You can make a short but interesting side trip by taking the track from Nullarbor Roadhouse to Cook, a settlement on the Indian-Pacific Railway. The track starts just behind the roadhouse airstrip and runs in a north-northwesterly direction. You don't need a 4WD because the track surface is quite solid and there are no obstacles to negotiate. On the other hand, you do need a reliable topographic map and a compass since there are almost no reference points along the way. A good way to get a feel of the Nullarbor is to stop about halfway between the roadhouse and Cook, climb on top of your vehicle and look around. The surrounding landscape is as flat as a pancake and seems to consist of only two dimensions.
Cook's sole reason of existence is to serve the Indian-Pacific Railway - most of its inhabitants work for the railway company. Apart from the train station, this bland little settlement boasts a shop and even a hospital. Judging by the signs at the station, living on the Nullarbor must be quite healthy. One gives you the advice: "If you're crook, come to Cook." A second one is more blunt: "Our hospital needs your help. Get sick!" You'll also learn that you're actually looking at the longest stretch of straight railway in the world. Due to the incredible flatness and the extent of the plain this piece of track has no curves for 479 km!
A gravel road brings you back to the Eyre Highway, to a point about 42 km west of Nullarbor Roadhouse. The total distance of this side trip is somewhat over 200 km.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Eyre Highway
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Eyre Highway - updated May 2024
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Eyre Highway Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
