Where “Nullarbor” Comes From
The Nullarbor Plain is a huge, arid, flat area of limestone along the Great Australian Bight. The name comes from the Latin words “nullus arbor”, meaning “no trees”.
The Eyre Highway crosses it, including a long straight section known as the 90 Mile Straight. The Indian Pacific railway line crosses it too.
“We drove across the Nullarbor.”
How Aussies Actually Use It
You’ll hear it in road trips, rail trips and outback stories.
In Real Life
Driving across the Nullarbor is a rite of passage for many Australian travellers. The road passes roadhouses, wide skies and lookouts over the cliffs of the Bight, where whales can be seen in season. The distances are huge and the landscape is empty, so planning is essential. The word is used jokingly for any very empty place.
Quick Questions
What does Nullarbor mean?
From the Latin for “no trees”.
Is there anything out on the Nullarbor?
Roadhouses, small settlements, cliff lookouts and a lot of sky.
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: NUL-uh-bor.
In conversation:
- Have you driven across the Nullarbor?
- There’s nothing but road on the Nullarbor.
- The Nullarbor has cliffs at the Bight.
Good to know: Services are far apart on the Nullarbor. Carry water, fuel and a spare tyre, and don’t drive tired.
See also: Outback
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