The Bunda Cliffs

The Bunda Cliffs are where the Nullarbor Plain simply stops. For about 210 kilometres, sheer limestone cliffs 60 to 120 metres high drop straight into the Southern Ocean, forming the edge of the Great Australian Bight. They are one of the most spectacular sights of any Nullarbor crossing — and you can see them from lookouts just off the Eyre Highway.

Where to see them

The cliffs run from the Head of Bight in South Australia west towards Eucla in Western Australia. The easiest views are from the lookouts along the Eyre Highway between Border Village and Nullarbor Roadhouse, where the highway runs close to the coast. That stretch is also the second-longest gap without fuel on the crossing — 186 kilometres — so fill up before you set off.

Staying safe at the edge

The cliffs are pounded by high-energy waves from the Southern Ocean and are slowly retreating inland, so the edges can be undercut and unstable. Stay behind any barriers, keep well back from the edge, keep children close, and take extra care in strong wind.

What they're made of

The cliffs are made of fossil-rich limestone, part of the Eucla Basin, the same geological formation that makes up the Nullarbor Plain. The coastline is protected in several reserves, including the Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area, the Yalata Indigenous Protected Area, Eucla National Park and the Far West Coast Marine Park.

Whales below the cliffs

At the eastern end of the cliffs, the Head of Bight is one of Australia's best places to watch Southern Right Whales, which come to the sheltered waters to calve between June and October.

More Nullarbor planning

• Nullarbor fuel stops and distances
• Nullarbor quarantine rules
• How many days to cross the Nullarbor
• Nullarbor time zones
• The 90 Mile Straight

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