📷 Photo by Jalen Hueser on UnsplashEyre Peninsula to the Nullarbor and Head of Bight
Six days from Port Augusta to Port Lincoln's seafood coast, then west along the Eyre Highway to the Great Australian Bight, ending with whale watching at Head of Bight in season.
- Distance
- 1,268 km (788 mi)
- Driving
- 13 h 49 min
- Suggested days
- 6
- Stops
- 10
- States
- South Australia
- Updated
- April 30, 2026
At a glance: 6-day road trip of about 1,268 km (788 mi) with 10 stops, from Port Augusta to Head of Bight. About 13 h 49 min of driving in total.
More road trips in South Australia · More road trips from Port Augusta
Route description
From Port Augusta, take the Lincoln Highway south via Whyalla and Cowell to Port Lincoln, about 340 km and four hours, mostly through wheat and barley country. Fuel up in Whyalla, as this stretch has few stops. Settle in at Port Lincoln, a fishing port on Boston Bay, where seafood restaurants are the evening highlight.
Spend the day around Port Lincoln. Walk or drive in Lincoln National Park to Stamford Hill and its 1844 Flinders monument, then head west about 45 km to Coffin Bay for an oyster tasting and the quiet bay. Keep time for a swim or beach walk; surf beaches can have strong rips, so swim only at patrolled or sheltered spots.
Drive the Flinders Highway north-west along the west coast, through Elliston, to Streaky Bay, around 300 km from Port Lincoln. Pull out at coastal lookouts on the way. Stop at Murphys Haystacks, about 40 km before town, and stay at Streaky Bay. Next, continue 110 km to Ceduna, where oysters and a pleasant foreshore make a good end to the day.
Beyond Ceduna the Eyre Highway crosses the Nullarbor. Fuel at Ceduna and again at roadhouses roughly 100 to 200 km apart. Turn off near Nundroo to Fowlers Bay, 25 km from the highway, for dunes and a quiet jetty, then continue to Nullarbor Roadhouse, about 300 km from Ceduna. Avoid driving at dusk or night, when kangaroos and wombats are on the road.
Detour south from the highway to Head of Bight, where whales can be watched from clifftop platforms from roughly June to October; outside the season the cliffs and the view of the Bight are still dramatic. Entry is on Yalata Aboriginal land and needs a permit. Return east along the highway to Ceduna or push on to Western Australia; Port Augusta is about 770 km from the roadhouse.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Port Augusta
South Australia - 2365 km
Port Lincoln
South Australia - 319 km
Lincoln National Park
NaturePort Lincoln, South AustraliaCoastal park south of Port Lincoln with sheltered bays, limestone cliffs and walking tracks. Stamford Hill carries the 1844 monument to explorer Matthew Flinders and gives a wide view over the town and Boston Bay.
- 455 km
Coffin Bay Oyster Farms
FoodCoffin Bay, South AustraliaA small waterfront town about 45 km west of Port Lincoln, famed for oysters grown in the sheltered bay. Farm tours let you taste them within minutes of harvest, and the nearby national park has surf beaches.
- 5281 km
Streaky Bay
South Australia - 643 km
Murphys Haystacks
OdditiesStreaky Bay, South AustraliaA cluster of rounded pink granite boulders, about 1,500 million years old, standing in a farm paddock beside the Flinders Highway roughly 40 km from Streaky Bay. Best in the low light of early morning or late afternoon.
- 7150 km
Ceduna
South Australia - 8141 km
Fowlers Bay
NatureFowlers Bay, South AustraliaA tiny settlement on a sheltered bay, backed by huge moving sand dunes and an old jetty. It lies about 25 km off the Eyre Highway; southern right whales can be seen offshore from roughly June to October.
- 9189 km
Nullarbor Roadhouse
OdditiesNullarbor, South AustraliaA remote roadhouse with fuel, food and accommodation on the Eyre Highway, about 300 km west of Ceduna and the nearest stop for Head of Bight. Roadhouses here are typically 100 to 200 km apart, so fill up whenever you can.
- 1024 km
Head of Bight
NatureNullarbor, South AustraliaLimestone cliffs above the Great Australian Bight, where southern right whales come to calve between about June and October. Whales can be watched from clifftop platforms on Yalata Aboriginal land, which requires a paid access permit.
Suggested stages and overnight stops
6 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Port Augusta → Port Lincoln · 365 km · 3 h 59 min
- Day 2: Port Lincoln → Coffin Bay Oyster Farms · 74 km · 0 h 49 minOn the way: Lincoln National Park.
- Day 3: Coffin Bay Oyster Farms → Streaky Bay · 281 km · 3 h 04 min
- Day 4: Streaky Bay → Ceduna · 193 km · 2 h 06 minOn the way: Murphys Haystacks.
- Day 5: Ceduna → Fowlers Bay · 141 km · 1 h 32 min
- Day 6: Fowlers Bay → Head of Bight · 214 km · 2 h 20 minOn the way: Nullarbor Roadhouse.
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually April–May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in March, June–August and November. Hot in January–February. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is Eyre Peninsula to the Nullarbor and Head of Bight?
6-day road trip of about 1,268 km (788 mi) with 10 stops, from Port Augusta to Head of Bight. About 13 h 49 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Eyre Peninsula to the Nullarbor and Head of Bight?
We suggest 6 days: about 13 h 49 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Eyre Peninsula to the Nullarbor and Head of Bight start and end?
It starts in Port Augusta and ends in Head of Bight.
Which states does Eyre Peninsula to the Nullarbor and Head of Bight pass through?
South Australia.
When is the best time for Eyre Peninsula to the Nullarbor and Head of Bight?
The most pleasant months are usually April–May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in March, June–August and November. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
