Thread: Recommending a good book for Nullarbor travellers

Thanks for posting - on your recommendation it is a book I am looking forward to reading. The history is quite compelling.

Eyre's efforts to complete that journey in the way that he did are truly amazing and the lives of other settlers and workers who managed the extreme isolation are admirable. Eyre's often quoted description of the region, “A hideous anomaly, a blot on the face of nature, the sort of place one gets into bad dreams” has fortunately never been my experience but I can understand how it could have been for him with the loss of Baxter, and the equipment and supplies, that he and Wylie had to cope with.

It is a trip I always enjoy - whatever the weather at the time. While some people seem to like to travel across fairly quickly - I think that, if possible, it is a trip not to be rushed, but to be enjoyed. For those who are adequately equipped, there are quite a few alternative routes and points of interest to keep one interested for a lifetime. These alternatives include travel through the often abandoned areas which are the subject of at least two of John Bridge's earlier books.

Travellers who get the chance to meet any of the colorful characters who currently inhabit these lonely regions will have experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Not detracting from the above book recommendation, readers of this topic may be also interested in the following series of ten podcasts which detail personal trips from east to west. While they were recorded a few years back the info is still quite relevant.

Crossing the Nullarbor Audio Tour - ABC West Coast SA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

It is easy to listen to a podcast or three each day on the road as you travel through the immediate area that each refers to - if travelling west to east just listen to the podcasts in reverse order.

Those podcasts look/sound alright, and at Easter we will probably listen to the first 3 when we go over to Ceduna to do Maralinga. Not sure if we're following the coast at this point, but it will make for interesting listening.
I've seen a few shows where people have followed in Eyres footsteps basically, and it certainly looks interesting country.

Originally Posted by Chops

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I've seen a few shows where people have followed in Eyres footsteps basically, and it certainly looks interesting country.

More very slow rather than difficult, with pin-striping applied by the vegetation without option

Originally Posted by 87County

More very slow rather than difficult, with pin-striping applied by the vegetation without option

Yesss, expecting a fair taste of that when we do Googs Tk. Still trying to work out which way we'll go with trying to protect the D4's paintwork.

Originally Posted by Chops

Yesss, expecting a fair taste of that when we do Googs Tk. Still trying to work out which way we'll go with trying to protect the D4's paintwork.

I haven't yet had the good fortune of travelling Goog's, hopefully it won't be such a problem for you, the track being wider. I believe it is conventional (but not compulsory) to travel south to north, for a couple of reasons; (1) to obtain permit(s) in Ceduna, & (2) that it is less likely to have an unexpected head-on meeting with another traveller on top of a dune.

All the best with your trip - I hope you can put up some pics when done .

Googs is a great run. Be careful on the edges of some of the tracks over the dunes. I nearly lost it as the sand is very soft. Some pin striping but not as bad as further east

Mt Finke is a great view and well worth the climb
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Another great book about Eyre is this one. I found it a very interesting read.

Booktopia - Eyre, The Forgotten Explorer by Ivan Rudolph, 9780732297152. Buy this book online.

Originally Posted by Chops

Yesss, expecting a fair taste of that when we do Googs Tk. Still trying to work out which way we'll go with trying to protect the D4's paintwork.

Get it vinyl wrapped on the sides.

Originally Posted by 87County

Thanks for posting - on your recommendation it is a book I am looking forward to reading. The history is quite compelling.

Eyre's efforts to complete that journey in the way that he did are truly amazing and the lives of other settlers and workers who managed the extreme isolation are admirable.

The family of 6 that walked across with some horses and a small cart in the 1930s looking for work in Esperance makes current day hardships look trivial.