What is the Eyre Highway?
The Eyre Highway is the road across the Nullarbor Plain, linking Port Augusta in South Australia with Norseman in Western Australia. It is about 1,660 kilometres long and is the main road route between the east and Perth.
The highway is named after Edward John Eyre, who became the first European to cross the area by land in 1841. His journey along the coast of the Great Australian Bight was long and extremely difficult.
For many years parts of the road were unsealed and rough. The whole highway was sealed by 1976, which made the crossing much easier for cars, caravans and trucks.
The longest straight road
Between Balladonia and Caiguna in Western Australia, the highway includes the 90 Mile Straight, a section of about 146 kilometres without a single bend. It is often described as the longest straight stretch of road in Australia.
Along the way, travelers pass small roadhouses, the dramatic Bunda Cliffs where the plain meets the Southern Ocean, and the Head of Bight, where southern right whales can be seen in winter. There are also signs warning of camels, kangaroos and wombats.
Time zones change along the route. The Western Australian section near the border uses an unofficial Central Western time zone, so drivers often adjust their watches more than once.
Did You Know?
Some straight sections of the Eyre Highway are marked as emergency airstrips for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.