Your fuel gauge reads a quarter tank. The next roadhouse is 185 kilometres away. And you just heard on the radio that another servo in Western Australia has run dry.
Welcome to crossing the Nullarbor in March 2026.
The good news: as of late March, no nullarbor fuel stops have gone offline. Fuel is available along the crossing. The bad news: prices have climbed past $3 per litre, the roadhouses operate on small storage tanks with infrequent deliveries, and Australia's broader fuel supply chain is under genuine strain. One disrupted delivery could change the picture fast.
This guide covers every nullarbor fuel stop from Norseman to Ceduna (and back), with current distances, approximate prices, and the practical tips that will keep you off the RFDS's call list.
The Nullarbor in 2026: what's changed#
Australia's fuel crisis — triggered by the Strait of Hormuz closure in late February — has pushed prices to levels nobody budgeted for. The national average for unleaded is around $2.08 per litre. Out on the Nullarbor, you're paying $2.99 to $3.29.
The crossing itself hasn't changed. It's still roughly 1,200 kilometres from Norseman in WA to Ceduna in SA, or about 2,600 kilometres if you're doing the full Adelaide-to-Perth run. What's changed is the risk profile.
Nullarbor roadhouses have small underground tanks. They get deliveries by road train, often from depots in Perth or Adelaide that are themselves dealing with supply pressure. Western Australia's Goldfields, South West, and Great Southern regions have all reported fuel shortages. South Australia has been less affected, but the supply chain runs through the same stressed networks.
The roadhouses are still pumping, but the margin between "operating normally" and "ran out this morning" is thinner than usual.
For a full breakdown of the national fuel situation, see our guide to Australia's 2026 fuel shortage.
Every nullarbor fuel stop: Norseman to Ceduna#
Here's every fuel stop on the Eyre Highway crossing, heading west to east. Distances are between consecutive stops.
Norseman (WA) — Your starting point heading east#
The last proper town in WA before the crossing. Fill your tank completely here. Top up jerry cans. Check tyre pressures. Norseman has a BP and independent servos with reliable supply. Prices are lower here than anything you'll find for the next 1,200 kilometres.
Balladonia — 191km from Norseman#
The first roadhouse on the crossing and the longest gap you'll face on the entire Nullarbor highway. If you're towing or running a thirsty vehicle, this stretch alone can eat 30 to 35 litres. Balladonia has fuel (ULP and diesel), basic food, and accommodation. Fill up here regardless of your gauge reading.
Caiguna — 182km from Balladonia#
Home to the famous 146-kilometre straight — the longest straight road in Australia. The road is flat and the temptation to cruise at 120 is strong, but dropping to 100km/h across this stretch saves roughly 5 litres. Caiguna has fuel, food, and camping. Fill up.
Madura — 91km from Caiguna#
A shorter hop. The Madura Pass drops you off the Nullarbor Plain toward the coast. Fuel available. Even though you've only driven 91 kilometres, top up anyway. The habit of filling at every stop is what keeps you safe out here.
Mundrabilla — 116km from Madura#
Fuel, food, and accommodation. Mundrabilla is where the landscape starts to shift. You're getting closer to the WA-SA border. Fill up.
Eucla — 66km from Mundrabilla#
This is your smart-money stop. Eucla typically has better prices than Border Village just down the road. Fill up here and skip Border Village if you can make the next gap. Eucla also has mobile phone coverage (Telstra), which has been patchy since Balladonia.
Border Village — 12km from Eucla#
The WA-SA border crossing. This stop is consistently one of the most expensive on the Nullarbor. If you filled up at Eucla, you can skip this one. If you didn't, swallow the price and fill up — the next stop is a big gap.
Time zone note: Set your clock forward 45 minutes when crossing into SA (during non-daylight-saving months) or 1 hour 45 minutes (during daylight saving).
Nullarbor Roadhouse — 187km from Border Village#
The longest gap on the SA side of the crossing. This is the one that catches people out, especially those who skipped Border Village on a half tank. Nullarbor Roadhouse operates 7am to 9pm daily, with a 24-hour payment kiosk. Current prices (March 2026): ULP91 at $2.99/L, Premium 95 at $3.05/L, Diesel at $3.29/L.
Yalata — 95km from Nullarbor Roadhouse#
A smaller community stop. Fuel available but hours can be limited. Don't rely on this as your sole fuel source — treat it as a bonus top-up.
Penong — 76km from Yalata#
You're nearly through. Penong has fuel and basic supplies. The vibe shifts here — you can feel civilisation creeping back.
Ceduna — 73km from Penong#
First proper SA town. Multiple servos, supermarkets, accommodation. Prices here are significantly lower than anything on the Nullarbor itself. If you're heading east toward Adelaide, this is where you take a breath and fill up before the next long stretch.
Heading west? Ceduna to Norseman#
The same stops in reverse, but with one key difference: prevailing westerly and south-westerly winds (August through March) will be in your face. That headwind can increase fuel consumption by 10 to 15%, which matters when you're calculating whether a half tank will get you to the next roadhouse. Budget for worse fuel economy heading west than you got heading east.
The smart-money sequence heading west: fill at Ceduna, fill at Penong, fill at Nullarbor Roadhouse, skip Border Village if possible, fill at Eucla, then every stop through to Norseman.
How much fuel will you actually use on the Nullarbor?#
Forget your car's claimed fuel economy. These are real-world numbers for the Nullarbor:
| Vehicle type | Typical consumption | Range on 70L tank | Range on 140L tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan (unloaded) | 10-12 L/100km | 580-700km | 1,160-1,400km |
| SUV/4WD (loaded) | 14-17 L/100km | 410-500km | 820-1,000km |
| Towing caravan | 16-19 L/100km | 370-440km | 730-875km |
| Large 4WD + heavy van | 18-22 L/100km | 320-390km | 640-780km |
The 75% rule: Whatever your theoretical range, plan on using only 75% of it. So if your maths says 800km range, plan as though you have 600km. Wind, heat, hills, and unexpected detours eat the rest.
A couple from the caravaner's forums learned this the hard way. Running a 90-litre diesel tank and towing a mid-size van, they calculated they could skip Cunnamulla's servo and save a few dollars at the next stop. They ran out 30 kilometres past Wyandra. The tow truck cost more than a year's worth of fuel savings.
Planning your nullarbor fuel strategy#
The numbers that matter#
The longest gap on the crossing is 191km (Norseman to Balladonia) or 187km (Border Village to Nullarbor Roadhouse). Both are well within range for any road-worthy vehicle — even a loaded 4WD towing a van at 20L/100km has roughly 350km of range on a 70-litre tank.
The danger isn't any single gap. It's the temptation to skip a stop because you "have enough" — and then hitting an unexpected closure or running into headwinds that blow your fuel economy apart.
The golden rule#
Fill up at every single stop. Every one. No exceptions. As one experienced Nullarbor traveller put it: "Just don't bypass one roadhouse looking for cheaper fuel at the next — it just doesn't happen and also the next roadhouse may just have a problem."
The maths backs this up. On a 90-litre tank, a 10 cents per litre price difference equals $9 total. That's not enough to justify any risk.
The Border Village trick#
Eucla and Border Village are just 12 kilometres apart. Eucla is almost always cheaper. Fill at Eucla, skip Border Village, and save the price difference. This is the one stop on the Nullarbor where skipping actually makes sense — because the gap to the next servo is tiny.
Carrying extra fuel across the Nullarbor#
For sedans and smaller SUVs with standard tanks, the Nullarbor's gaps are manageable without extra fuel — provided you fill up at every stop. But if you're towing, running a thirsty vehicle, or just want peace of mind, carrying extra makes sense.
Legal limits: You can carry up to 250 litres in approved containers meeting Australian Standard AS/NZS 2906.
Petrol jerry cans can't be mounted on the front or rear of the vehicle, inside the cab, or on the back of a caravan. A ute tray or purpose-built rack in a non-impact zone is required.
Diesel jerry cans have fewer restrictions, since diesel isn't classified as explosive in the same way as petrol.
Long-range tanks are the preferred option for regular tourers. They keep the weight low, don't shift your centre of gravity, and eliminate the hassle of wrestling 25kg jerry cans in the heat. A 140-litre long-range tank on a 4WD gives you over 800km of range even when towing — more than enough to cross the entire Nullarbor without stress.
Collapsible fuel bladders are a middle ground — they fold flat when empty and hold 10 to 20 litres when needed.
Whatever you carry, fill containers on the ground (not in the vehicle — static ignition risk), leave room for heat expansion, and never store fuel inside the passenger compartment.
What if a roadhouse is dry?#
It hasn't happened on the Nullarbor during the current crisis — but it has happened before. In 2023, heavy rain on the Gibb River Road flooded river crossings and prevented fuel truck deliveries. A roadhouse ran completely dry.
If you arrive at a Nullarbor roadhouse and the pumps are empty:
- Don't panic. Calculate how far you can go on what you have. The next stop is never more than 191km away.
- Turn around if needed. If the stop behind you is closer than the one ahead and you're not confident in your range, go back. Pride doesn't fill tanks.
- Call ahead. Most roadhouses have phone numbers listed online. Telstra coverage is available at Eucla and sporadically elsewhere. A satellite phone is worth having for Nullarbor crossings.
- Stay with your vehicle. If you do run out, the Royal Flying Doctor Service is clear on this: stay with the car. It provides shade, shelter, and is far easier for rescuers to spot than a person walking across the plain.
Phillip Blampied's story is the cautionary extreme. He ran out of fuel on the Canning Stock Route in WA and survived three weeks before rescue. The Nullarbor is far more trafficked than the Canning, but the principle holds: never leave your vehicle.
Beyond the Nullarbor: the full Adelaide-to-Perth drive#
The Nullarbor crossing is the centrepiece, but the full Adelaide-to-Perth drive includes long stretches on either side.
Adelaide to Ceduna (770km): Well-serviced with regular towns — Port Augusta, Kimba, Wudinna. Fill up at Port Augusta and Ceduna as your bookends.
Norseman to Perth (725km): Mostly through the WA Wheatbelt. Coolgardie, Southern Cross, and Merredin are your key stops. This region has been affected by WA's broader fuel shortages, so check availability before heading out.
Fuel budget for the full crossing: At current prices ($2.00-$3.30/L depending on location), budget $800 to $1,500 for fuel one-way in a standard vehicle, or $1,200 to $2,500 if towing. That's significantly up from 2025 rates.
FAQ#
How long does the Nullarbor crossing take?#
Most people do Norseman to Ceduna in two to three driving days, covering 400 to 600km per day. Don't rush it. Roadhouses close in the evening, wildlife is active at dawn and dusk, and fatigue is a bigger risk than fuel on this crossing.
Are Nullarbor roadhouses open 24 hours?#
No. Most operate roughly 7am to 9pm. Some have 24-hour payment kiosks or after-hours emergency fuel access, but don't count on it. Plan your driving to arrive during business hours.
Can I pay with card at every stop?#
Most roadhouses accept cards, but EFTPOS outages happen. Carry at least $200 cash as backup. Some smaller stops are cash-preferred.
Is the Nullarbor safe to cross during the fuel shortage?#
Yes, as of March 2026. No roadhouses have closed due to the fuel crisis. Prices are high but fuel is available. The key is planning: fill at every stop, carry cash, and don't assume the next roadhouse will definitely have supply. For the latest on the national fuel situation, see our Australia fuel shortage guide.
What about Opal fuel?#
Opal is a low-aromatic unleaded fuel sold at some remote community servos. It works fine in any vehicle that runs on regular unleaded. Don't avoid a stop because they sell Opal.
Plan the drive, enjoy the crossing#
The Nullarbor is one of Australia's great road trips — and a fuel shortage doesn't have to cancel it. The roadhouses are still open, the 146-kilometre straight is still surreal, and the Bunda Cliffs are still jaw-dropping.
What's changed is the cost and the need for planning. Fill up everywhere, carry cash, check ahead, and give yourself time. The Nullarbor rewards patience — and right now, it demands it too.
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