Well, our journey across the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia took an unexpected pause. We found ourselves stationary on the Eyre Highway, and it wasn't by choice. A truck and car collision had brought traffic to a complete standstill.

Traffic at a standstill on the Eyre Highway after a truck and car accident.
Traffic at a standstill on the Eyre Highway after a truck and car accident.

Initially, we assumed it would be a brief delay, perhaps an hour at most. However, as time stretched on, the situation became clearer: this was a major incident. We observed a growing queue of vehicles ahead and behind us. Semis, campervans, and everything in between were at a standstill.

The air was still, and the surrounding landscape seemed to mock our predicament. The flat, featureless terrain of the Nullarbor offered no distraction, no escape from the slow creep of minutes turning into hours. It was a stark reminder of the isolation that defines this part of South Australia.

Miles of vehicles stranded on the Nullarbor, waiting for the road to clear.
Miles of vehicles stranded on the Nullarbor, waiting for the road to clear.

What started as a minor inconvenience morphed into a significant delay. We sat and waited, reading, drinking water, and occasionally venturing out to stretch our legs. The sun began to dip towards the horizon, painting the sky with the colours of twilight.

The sun setting on our unexpected eight-hour delay in the middle of the Nullarbor.
The sun setting on our unexpected eight-hour delay in the middle of the Nullarbor.

After more than eight hours, the road finally opened. We learned later that emergency services had to clear the scene and conduct a thorough investigation. We counted ourselves lucky to be safe and were grateful it wasn’t any worse, knowing full well the potential dangers of the long, remote highways that crisscross our vast continent.