The Awesome East Eyre Peninsula

After a quick visit to the Yorke Peninsula, we travelled in a northwards direction with the majestic Flinders Ranges to the east and Spencer Gulf to the west, towards Port Augusta. Befittingly called the ‘Crossroads of Australia’ where Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin rail lines intersect. It was the beginning of all places preceded by the name ‘Bay, Port, Point or Cape’ due to the endless coastlines.

Known as ‘Australia’s fishing frontier’, the Eyre Peninsula is appreciated by fishing fanatics and seafood lovers from all over Australia. A tantalizing smorgasbord – from shellfish to finfish, all gathered from the local waters. I can definitely vouch for the quantity and quality of seafood in the area – sumptuous!

But more than this, I experienced some of the most striking jagged coastlines and wilderness that I have ever seen. Words cannot describe the abundance of natural wonders and the untamed and unspoilt coastlines there are to explore. I was simply awestruck by the Eyre Peninsula’s magnificence.

Cowell

A 48 square kilometre natural habour with calm, fish-filled waters and an impressive jetty. Cowell is where you can catch Blue Swimmer Crabs as well as purchase plenty of Oysters cheaply from the local Oyster farms. We were fortunate to be given some local Cowell Oysters from a guest at our caravan park where we stayed, and they were delicious!

16 kilometres from Cowell is Lucky Bay, where the ferry comes in from Wallaroo across the Spencer Gulf. Wallaroo boasts glorious sandy beaches very safe for swimming. The scenic Port Gibbon, featuring high towering cliffs, white as snow sand hills and rocky reefs, is a short drive from Cowell. Here you may also catch sight of a small Sea Lion colony.

Arno Bay

Once a major port servicing the local farming area, Arno Bay is renowned as South Australia’s Kingfish and aquaculture capital. The ‘Supershed’ located nearby the jetty and parklands is a testament to Arno Bay’s history with interpretive signage revealing its history.

Nearby Darke Peak is home to the Carapee Hill Conservation Park, the site of the highest exposed granite rock mass on the Eyre Peninsula. This is a good spot for bushwalking and birdwatching.

Tumby Bay

An attractive little town with good shopping, sports, dining and accommodation facilities, as well as excellent bushwalking, birdwatching, trails, lookouts, museums and galleries. With all this it still retains a peaceful laid-back lifestyle with crystal blue waters, a 10 kilometre stretch of sandy beach, pine tree-lined foreshore and historic buildings.

If you have a boat, a visit to nearby Joseph Banks Group of Islands is a must see. It is one of the marine wonders of the world and is famous for its fishing grounds and birdlife, including the Cape Barren Geese. I loved this little seaside town and could easily have spent more time here enjoying all Tumby Bay has to offer.

Port Lincoln

Situated on Boston Bay, one of the largest protected natural harbours in the world and three times the size of Sydney Harbour, Port Lincoln is the home to Australia’s largest commercial fishing fleet. Port Lincoln is well known for having a vast variety of seafood from the beautiful pristine waters surrounding Eyre Peninsula’s east coast.

To whet your appetite, here are just a few of the varieties of seafood that are in abundance in Port Lincoln:

• King George Whiting
• Coffin Bay Oysters
• King Prawns
• Sashimi Tuna
• Mussels
• Rock Lobsters
• Abalone
• Squid
• Many other cold water fish such as Garfish and Tommies

There are many ways to have a ‘seafood experience’ ranging from dining at one of the many fine seafood restaurants in town; to getting up close and personal to Tuna in one of the Tuna ponds; to a tour through the a seafood processing factory with a seafood tasting at the end of the tour.

For the adventurous, you can go Shark cage diving and come face to face with the ocean’s ultimate predator – the Great White Shark. For a more sedate adventure you can swim with the Sea Lions on a half day cruise with one of the charter operators. You can also get aboard a fishing charter and try your hand at catching your own fish. There are plenty of things to do and see in Port Lincoln for the thrill seeker.

Enjoy the great outdoors with the following Port Lincoln activities:

• Walk along the foreshore of Boston Bay in town and snap a pic of the infamous ‘Makybe Diva’, three time Melbourne Cup winner, life-sized statue.

• Take a drive out to Mikkira Station & Koala Park, which is one of the oldest stations on the Eyre Peninsula, where there are wild Koalas in the Manna gums.
• A day trip out to Lincoln National Park on the rugged Jussieu Peninsula with spectacular ocean views and sandy beaches to explore.

• View whales, in season, from nearby Sleaford Bay, that has some gorgeous sun-drenched beaches.

• For more animal encounters, visit the Glen-Forest Farm, where there is a large walk-in bird aviary, native and non-native animals to see, set on 400 acres of farmland.
•  Take a boat cruise and tour the comprehensive waterways of the Lincoln Cove Marina.

Indoor Activities include:

• A visit to the Port Lincoln Railway Museum that houses an extensive collection of photographs, documentary material, rail worker’s uniforms and a vast array of century old rail vehicles.

• For maritime history and displays of relics and artefacts from windjammer days, browse the Axel Stenross Maritime Museum.

Whaler’s Way

Featuring some of the most accessible and ruggedly beautiful coastal scenery in South Australia. Whaler’s Way is a wonderland of cliffs, blowholes, crevasses, caves and white sandy beaches.  Couple this with the whaler’s days long gone, but still in evidence at the old Sleaford Bay Whaling Station, sited at Fishery Bay.

Whaler’s Way is situated at the southern-most tip of the Eyre Peninsula and is an absolute must see. It is privately owned land, so once you get a permit and a key from Port Lincoln’s Visitors Information Centre, you head south west for 32 kilometres until you reach the entry gate.  With map in hand you enter the property and meander your way along 14 kilometres of dirt roads with all points of interest signposted along the way. The dramatic scenery simply took my breath away.

Points of interest at Whalers Way includes:

• Cape Wiles – the home of Fur Seals
• Theakstones Crevasse
• South Australia’s oldest rock over 2642 million years old
• The Swimmin’ Hole a natural rock pool with crystal clear water
• Whalechaser Crevasse
• Osprey’s Nest built on a rugged pinnacle of rock on 122 metre cliffs
• Cape Carnot the most southerly tip of the Eyre Peninsula.
• The Caves an Old Whaler’s Grotto featuring beautiful overhang caves and rock pools.
• Baleen Blowhole
• Redbanks ruddy towering cliffs and beach

Whaler’s Way was a touring adventure that I will long remember and possibly the highlight of the Eyre Peninsula for me. Although I don’t like to play favourites, this all-encompassing wilderness full of history and natural beauty, would have to be up there on a long list of ‘mandatory must-sees’ in South Australia.