That Rugged Nullabor Coast

A sense of awe stole over me when I stood on the Nullabor coastline and looked out across the Southern Ocean. There was nothing between the cliffs underneath my feet and Antarctica except the wind and waves. That January day, the heat was fierce, yet the spray coming off the ocean drumming against the cliffs made my visit to this isolated place bearable.

The Nullabor coastline (Photo credit: Sonia Morell)

As I leaned on the barrier of the lookout that separated me from the cliff face, I wondered how many different shades of blue exist. The sky overhead stretched a deep cobalt blue, while hints of light flecked the azure waves under the sun. When I turned off the Nullabor Road and trundled in the four-wheel-drive across the sand to where the land met the water, the rest of the world faded away and I knew only the wonder of nature. The road was no longer visible and the hum of traffic died away. All that remained was the roar of the ocean.

It is wise not to stand too close to the cliff edge as the earth can crumble and take you with it. The Nullabor coastline stretches over 100 kilometres along the Great Australian Bight. Its ruggedness is representative of the outback spirit, and its legend is iconically South Australian. I paused only for a moment to view its splendor before continuing on with my journey, yet it has stayed with me even as time has passed since my visit. It is a reminder that sometimes we must travel further than we think we can to discover true beauty, and that we have the capacity to carry those moments inside us forever.

I will not forget this place. It has seared my spirit irrevocably. The landscape is alive. Its breath pulses across the Australian continent and out over the sea. May it always be so. Let not these memories die; they add so much to life that I do not wish to lose.