In busier periods and school holidays, book ahead where possible because options are limited across the Nullarbor.