The Eyre Peninsula is one of the most beautiful places in all of South Australia. Home to remote little beach side towns, colorful silo art, stunning beaches and amazing marine experiences, there is so much to see and explore around the Eyre Peninsula. Surprisingly, no matter where you visit along this stunning piece of coastline, you often find yourself with beaches all to yourself. Spend your days hopping through rock pools, driving on white sand beaches, you’ll be surprised how few other people you’ll be sharing these epic places with.
The Eyre Peninsula technically begins in the remote town of Port Augusta, winding it’s way along the coast all the way to the beginning of the Nullarbor. There are countless small towns, both beach side and inland that make up the Eyre Peninsula. We headed along the beach side towns to Port Lincoln and then across to the Nullabor. We’ve listed 20 places in the order that we visited them over about two months.
Getting to The Eyre Peninsula
The drive from Adelaide to Port Augusta – the beginning of the Eyre Peninsula – takes about 4 hours along the Princes Highway. From Whyalla follow the water south along the coastline if you want to check out some of the regions best beaches, or keep heading west onward to Kimba to check out the Gawler Ranges.
East Coast Eyre Peninsula
Whyalla
The Best Places to visit in Whyalla is:
– Ada Ryan Gardens
-Whyalla Wetlands
-Hummock Hill Lookout
-Whyalla marina, Certain times in the day s they follow the fishing boats into shore and you can spot the local bottlenose dolphins.
-Point Lowly Lighthouse
-Fitzgerald Bay Trail
-Whyalla Conservation Park
Low cost Campground
Located in Whyalla is Weerona Football oval. Although there is no portable water or dump point available at the campground it is located at jubilee park 5 minutes from the camp. It offers unpowered camping for self sufficient caravans and motorhomes. No camper trailers, Tents. There is toilets available, washing lines around the camp and pets are permitted. Maximum of 7 days stay. It cost $10 per night
Cowell
Places to Visit:
– Mangrove Trail
– Cowell Rv Park. Camping for self sufficient motorhomes and caravans with own toilet facilities. Pets are permitted, there is also water and picnic facilities.
Arno Bay
Places to see:
-Turnball Boardwalk, The boardwalk is on wiki camps. But if you dont have wiki camps you will find it at the end of the road near Arno Bay Lookout and marina. The trail isnt signed but you follow a gravel trail which leads to the coastal boardwalk.
– Mangrove Trail
Port Neil
Port neil is a small beachside town. We stop by and visited Lipson cove and Carrow Wells donation campground. The camp has long drop toilets and rubbish bins. You can get portable water in Por Neil, there is also a dump point.
Carrow Well Campground
Is located about 3km down North Coast Road in Port Neil. It is a donation campground for all campers. It is located right on the beach, although has no facilities except for a bush dunny and 1 rubbish bin.
Tumby Bay
This cute little seaside town has made a name for itself due to the colorful murals that can be found all over town. You can find these colourful murals everywhere – on the silos, shop walls in town, even the rotunda on the beach is covered in a painting. Tumby Bay also has some fantastic free camping sites.
Make sure you visit the Tumby bay mangrove boardwalk and the silo art.
Rv Campground
We stayed at the fully self-contained campground just 2km from the town. There is a great trail leading straight into town. There is a dump point, Portable water and rubbish bins. The camp ground is $7.50 per night or 4 nights for $15.
If you aren’t fully self contain you can head out to Red cliff free campground which is located 15km 15 minutes from Tumby Bay. The campground has no facilities and dog’s are allowed.
Port Lincoln
The one of the bigger towns along the Eyre Peninsula. Port Lincoln is also considered the Great White Shark capital of Australia, famous for their cage diving experiences with great white sharks, as well as amazing opportunities to swim with sea lions in their natural environment.
Best things to do:
-Parnkalla Trail
-Shelley Beach
-Fisher Bay
-Whalers way
Port Lincoln National Park
Port Lincoln National Park is accessible to 2WD and 4Wd and is located on the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula. The national park overlooks Boston Bay which is the largest natrual Harbour in Australia. It’s 15 minutes away from the town of Port Lincoln and a 7.5 hour drive from the state capital of Adelaide. There is a few places a 2WD won’t be able to visit but you can see most of the park. The main attraction in the National Park is Memory Cove which is 4WD accessible only. But with a 2WD head to Whalers Way. Which is located 20 minutes out of the National Park. Click Here for the best places to visit while in the National Park.
Top Places To Visit-
Donnington Loop Hike- This is a 12km loop around the tip of the National Park. You pass yachties beach, September beach, Donington Lighthouse and beach and Fisherman Point Beach. It’s a beautiful trail that takes about 3 hours to complete and is well worth the hike for the beautiful scenery. You follow the investigator trail all the way.
Surfleet Campground- The campground is based on Surfleet Cove. There also is a number of walking trails from the campground including the Surfleet Cove circuit.
Memory Cove- If you have a 4WD head out to memory cove.
McLaren Point loop
Fishery Bay
A beautiful beach just before Whalers Way, Fishery Bay is one of the beaches near Port Lincoln that you can drive your car on. It’s white sandy shores and crystal clear water. Also make sure to stop past Mary Ellis Wreck beach and sand dunes on the way back to Port Lincoln.
The Swimming Hole
Located in Whalers way at the end of the Eyre Peninsula near Port Lincoln. Is the swimming hole, It is quite a sketchy track down to the rock pool so make sure you take care when heading down the cliff.
