Feast your eyes on beautiful beaches, cliffs, caves and landscapes, and then literally feast on gastronomic delights, like freshly caught seafood. Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, is a triangular piece of coastal paradise. With 18 different communities, towns and cities, each offering their own take on culture, history, leisure, and adventure, there will be plenty to keep you interested.
Top 10 things to see and do
- Go UFO spotting, one just might take you for a ride! In 1988, the Knowles family claimed to have had the experience of their lives when an alleged UFO picked up their car as they drove along the Eyre Highway. Their car even had the marks to prove it…
- Explore the Nullarbor. You’ll be treated to some incredible views from the Bunda Cliffs, which take you abruptly from desolate desert landscape to spectacular ocean vista. Be sure to visit Nullarbor National Park and Regional Reserve to admire the many caves and blowholes.
- Head to Port Lincoln and dive with the Great White sharks. No – really! It’s the experience of a lifetime, not the end of your lifetime, as you’ll have a sturdy cage to protect you. Click here for more information.
- Wake up early to walk along a beach at sunrise. With 2000 kilometres of coastline to explore, you can have a completely different experience every morning. And with so many choices, you may have the beach to yourself.
- Indulge yourself. If you love seafood, your tastebuds will be in heaven with the huge variety of gastronomic delights available. Be sure to wash it down with a delicious local wine.
- Fishing, fishing and more fishing… whether you like to do it off a pier, shore, rowboat, or head out for some deep-sea fishing, you’ll think you’re in paradise. There are countless tours available, and you may find yourself holding proof of your big fish story, in the form of a giant Sampson fish, or Yellow Tail Kingfish – bring your own chiropractor on your holiday if you plan to reel in one of these monsters. Alternatively, pack the mayonnaise and some rolls, to enjoy your freshly caught Southern Bluefin Tuna.
- Visit Baird Bay for a swim with the sea lions and dolphins. Bring a waterproof camera, as you’ll want to capture these memories to show everyone back home.
- Take the kids to the Glen-Forest Tourist Park, where you can mingle with Australia’s favourite animals, as well as loads of farm animals, ostriches and camels. There are also plenty of baby animals for you to snuggle up with and feed.
- Explore the towns along the peninsula. You’ll find plenty of history, museums, galleries, and cultural attractions, which demonstrate the unique charms of each place.
- Learn about the Aboriginal culture of the area. The Eyre Peninsula has been inhabited for thousands of years, with some stories living on today with the locals. Be sure to check out one of their art galleries.
When to go
Eyre Peninsula is great year-round. In winter, you can enjoy walks along the beaches while listening to the crashing waves, and spend time exploring the galleries and museums of the towns. Summer, of course, brings out the swimmers and surfers, while autumn and spring offer pleasant temperatures to enjoy all of Eyre Peninsula’s attractions.
How to get there
There is a lot you’ll want to explore along the peninsula, so you’ll probably want some wheels. If you are from out of the state, you can choose to fly into Adelaide on one of the major carriers that operate from around the country daily, and then rent a car for a lovely drive. Alternatively, you can catch a regional flight from Adelaide and land in Ceduna, Port Lincoln, or Whyalla. If you prefer to go by road than air, there are also daily coach trips from Adelaide to the peninsula towns.
Accommodation
There are loads of great places to stay along the Eyre Peninsula. For example, you might like to try life in a waterfront shack at Proper Bay, or a pretty cottage with a fireplace in Port Lincoln, or maybe wake up to spectacular views from your beach house in Sceale Bay. These options and many more are available in the
TakeABreak® Eyre Peninsula listings.
Ideal length of visit
You’ll never want to leave this region, so allow yourself as much time as possible. If you live in South Australia, this region is also great for weekend short breaks – but you’ll want to take more than one.
Further information
Author
Kylie-Jane Degeling is a freelance writer who has lived in Adelaide, Yulara (Uluru), Alice Springs and Canberra, as well as five different countries throughout the world. After backpacking around Australia, she worked as a tour guide in Central Australia, before training for her Commercial Pilot License and working as a flight instructor, scenic flight and charter pilot. She later worked as a travelling IT trainer for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which involved spending time in each of their 16 District Offices around the country on a rotating basis.
Having experienced Australia as a backpacker, tour guide, pilot and business traveller, Kylie now enjoys family holidays with her husband Alex, and children Jezzy and Jordan. She says, “I have been lucky to see Australia from a variety of perspectives, and as a travel writer can use this experience to inspire others to find holidays they would
enjoy.”
Kylie currently works as a travel writer in addition to being a government writer and columnist for two parenting magazines.