Day 6 – Whales, Fences, and the Roadhouse Club
Oh, what a day it was! And you wouldn’t have guessed it from the way it began.
We kicked things off with hotel breakfast, then set off on the short 70 km ride to Penong for our first fuel stop. Simple, right? Except just before Penong there’s the famous Pantry Tree — a dead tree adorned with shelves full of jars, bottles, and assorted pantry items that travellers have left behind. A roadside art installation, Nullarbor-style. Naturally, I managed to miss it. By the time I remembered, we were already in Penong with full tanks, and the Pantry Tree was 10 km back the other way. Oh well — something for the return leg!
From Penong we pushed on towards the Dingo Fence crossing. For the uninitiated, this thing is massive — the longest fence in the world, stretching over 5,600 kilometres. It was built to keep dingoes away from sheep, but honestly, it feels like overkill. I couldn’t help but think: if Trump had known about this, he would’ve subcontracted the whole US-Mexico border project to South Australia. Efficiency guaranteed.
We took our obligatory selfie with the fence and, soon after, Noune requested a drink break. The nearest opportunity was Yalata, just 10 km further down. What was meant to be a quick coke turned into a proper stop. We met a couple driving their campervan from Perth to Melbourne, plus a motorcyclist from Tasmania finishing up a four-month lap of Australia. Respect. Naturally, the fancy toilets at Yalata Roadhouse also got their own photo op — priorities.
Back on the road, our next stop was the Head of the Bight Visitor Centre. Now, this place deserves its reputation. From the viewing platforms, we saw at least 20 southern right whales, including mothers with calves, gliding, rolling, and tail-slapping in the turquoise water below. Watching them was like witnessing a ballet choreographed by nature — graceful, powerful, and utterly mesmerising. And as if that wasn’t enough, the Bunda Cliffs loomed beside us — sheer, dramatic limestone walls plunging into the Southern Ocean. Absolutely breathtaking.
The final stretch of the day was to our overnight stop: Nullarbor Roadhouse. As we pulled in, Noune spotted a sign: “Showers – $1 for 5 minutes.” Naturally, she asked the receptionist if it was a joke. The reply: “No joke. But since you booked the luxury cabin, you’ve got your own bathroom.” Crisis averted.
After check-in, Noune powered through some work (claiming she was “dying of hunger” while still typing away), and eventually we made it to dinner. That’s where the day really blossomed. Over food and drinks we found ourselves in the company of fellow travellers:
A couple heading from Perth to NSW for their daughter’s wedding.
A solo gentleman who could converse fluently on almost any topic.
A 70-year-old motorcyclist lamenting the “snail pace” of Harley riders.
Another couple in their 70s, still touring the country on two wheels.
And a rider around our age, just back from a Darwin–Adelaide–Perth adventure.
Different people, different walks of life, yet united by the same love of the open road. It felt like a pop-up club of old friends — and it was the perfect way to end the day.
Now we’re back in our cabin, books in hand, feeling that satisfying glow only a day full of stories, whales, and shared laughter can bring.