Nullabor Road house to Wudinna - Day 3 on the Nullabor

We are now on South Australian time - put the watch forward 1 1/2 hours. 

That makes for an extra early start - and some lapses in the usual efficiencies as we pack our kit ready for the new day. 

All sorted and off we go to the Head of Bight.

The Great Australian Bight Marine Reserve has board walks down the Bunda Cliffs that allow us to get close to the ocean edge and watch the Southern Right Whales cavorting near the coast.

There are many mothers with their calves.  I can't get my head around the fact that  the average length of new-born Right Whale calves is 5m length. 15' babies.

Typical landscape in this area. People who travelled this route in the past tell us that it is greener these days. 30 years ago it was apparently a barren desert landscape.

Road houses along the route provide essential services for travellers. 

We couldn't have done this journey without roadhouses. They offer accommodation, fuel, food, and delightful service.

The staff are almost entirely backpackers. They hail from Great Britain (especially Scotland and Ireland) and Europe. Generally the young folk tell us that youth unemployment back home is very high. 

Australia offers working holiday visas for 18-30 year olds from 'arrangement ' countries where there is reciprocity. The first working visa requires the young person to work for 3 months in jobs in the regions. Having done that they can apply for a second working holiday visa in specified occupations.

At nundroo we meet James and Jack, his ukelele

At Nundroo we see the first wheat fields.
We ride through hundreds of km of wheat fields. The Nullabor is bookended with wheat belts.

and thickening banks of cloud.

More oil seed rape. The yellow flowers brighten the horizon.

Each small town has massive grain silos next to the main road and adjacent to the railway lines.

We follow this pipeline for many km. It carries water from Port Lincoln at the south of the Eyre Peninsula where it rains a lot to the northern regions where water can be scarce.

Wudinna is our home for tonight...

and the netball girls are happily celebrating their annual dinner. ABBA is alive and well tonight.

Tomorrow we will be visiting a remarkable motorcyclist in McLaren Vale.