Norseman

Norseman's Feral Metal Camels

Norseman is located 190 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie, 191 kilometres west of Balladonia, and 204 kilometres north of the Esperance coastline.

The history of Norseman is very much tied to gold mining. Gold mining in the Norseman area began with the chance discovery of gold at nearby Lake Dundas in 1892. A gold rush soon began. Today however the original Dundas fields now lay abandoned. According to local legend the town of Norseman was named after a horse. It is said that in 1894 a horse named "Hardy Norseman" was tethered to a tree for the night by its owner, Laurie Sinclair. Upon returning to his horse Sinclair had the good fortune to discover that "Norseman" had unearthed a gold nugget. Since then a statue has been erected in honour of Norseman - but not surprisingly it is only cast in bronze! Today Gold Mining continues to be a major activity with reports that the Norseman fields have produced over 5 million ounces of the precious yellow metal.

Norseman Facilities

Norseman has a population of about 1600 people and as you would expect for a town of this size it has a good range of facilities for the Nullarbor traveller.

Between Ceduna and Norseman - a distance of 1200 kilometres - you will find no other town with such comprehensive travel and shopping facilities. Norseman is therefore a recommended rest and refuelling stop.

Norseman has two Roadhouses: the BP Roadhouse is open 24 hours, and the AMPOL Roadhouse is open from 5 am to 10 pm. Both Roadhouses offer showers for the traveller. EFTPOS is also available and the AMPOL Roadhouse also sells pizzas. Norseman's supermarket, the Village Grocer at 89 Roberts Street, is open 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 8 am to 7 pm on Thursday, 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday and 8 am to 1 pm on Sunday - phone (08) 9039 1032.

Norseman Visitor Centre

Tourist information and local maps can be obtained from the Norseman Visitor Centre at 78 Prinsep Street - phone (08) 9039 0040.

Norseman Accommodation

Within Norseman a range of accommodation is available to suit all budgets.

Norseman's Gateway Caravan Park is also located on Prinsep Street. The Gateway Caravan Park has air conditioned cabins, powered and unpowered sites aswell as a camp kitchen, kiosk and laundromat facilities. Pets are permitted when on a leash. For further information telephone (08) 9039 1500.

Ngadju Gateway Motel (formerly the Great Western Motel) is on the corner of Prinsep and McIvor Streets. For further information contact (08) 9039 1633.

Norseman Eyre Motel can be found on the corner of the Eyre and Coolgardie Highways. For bookings phone (08) 9039 1130.

The Railway Norseman Motel is at 106 Roberts Street, with motel units and hotel rooms - phone (08) 9039 0003 or visit therailwaynorseman.com.au.

Prices and rates change often out here, so we no longer list them on this page — please phone ahead for current rates. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.

The Norseman Hotel is at 90 Roberts Street. The Hotel is your typical Australian country pub and offers single, double and family rooms. Counter meals are available in the evening. For further information telephone (08) 9039 1023.

Norseman Hotel

Norseman Attractions

Within the vicinity of Norseman there are a number of attractions of interest to the visitor. Overlooking Norseman is the Beacon Hill Lookout. From the top the visitor can take in some unique views of the surrounding countryside, salt lakes, the Norseman township, and a giant mine tailings dump. High altitiude views of the countryside are definitely a rare phenomenon on the edge of the Nullarbor. The Beacon Hill Lookout may not be "pretty", but it certainly is spectacular. To get there just take the Old Mines Road and follow the signs. The road is not particularly well signposted however, and is not really recommended for cars towing caravans.

32 kilometres to the south of Norseman is Bromus dam - a popular local swimming, camping and picnic spot. Bromus Dam would definitely be a suitable camp site for people traveling on a shoestring budget. 28 Kilometres to the east of Norseman is Buldania Rocks which is also another popular picnic spot, particularly in winter and spring when Australian wildflowers can sometimes be seen.

Bromus Dam

The Norseman area provides prospective gemstone enthusiasts with a chance of finding specimens of Moss Agate, Gold Lace Agate and Moss Opalite. Ask at the Visitor Centre for directions. Within Norseman itself, the Norseman Historic Museum is in the old School of Mines building at 43 McGrath Street. This may appeal to visitors with an interest in Australia's mining and pioneering history.

Norseman's Heritage trail is located near Lake Dundas and offers the visitor the chance to explore the bush and artefacts from the Dundas Goldfield's pioneering years. Dundas Rocks is located within the heritage area and provides good bush camping for the budget traveller.

Dundas Rocks: Site Of An old Gold Mining Town

Fraser Range Station

100 kilometres east of Norseman travelers can visit Fraser Range Station. Fraser Range Station is a working pastoral property, producing fat tailed Damara sheep. Accommodation includes rooms, caravan and tent sites - phone 0488 022 836. Fraser Range may appeal to people desiring to see a remote working property at first hand.

Nullarbor Net Travel Tips

If you are travelling accross the Nullarbor in an easterly direction be aware that South Australia has a quarantine check point at Ceduna. Eat all your fresh fruit and vegetables before Ceduna or they will be confiscated.

Limited water supplies are available between Norseman and Ceduna so be sure to stock up before crossing the Nullarbor.

If you are heading west to Perth you have two options. Option 1 is via Kalgoorlie and would appeal to travellers with an interest in Australian mining history. A definitely more scenic route to Perth is via the Esperance and Albany coastline. This area has some of the best coastline in Australia and adds only a little extra to your journey.

Travellers anxious about fuel prices should check Western Australia's Fuel Watch site. This excellent site has regularly updated petrol, diesel and LPG prices for the WA Goldfields, the Perth metroplitan area, and other areas within the state. For South Australian prices, the state government's fuel prices page links to real-time prices for every service station on the RAA app and website - you don't need to be an RAA member. When travelling through remote areas such as the Nullarbor you can expect to pay upto 30% more than you would in major cities for a tank of fuel.

Norseman: common questions

Is fuel available 24 hours in Norseman?

Yes - the BP roadhouse is open 24 hours. The Ampol is open 5 am to 10 pm. Both have showers. Fill up here: heading east, the next 24-hour fuel is Madura, 528 km away (Balladonia is 6 am to 9 pm). See fuel stops.

Does Norseman have a caravan park?

Yes - Gateway Caravan Park on Prinsep Street has air-conditioned cabins, powered and unpowered sites, a camp kitchen, kiosk and laundromat. Pets are allowed on a leash. Phone (08) 9039 1500.

Where does the Nullarbor crossing start?

Norseman is the western start of the Eyre Highway. From here it is about 1,200 km to Ceduna in SA. See the complete crossing guide.

Where is Norseman?

In WA, 190 km south of Kalgoorlie, 204 km north of Esperance and 191 km west of Balladonia. About 725 km by road from Perth via Coolgardie.

Checked with the businesses' own websites in October 2026. Hours and facilities can change, so phone ahead before relying on them. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.

Planning your crossing? Complete crossing guide · Fuel stops and distances · How many days to cross · The 90 Mile Straight · Quarantine rules · Help and support on the way