Crossing the Nullarbor is one of the great Australian drives, and a Perth to Adelaide campervan trip is the classic way to do it. You leave the green south-west corner of the continent, cross the red desert along the Eyre Highway, and arrive in South Australia’s wine and coast country a week later. The distance is huge, but the route is simple, well signed and lined with roadhouses, which makes it more approachable than it sounds.

We built this guide from the CampervanPlanet Perth and Adelaide listings and common Australian road rules, and we flag where you should check details yourself. We have not driven this route in a rented campervan, so please read it as a researched planning guide. If you are new to hiring a van, begin with our our campervan rental guide, and for the other end of Western Australia see our Perth to Broome road trip.

The route and the distances

From Perth, the usual route heads east on the Great Eastern Highway through the wheat belt to Coolgardie and Norseman, where the Eyre Highway begins. From there you cross the Nullarbor Plain, passing roadhouses at Balladonia, Caiguna, Madura, Mundrabilla and Eucla, enter South Australia at Border Village, and continue through Nullarbor, Penong and Ceduna before the road turns south to Port Augusta and on to Adelaide. In total it is roughly 2,700 km, which is about 30 hours of driving.

The famous stretch is the so-called 90 Mile Straight between Balladonia and Caiguna, the longest straight section of road in Australia at about 146 km. It is not as dull as it sounds. The vast skies, the roadhouses and the sense of scale are the point. Do not try to do it in less than five or six days, because driving tired is the real hazard on this road.

A good rule is to cap your driving at about 500 km or five to six hours a day, stopping at roadhouses for fuel, food and a break. Our Adelaide to Melbourne guide continues the journey east if you want to keep going.

What it costs: hire, one-way fee and fuel

The CampervanPlanet Perth page showed campervan hire from A$115 a day for 10 November 2026, with typical prices of A$210 a day in autumn and A$217 in spring, across 46 vehicles from 8 companies. The Adelaide page showed hire from A$91 a day for 10 November 2026, with typical prices of A$185 a day in winter and A$213 in spring, across 42 vehicles from 8 companies. These are prices for 7-night hires, so they are a guide to the level of prices, not a quote for a one-way trip.

For a one-way route, the main extra is the fee. The pages explain that a one-way fee usually applies and depends on the route and season, and the Perth page also advises checking one-way and remote-area conditions before heading far from the city. Perth to Adelaide is a long one-way route, so the fee can be large, and some companies restrict one-way hire on certain routes. Our one-way fee guide explains how these charges work. The most reliable way to see a real price is to search on the CampervanPlanet Perth page with Perth as the pick-up and Adelaide as the drop-off.

• Fuel: a campervan typically uses 9 to 13 litres per 100 km, so a 2,700 km trip needs roughly 250 to 350 litres. Fuel on the Nullarbor is more expensive than in the cities, so budget accordingly.
• Accommodation: roadhouses offer powered and unpowered sites at modest prices, and free rest areas exist along the way, but check signs and rules.
• Food and water: carry more water than you think you need, and stock up on groceries in Perth, Norseman or Ceduna, because roadhouse prices are high.

When to go: avoid the summer heat

Seasons matter here more than on almost any other Australian route. Summer on the Nullarbor, from December to February, can bring temperatures well above 40°C, and driving a campervan in that heat is uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous. Autumn, winter and spring are much better. Days are mild or warm, nights can be cold in winter, and the roads are less crowded. The Perth page described its autumn and spring as stable, with warm, dry days, which fits what we would expect.

If you want to see whales along the Great Australian Bight, the viewing season runs roughly from about June to October, with the southern right whales visiting to calve. Check the current season and access at the Head of Bight before you plan a stop. For most people, April, May, September and October are the sweet spot, with good weather, fewer flies and reasonable prices.

Fuel, water, wildlife and road safety

The Eyre Highway has roadhouses at intervals, usually between 100 and 200 km apart, but that is only a rule of thumb. Fill up at every roadhouse, even if you are not empty, and confirm opening hours, because some close early or have limited stock of diesel. Never assume that the next one is open.

• Water: carry at least a few litres per person per day, plus extra in the van in case of a breakdown.
• Wildlife: kangaroos, emus and wombats are most active at dawn, dusk and night. Avoid driving in the dark outside towns.
• Road trains: long trucks are common. Give them plenty of room and do not overtake unless the road is clear for a long way ahead.
• Fatigue: stop every two hours. Many roadhouses and rest areas have signs encouraging breaks.
• Mobile coverage: it is patchy or absent in places, so download offline maps and tell someone your plan.

It is also worth knowing that Western Australia and South Australia have quarantine rules at their borders for fresh fruit, vegetables and some other items. Plan your groceries so you do not have to throw food away at the checkpoint. Check the current rules before you cross.

Roadhouses, cliffs and things to see on the way

The Nullarbor is not just a road. The roadhouses are small communities with characters of their own, and the Eucla area has an old telegraph station half buried in the dunes. Eucla also observes an unofficial time zone about 45 minutes ahead of Western Australia’s, which many travellers find amusing. The Bunda Cliffs, along the edge of the Great Australian Bight in South Australia, are one of the highlights of the whole route, with dramatic limestone cliffs dropping to the Southern Ocean.

After crossing the Nullarbor, the Eyre Peninsula is a fine reward. Ceduna has oysters, Streaky Bay has beaches and calm water and Port Lincoln is a base for seafood and wildlife trips. If you can add two or three days here before heading to Adelaide, you will be glad you did. From there, Adelaide has the wine regions of the Barossa and McLaren Vale on its doorstep, and our Adelaide to Melbourne campervan guide shows where to go next.

A sample 8-day itinerary

• Day 1: collect the van in Perth, shop for groceries and drive to Merredin or Southern Cross.
• Day 2: Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie and on to Norseman.
• Day 3: cross the 90 Mile Straight and overnight at Caiguna or Madura.
• Day 4: Eucla, the telegraph station ruins and Border Village.
• Day 5: the Bunda Cliffs and Nullarbor Roadhouse, then on to Penong or Ceduna.
• Day 6: Ceduna to Streaky Bay or Port Lincoln.
• Day 7: the Eyre Peninsula coast.
• Day 8: Port Augusta and Adelaide, with time to clean and return the van.

If you have only six days, skip the Eyre Peninsula and go straight from Ceduna to Adelaide. If you have ten or more, add the Flinders Ranges from Port Augusta, which is a beautiful detour with good campsites.

Booking tips for a Nullarbor one-way hire

Because this is a long one-way route, ask direct questions: is one-way hire allowed on this route, what is the fee, are kilometres unlimited or capped and are there restrictions on remote or unsealed roads? Check the insurance excess and the policy on windscreen and tyre damage, which is more likely on long outback roads, and confirm the depot opening hours at both ends so you can plan your arrival.

Compare prices for your exact dates on the CampervanPlanet Perth page, and see what is available at the other end on the Adelaide page. Every booking comes with a free 1GB eSIM, and code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off at checkout when you book through our links. If you book through our links we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you, and a booking within 30 days of your click is credited to us.