Moving on from Caiguna our next stop for a couple of nights was at Eucla. This section of the Eyre Hwy traverses what is known as the Roe Plains. One descends from the Nullarbor plateau down to the plain at the Madura Pass and then after about 180 km the road rises off the plain back up to the plateau at Eucla. The plain just disappears into the sea here and the famous Bunda Cliffs take over. Towering 40-80 m above the sea and slowing the Southern Ocean in its attack on the Australian mainland. But ever so slowly the sea encroaches as pieces of cliff drop off into the sea.

Roe Plains from Madura Pass

The caravan park at Eucla overlooks the last section of the Roe Plain and is about 4 km inland. There is a road here out to the coast where the ruins of the Eucla Telegraph Station  and the small township are being consumed by the sand hills. It was abandoned in 1927 when a new telegraph line was installed further inland beside the railway line.

Telegraph Station building ruins being covered by sandhills, other buildings have been consumed

The track to the Eucla Beach

From the station ruins a track winds through the sand hills to the beach. A slow walk for about 20 minutes.  At the beach there are the remnants of a jetty, built 1887, that originally extended 150 metres out  into the Southern Ocean. Remarkably, 130 years later there is still a 50 m section stubbornly resisting the waves. We sat on the beach here gazing south, nothing between us and Antarctica. The water was cold too!

Leanne on the sand hills at Eucla Beach

Old Eucla Jetty

This section of the Nullarbor has also been a busy one golf wise. Another 4 holes have been completed at the Madura and  Mundrabilla  roadhouses, here at Eucla and then another up the road a bit at the WA/SA Border point. The one here at Eucla commemorates the story about the Nullarbor Nymph. An attractive young lady who in late 1971 frolicked around the bush in kangaroo skins half-naked. There were numerous sightings by locals and photographic evidence. It made news all across Australia and even had the international press engaged. It was later revealed as a hoax and publicity stunt. Quite effective!

The original Nullarbor Nymph

Sunset at Eucla

After a fiery sunset the next stop will be at the Nullarbor Roadhouse and then onto Ceduna.