The Eyre Peninsula ticks all of the bins for an ocean-meets-outback journey.
The Eyre Peninsula is one in every of Australia’s hidden gems. Boasting among the county’s most beautiful seashores, wealthy First Nations tradition, world-famous seafood, plentiful wildlife, and beautiful outback landscapes drenched in thousands and thousands of years of historical past, the Eyre Peninsula may very well be the proper place in your subsequent Aussie journey. The better part? You received’t have to share the paths, seashores and views with throngs of vacationers.
Here are some prime picks of locations to go to, actions to do and native meals to eat once you go to the Eyre Peninsula.
1. Hit the seashore
The Eyre Peninsula is house to some cracking seashores. Think lengthy stretches of chalk-white sand and azure waters that beg you to take a dip. Compared to New South Wales and Queensland (taking a look at you, Bondi and Whitehaven), there’s not been an excessive amount of noise about South Australia’s seashores. Not but, anyway! Spend your days swimming and enjoyable in pure sea spas, exploring coastal trails and hidden caves, or having fun with the solitude of getting a complete seashore (virtually) to your self. Almonta Beach, Memory Cove and Perlubie Beach are a couple of favourites.
READ MORE: 10 MUST-VISIT BEACHES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
2. Explore Coffin Bay National Park
Coffin Bay National Park is a coastal playground the place you’ll discover white sandy bays, crystal clear shallows and wind-whipped dunes enclosed inside coastal bush. The park is teeming with native wildlife together with emus, kangaroos, fur seals and goannas. Reconnect with nature by lacing up your mountaineering boots for the 15-kilometre Oyster Walk, climb up the sand dunes for an unimaginable sundown or pop on a snorkel to find the park’s wealthy marine life.
3. See Australian sea lions
It’s not simply the views that’ll seize your consideration at Point Labatt. These headlands are house to the one everlasting colony of sea lions on mainland Australia. You can watch these inquisitive mammals hanging out and basking within the solar from the viewing platform. If you’re right here on the proper time, you may additionally see beautiful seal pups taking part in or studying the way to swim (birthing season alternates between mid-summer and mid-winter yearly). It’s value bringing a pair of binoculars if you wish to get a better look.
4. Feast on native meals
After exploring the distinctive arid crops and flowers at Arid Lands Botanic Garden, make your approach to the café to get pleasure from a native-inspired lunch. Many dishes on the menu are made utilizing herbs and seasonal produce from the gardens. For one thing savoury, tuck into the tasting platter that includes kangaroo mettwurst, quandong chutney, native-flavoured dukka and wattle seed damper. If you have got a candy tooth, you would possibly benefit from the lemon myrtle pancakes or home made scones topped with a beneficiant dollop of quandong jam. Yum.
READ MORE: 6 FIRST NATIONS BUSHFOODS YOU NEED TO TRY IN AUSTRALIA
5. Visit an oyster farmÂ
From king prawns to abalone and oysters, the wealthy waters alongside the Eyre Peninsula’s coast, often known as the ‘Seafood Frontier’, are recognized for producing a few of Australia’s best seafood. Now, you could possibly tuck into recent seafood at a restaurant, or you could possibly throw on a pair of waders and head out to an oyster farm with a neighborhood farmer. It doesn’t get more energizing than that! Not solely will you uncover among the secrets and techniques of what makes the Eyre Peninsula’s oysters so tasty, however you’ll additionally discover ways to shuck like a professional and check out what is going to most likely be the finest oysters of your life.
6. Explore Gawler Ranges National ParkÂ
If you need to get away from all of it, the Gawler Ranges are calling (no critically, it’s tremendous distant and telephone reception is sort of non-existent). These historic lands are cloaked in 1500 million years of historical past and have been house to the Barngarla, Kokatha and Wirangu individuals for over 30,000 years. Hike via rocky gorges and hearken to First Nations guides share Dreamtime tales, discover the massive salt lake or marvel at distinctive rock formations just like the Organ Pipes. The park additionally boasts a few of South Australia’s finest wildlife viewing alternatives together with emus, kangaroos, southern hairy-nosed wombats and the endangered yellow-footed rock wallaby.
7. Stay at Scotdesco Aboriginal Community Â
Learn concerning the wealthy historical past and tradition of the Wirangu individuals by spending two nights at Scotdesco Aboriginal Community in Bookabie. You’ll go to native Aboriginal artwork galleries, participate in cultural actions and be taught concerning the neighborhood’s distinctive lifestyle – together with the spectacular rainwater harvesting system which is the biggest of its form within the southern hemisphere. The neighborhood is totally reliant on rainwater and plans to be totally sustainable when their photo voltaic farm undertaking is full.
LEARN ABOUT FIRST NATIONS CULTURES ON OUR EYRE PENINSULA ADVENTURE
8. Drive alongside Watermelon AvenueÂ
It’s actually superb once you see the cotton sweet color of the salt lake popping in opposition to the turquoise ocean at Lake Macdonnell, or ‘Watermelon Avenue’ as locals name it. The color of the water is all due to salt-loving algae that feed off the salt and secrete purple pigments into the water. To expertise this pure marvel you’ll want to go to throughout the wetter months (winter via early spring) when there’s loads of water within the lake.Â
9. Visit the Wadlata Outback Centre
Imagine strolling via the mouth of an enormous Ripper Lizard and occurring an immersive sensory journey via time. Well, you are able to do simply that within the Wadlata Outback Centre’s ‘Tunnel of Time’. You’ll be taught concerning the historical past of the traditional lands surrounding Port Augusta, from how the Dreaming Serpent gouged out the gorges to create the Flinders Ranges to how the distinctive outback landscapes have developed over thousands and thousands of years. You’ll additionally get to hitch early explorers on their first hikes, go underground to the Olympic Dam Mine and a lot extra.
10. Visit Arts Ceduna
From the sun-drenched Gawler Ranges to the brilliant blue seascapes of the Great Australian Bight, it’s no marvel the Eyre Peninsula is such an enormous supply of inspiration for artists. The Ceduna Arts Centre is an Aboriginal-owned gallery the place you’ll discover beautiful art work by greater than 130 Aboriginal artists from the Far West Coast of South Australia. Supporting native artists is also the proper approach to take somewhat piece of the Eyre Peninsula house with you.
11. See the Tumby Bay artwork silos
These spectacular silos had been created by Argentinian road artist, Martin Ron and South Australian painter, Matt Gorrick. The duo had been impressed after watching locals soar off the Tumby Bay Jetty – a lot in order that Martin began becoming a member of in himself! It’s effectively value stopping by if you happen to’re travelling south in direction of Port Lincoln.
12. Marvel at Pildappa RockÂ
With the tallest and longest wave formations on the Eyre Peninsula, this mighty granite outcrop provides Western Australia‘s Wave Rock a run for its cash. Plus, there are approach fewer vacationers. Check out the spectacular gutter system created by the deep holes on the base of the rock, marvel on the shapes and hues or stroll to the highest to admire the sweeping views of the Gawler Ranges.
Curious to discover this a part of South Australia? Check out our Eyre Peninsula excursions.