Day 108: Thu 04 Jul 24 - 13k Peg Lookout & Rest Area to Merghiny Ex Gravel Pit (Ceduna + 17km)

Thu 04 Jul 24 - 13k Peg Lookout & Rest Area to Merghiny Ex Gravel Pit (Ceduna + 17km) (487KM)

It was a very fresh 1 Deg at our overnight stay reaching a top of 15 Deg at Ceduna. I woke at 05:00am this morning and when I looked outside, it was a clear sky, no wind and very fresh. I went back to bed and less than hour later, it was raining and windy, and it remained so until we left around 08:30am. We had a few early stops at lookouts across the Great Australian Bight on our way across the Nullarbor, and didn't stop again until 1:30pm when we had a late lunch at a roadside rest area. We then continued driving until we reached Penong where we had a late afternoon brew at the Windmill Museum, then we refuelled before continuing another 70km to Ceduna. About 1km short of Ceduna we passed through the SA Quarantine checkpoint to ensure we weren't carrying any fresh fruit or vegetables. We had consumed everything that we knew we couldn't bring into SA, except two carrots and three potatoes which we thought were fine, being vegetables grown underground, and clean of soil. We declared them anyway, but on inspection, we were told the potatoes needed to be cooked, and only the carrots were fine to bring in raw. The potatoes were confiscated and thankfully there was no fine. Onwards we continued to Ceduna to replenish a few essentials from the supermarket, then we continued east for about 17km to our overnight stay at a Gravel Pit. We were parked and set up at 5:30 which is much later than I like, but I was comfortable with where we were going to stay. We are also the only caravan parked here tonight. It's well away from the highway, and there is very little road noise from passing traffic. 

There was a lot of traffic along the Nullarbor today, mostly road-trains and caravans in the morning, then it dropped off in the afternoon. Tomorrow, we will aim for Port Augusta which is another long day in the saddle, and with more rain forecast, we will need to stay flexible, although a powered site with water may be non-negotiable. 

Looking South over the Great Australian Bight

Ooops... You can just see the white car in the photo above. Hopefully there wasn't anyone in it - I didn't notice it this morning - only when I downloaded the photos tonight.

Looking South over the Great Australian Bight

Looking West - we were camped about 5km to the west from here last night

Looking East to where we're heading today

Another Lookout - Bunda Cliffs

Bunda Cliffs looking West

Bunda Cliffs looking West

Bunda Cliffs looking East


Bunda Cliffs looking West

Bunda Cliffs looking East

Bunda Cliffs Lookout

Lunch Break at a Rest Area - looking much warmer than it actually was

Late Coffee Break at Penong - Windmill Museum

Late Coffee Break at Penong - Windmill Museum

Overnight - Free Camp at Merghiny Gravel Pit about 17km East of Ceduna on the Eyre Highway

Overnight - Free Camp at Merghiny Gravel Pit


Overnight - Free Camp at Merghiny Gravel Pit

Overnight - Free Camp at Merghiny Gravel Pit. A storm heading our way (thankfully it turned away)

Overnight - Free Camp at Merghiny Gravel Pit. A storm heading our way (thankfully it turned away)


Storm Clouds










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