Nullarbor Motel airstrip - any info?

[IORRA]

This may be a bit of a long shot, but a small group of us are fairly keen to call in at Nullarbor Motel (YNUB) in a couple of weeks' time (among other places). There seems to be precious little information on the strip itself - could anyone shed any light on what to expect there (runways, condition, length etc)? I understand the RFDS use the strip occasionally.

Many thanks in advance! :ok:

[Atlas Shrugged]

Owner contact details - T:08 8625 6271

Elevation 220
Runways 15/33 1200m bitumen, 10/28 1200m loam
There is a third runway but U/S
Windsock NW side between runways
Sealed road between buildings
Lighting - Flares - Emergency only
UHF CH 4
Lat/Long: S31 26.46 E130 54.13
Unlicensed
PPNR
Landing fee unless refuelling

[pomme pilot]

Just a side to bear in mind (can never be too prepared).
Forrest has a good strip and fuel. Border village's strips were pretty bad. I can't remember the dimensions etc, but a couple of years ago they were in poor condition.
Caiguna (forgive spelling if wrong) had a pretty good gravel strip, fuel and ok motel rooms.
These were just from my experience from early 2005. Of course things change.
Have a good trip; make sure you see the cliffs of the bite.
:ok:

[Avid Aviator]

Be wary of the above runway info, that's not what I found when last there (6 months).

The bitumen strip (actually a road from the roadhouse to the living quarters) is closed due to safety reasons (a previous accident caused by mechanical turbulence, I believe).

There are two wide/smooth dirt strips that are fine if dry; not the case when I was there, so we elected to use the sealed (road) strip. The locals had no objection to this (I got the impression the "closure" was an ass-covering move, rather than a serious objection to its use). They tell me RFDS regularly use the bitumen (although I guess MED1 means different legalities...)

The strips at Border Village are not fantastic, but nothing that will present a problem to a typical lightie. Good (ie. easy and not exorbitant price) supply of AVGAS at both.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll ring and get an update on each strip from the owner before using, of course. Have fun!

[nzmarty]

i would have thought pretty much the WHOLE Nullabor would be suitable for use as a landing strip.....

[compressor stall]

It's actually illegal to land on the road, so the only times the highway is used by the RFDS is for a med1 pickup when the nearest strips at roadhouses are u/s due rain etc. That rarely happens - about once a year.

[Avid Aviator]

"The road" is not the highway, Compressor, it's a private road behind the roadhouse that cuts across the ALA. If it's dry, the unsealed strips are excellent, so shouldn't be an issue at present.

There are several strips marked on the highway which, of course, are for emergency use only.

[compressor stall]

By "road" I meant public road - i.e. the highway - in reply to our kiwi friend. In any case, I'm not used to calling tracks on private property "roads" ... especially in that part of the world! Sorry if that confused you.

[compressor stall]

Further to a few posts ago, Caiguna and Cocklebiddy have good strips - at least 24 months ago when I last landed at both. Hotel rooms basic but not sure of the price.

The Readymix "sign" carved into the earth NW of Caiguna is getting pretty overgrown nowdays, but still visible from about 4000'. You can just make out the diamond shape on Google earth, but not the writing.

If you've got time to spare, ring the caretakers at Eyre Bird Observatory (it's on the coast south of Cocklebiddy). They'll come and pick up up (for a fee) and you can stay the night there too (again for a fee). Basic, but a wonderful place with an incredible natural history collection, and a bizzare library (bequeathed by an eccentric American millionaire) of natural history and philosphy texts peppered with communist and religious manifestos! It's all in one of the original old telegraph stations, except this one is almost intact. I don't know why everyone raves about the crumbling walls in Eucla, as here's the real thing!

Also the weather observations from Eyre had its fair share of controversy in met cirlces with various people not prepared to believe the temperature variations expereinced there with respect to other observations on the nullarbor. The latest I heard was that all was fine and, yes, it has its own micro climate.

Further to the west from the air you may notice a track running along near the top of the cliffs of the western Bight. That's the old telegraph line, and the actual wire along which the signals were sent is still on the ground, along with some of the posts!

It's a short stroll over the beach to the dunes, and there'll be almost certainly be whales to see now, with the odd seal and penguin to boot.

A great part of the world. :ok: Where else are you headed?

[bullamakanka]

If you are really game/silly you can even use the short taxi way which leads from the back of the motel to the beggining of the SW/NE dirt strip as a runway. I saw it once out there about 5 yrs ago but would never advise it!

bulla..

[cirrus driver]

Why not go to Forrest.
Long crossing wide bitumen strips, excellent service, cut lunch if you want it.
There is also excellent overnight accomodation in the old Met houses and a cooked dinner and breakfast available.
Phone details are in ERSA!!
From there along the railway there are strips every 20 0r 30 kms.

Cirrus

[cirrus driver]

I forgot the website details for Forrest.

http://www.forrestairport.com.au/:)

[Towering Q]

The strip at Border Village was graded late last year. It's a big improvement on the previous intersecting goat tracks.

As others have stated, Forrest is a good option too. Don't forget to add your business card to the hundreds of others on the walls of the fuel hut. Some cool photos too.:ok: