ESPERANCE TO COOLGARDIE. COOLGARDIE - ESPERANCE HIGHWAY.

This is an important north south route. At its centre point is Norseman, the western terminus of the route
across the Nullabour. From Norseman, one may turn north to the Coolgardie, Kalgoolie region and onto Perth.
Turning south leads to Esperence and onto Albany etc. The road is dual lane and sealed.
Note. In the south west of W.A., in general, roadside parking is only signed when it's on your left
side. Not sure why, but guess to stop one crossing to the other side of the road against oncoming traffic. This
means that parking spots on the opposite side of the highway, to which we travelled, may be missed in these notes.

0 km (376.8 km) Esperance town centre. Signage on the outskirts of Esperence "due to economic and enviromental reasons,
overnight parking only in designated areas" (ie caravan parks!).
There is an interesting 39 km drive (Great Ocean Drive) starting at the southern end of the main street.
Half of its length follows the coast as far west as the windfarm. It then turns inland and returns to the
town area via Pink Lake. The coastal section, though somewhat hilly, is really spectactular. No camping signs
abound, but nothing to stop one parking all day in the parking bays.
Woolworths food and liquor shops are in Hicks Street .. next right (west) after info centre in main street.
Signed, but very limited caravan parking is in Randell Street .. next street past Woolworths. We managed to
park opposite and diagonally opposite Red Rooster, which is on the corner east of Woolworths.
[3.7 km]
3.7 km (373.1 km) Junction .. west side .. eastern extremity South Coast Highway, to Albany etc.
[22.3 km]
26.0 km (350.8 km) Gibson .. motel, fuel.
[27.7 km]
53.7 km (323.1 km) Junction .. east side .. Signed Scadden. Just south of junction are new public toilets under
construction. South of toilets is a long level gravel loop/gravel pit rejoining highway further south.
Class 2 to 3. 33° 26.55'S. 121° 43.44'E. Hema map 74, F 13.
Toilets being built, little shade, 30m max to highway, OK big rigs parking at edge of loop.
[25.6 km]
79.3 km (297.5 km) Grass Patch. Caravan park along road beside tavern .. check in at tavern. $10 pvpn.
* Class 1 (fee). 33° 12.72'S. 121° 42.87'E. Hema map 74, F 13.
Simple small caravan park facilities .. no shade, power, water, free washing machine, barely OK 1 big rig,
no TV, no CDMA.
[29.3 km]
108.6 km (268.2 km) Salmon Gums .. caravan park in town.
[23.5 km]
132.1 km (244.7 km) Signed parking .. west side .. Kumari. Very large extensive series level gravel/dirt tracks.
* Class 2. 32° 47.31'S. 121° 33.23'E. Hema map 74, E 12.
Tables, some shade, bush fireplaces, rubbish bins, 60m max from highway, OK big rigs, no time
limit, good TV, good CDMA.
[8.6 km]
140.7 km (236.1 km) Signed parking .. west side .. with additional tracks at rear, not investigated.
[10.3 km]
151.0 km (225.8 km) Junction .. west side .. Lake King.
[23.4 km]
174.4 km (202.4 km) Signed rest area .. west side .. Bromus Dam. Very extensive series level dirt tracks/camp spots.
* Class 2. 32° 27.41'S. 121° 41.05'E. Hema map 74, D 13.
Tables, shade, WATER from dam (suggest OK for washing), bush fireplaces, rubbish bins, no time limit, 200m plus
from highway, OK big rigs. Used for kids camping under direction of CALM at times, but still heaps of space.
[10.6 km]
185.0 km (191.8 km) Sign "Dundas Rocks" .. east side. Follow track 1.8 km, veer left to parking spots near signage describing
the old town of Dundas .. level parking spots in this area.
* Class 2. 32° 23.59'S 121° 46.46'E Hema map 74, D 13.
No shade, no facilities, no time limit, exceptionally quiet, OK big rigs.
It is possible, for small rigs, to continue on about 500m to signed picnic spot.
[6.8 km]
191.8 km (185.0 km) Signed parking .. east side .. small level gravel loop off/on highway.
Class 2-. 32° 19.90'S. 121° 45.57'E. Hema map 74, D 13.
Some shade, rubbish bins, 30m max from highway, OK big rigs
[15.5 km]
207.3 km (169.5 km) Roundabout .. east side to Norseman shopping centre. Post Office on S.E. corner. Take next left to
info/tourist centre past swimming pool. WATER available from tap in centre of garden area at rear of building.
Long hose necessary. WATER also from complex series of taps middle of eastern boundry of car park. New DUMP POINT
just to the north, but set back from kerb, set up high and near corner of car park make it difficult/impossible
for big rigs. 32° 11.75'S. 121° 46.85'E. Hema map 74, D 13. Shell servo on corner south west of info
centre reputed to have cheapest fuel, but the 2 large roadhouses north towards Eyre Highway junction were same price!
[1.4 km] 2 large roadhouses/truck stops along this section (including the one on the corner mentioned below).
208.7 km (168.1 km) Junction .. east side .. east across Nullabor Plain. Servo on corner.
[5.5 km]
214.2 km (162.6 km) Causeway .. Lake Cowan.
[9.4 km]
223.6 km (153.2 km) Signed rest area .. west side .. medium size level gravel area adjacent to highway..looks run down!
Class 2-. 32° 06.07'S. 121° 41.63'E. hema map 74, D 13.
Some shade, bush (unused) fire places, rubbish bins, 40m max from highway, OK big rigs, good CDMA.
Signage at rear states area further back (amongs trees) is aboriginal land and that a pemit to enter is required!!
[7.0]
230.6 km (146.2 km) Signed rest area .. east side .. very large level dirt/gravel area .. looks good.
Class 2. 32° 02.45'S. 121° 40.76'E. Hema map 74, D 13.
Shade, fire places, rubbish bins, no time limit, 50m max from both road and railway, OK big rigs.
[43.3 km]
273.9 km (102.9 km) East side .. large possible parking area noted .. not investigated.
[25.6 km]
299.5 km (77.3 km) Widgie .. road house .. west side.
[17.8 km]
317.3 km (59.5 km) Signed parking .. east side .. with extra large space behind .. not investigated.
[3.2 km]
320.5 km (56.3 km) Signed parking .. east side .. gravel loop off/on highway. Extra area at rear, more suited smallish rigs.
* Class 2. Forgot to take lat and long. Hema map 74, B 12.
Some shade, rubbish bins, 40m max from highway, OK big rigs, (60m in rear area), some noise from trucks, weak TV.
[0.3 km]
320.8 km (56.0 km) Junction .. east side .. road north through Kambalda to Boulder and Kalgoolie. We came that way.
-----------------------------
0 km (77.9 km) Turn off north east towards Kambala, Boulder and Kalgoolie.
[17.7 km]
17.7 km (60.2 km) Kambalda West .. town is off the main highway .. didn't visit.
[2.3 km]
20.0 km (57.9 km) Junction .. ahead to Kambalda, turn north to Boulder and Kalgoolie.
[11.4 km]
31.4 km (47.5 km) Signed parking .. west side .. extral loop at rear offers possibilities?
[36.3 km]
67.7 km (10.2 km) Tracks noticed .. east side .. question parking possibilities.
[4.6 km]
72.3 km (5.6 km) Junction .. turn west for Boulder (caution low ? 3.6m clearance railway bridge .. we fitted!)
Its possible to go this way via Boulder town centre to the Coolgardie - Kalgoolie Road south of Kalgoolie.
Continue ahead at above junction takes you to the northern end of Kalgoolie business centre.
[5.6 km]
77.9 km (0 km) Junction Coolgardie - Kalgoolie Road refeered to above. Both Coles and Woolworths are on the western side of the main street through Kalgoolie. Entry is from the
road parallel and to the west. We found Woolworths car park the easiest .. we parked prior to opening time.
Bottle shop opens 10am, but no 4/5 litre cask sales till 12 .. local bureaucracy at its best!
-----------------------------
ESPERANCE to COOLGARDIE .. continued.
[56.0 km] This section not travelled, distance taken from a map.
376.8 km (0 km) Junction with Great Eastern Highway .. 1 km east of Coolgardie Post Office.
Don't expect to do much shopping in Coolgardie .. it's fairly dead!

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