July12-13, 2023
Out of Ceduna after a week and onwards to the Nullarbor – passing the well photographed sign and first stop the Head of Bight Whale Watching Centre.
Operating during the season of May to September the centre has established boardwalks and vantage points above this part of the Eastern end of the Bight where the Southern Right Whale cows and calves stay through the winter period.
We were lucky enough to see Whales at some distance but clearly through binoculars and the best we could get with a zoom lens.
..and so to the Murrawijinie Caves:
From the Whale watch we overnighted at the Whitewell Tank Rest Area, a free camp on the roadway to the centre and 2km off the Eyre Highway and only 15km before the legendary Nullarbor Roadhouse.
From the roadhouse it’s around 12km of “track” to this collection of 3 of the Nullarbor’s many caves; the track is reputable rarely in good condition and the 12km took us 40 minutes in 1st gear but the time is worth the reward with these “holes in the ground” being as spectacular as they are. This is the 1st Cave and the largest opening at ground level, definitely requiring abseiling gear to get to the bottom.
The second Cave is almost 1km further along and the smallest of the three (including a Welcome Swallow exiting the cave) :
The third and final cave of the group where we camped for the night with the Welcome Swallows who live in all the caves surrounding our van in the morning and perching on the solar panels and skylight.
… and a red sunset to end the day ..
