The Nullarbor Plain spans around 260,000 square kms and is a vast treeless plain bordered in the south by limestone cliffs, which drop into the Southern Ocean. Very little of the real Nullarbor Plain is seen from the Eyre Highway. Unsealed roads to the north reveal the true Nullarbor.
Its name is derived from Latin words nulla arbor meaning no tree. E Alfred Delisser, a surveyor who crossed the plain in 1866, commented on the absence of trees and named it Nullarbor Plain. However, the Nullarbor has many spectacular features and wildflower season sees sturt peas in abundance when rainfall is good. The Plain extends some 725 kms from east to west and 320 kms from the coast to the Great Victoria Desert in the north.
Far beneath the Nullarbor's desolate flat surface are extensive cave systems. Some have been explored and found to contain subterranean rivers and lakes. Permits must be obtained to enter caves. Gilgerabbie Hut and Koonalda Homestead are available for accommodation and permits are available from the National Park Office. Always carry some spare water when travelling.
