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Eyre Peninsula Holiday Destinations & Towns
South Australia
CACTUS
BEACH
Situated
twenty-one kilometres
south of Penong is the
real surfers' paradise.
Cactus Beach attracts
surfers from around
the world. Although
the surrounding land
is private property,
camping is permitted
by the owner, telephone
(08) 86251 036.
CEDUNA
Population:
2877
Set on the attractive
shores of Murat Bay,
Ceduna is the ideal
point to rest and reflect
on the rest of your
journey.
Most travellers choose
Ceduna as a stopover
after crossing the
Nullabor Plain from
the West or arriving
from Adelaide en route
to Western Australia,
In fact the town's
name derives from
an Aboriginal word
"chedoona",
meaning "a resting
place" which
was next to a waterhole
two kilometres from
town.
There are plenty of
modern waterholes
today, with several
motels and caravan
parks to choose from
whilst Ceduna's blue
skies and fine climate
perfectlIy suit watersports
or lazy beach days.
Murat Bay, named in
1802 by French explorer
Nicholas Baudin, has
barbecue facilities
set on a lawned foreshore.
Ceduna's original
settlement was at
Denial Bay, twelve
kilometres west, where
provisions were unloaded
from ships and brought
ashore at low tide
on wagons. Some local
ruins remain. Locally
grown Denial Bay oysters
can be purchased from
the Oyster Farm.
Fishing or touring
trips to the local
bays are very popular
and four wheel drive
or helicopter tours
along the coast or
inland can bring encounters
with whales or the
wildlife and landscape
of the Nullarbor.
CLEVE
Population:
809
Scottish brothers
DrJames, Donald and
Peter McKechnie established
a sheep station here
in 1853 and the settlement
has since grown into
a prime farming community.
A scenic drive along
the Cleve escarpment
towards Cowell Hills
offers imposing views
and glimpses of wildlife,
while a day trip towards
the Darke Range encounters
the grave of explorer
John Darke, who was
buried where he died
in 1844 of Aboriginal
spear wounds.
COFFIN
BAY
Population:
341
Situated on one
of Australia's most
beautiful estuaries,
Coffin Bay offers a
scenic smorgasboard
of unspoilt inlets.
bays and vast waterways
perfect for fishing
or family holidays.
Whilst named by explorer
Matthew Flinders after
his friend Sir Isaac
Coffin. the many tragic
shipwrecks along the
rugged coastline might
have seemed the obvious
origin. The exposed
jagged cliffs and
wild seas contrast
with the sheltered
gentle waters of the
bays themselves.
Watersports of all
types are very popular
here and all necessary
facilities are provided,
including mooring
grounds and marinas.
Apart from the natural
beauty of the area,
wildlife, birdlife
and wildflowers are
just some of the other
attractions.
COWELL
Population:
692
Cowell is literally
a gem of a place. Famed
as Australia's only
commercial jade mining
site, the town is home
to the rare black jade
as well as green jades
and fine marble .
The unique markings
of the stones are
found in some of the
world's largest deposits,
formed during intense
movements and re-
crystallization within
the earth's crust
around 1700 million
years ago.
Anglers, beach-lovers
and boaties find other
reasons for a visit,
with Entrance Island
and Franklin Harbour
providing a host of
water and beach-based
activities. Point
Price Sandhills offers
white dunes and surfing,
while Lucky Bay has
a safe swimming beach
for children, plus
other amenities.
ELLISTON
Population:
209
This popular resort
sits on the shores of
Waterloo Bay, flanked
by ruggedly beautiful
cliffs and a spectacular
coastline.
Named in 1878 after
Ellen Listen, a governess,
the town provides
memorable coastal
walks, caverns to
explore, dazzling
white dunes, unspoilt
beaches and outstanding
fishing.
Several sheltered
bays are perfect for
swimming, sailing,
diving or water-skiing,
while "Blackfellows"
at Anxious Bay offers
one of Australia's
best surfing spots.
Nearby conservation
parks are the home
of kangaroo, emu and
the hairy nose wombat.
IRON
KNOB
Population:
331
Situated just off
the Eyre Highway this
is the 1894 birthplace
of the Australian steel
industry.
The town grew up between
the two main quarries
Iron Knob, and Iron
Maiden which supply
iron ore to the Whyalla
Steelworks. Fifty
two kilometres away
KIMBA
Population:795
The largest of the
central wheat belt
towns, Elimba is a
strong farming community
at the gateway to
the Gawler Ranges.
A large sign also
proclaims the town
as "halfway across
Australiala".
PORT
LINCOLN
Population:
11.552
Blessed with
one of the world's largest
and most attractive
natural harbours, Port
Lincoln has a fine climate
and first-class visitor
amenities .
Known locally as "Lincoln",
the home of Australia's
largest commercial
tuna fleet is renowned
for its seafood and
sparkling blue waters
which lap some of
the loveliest stretches
of coastline.
From Winter Hill Lookout
a 360 degree view
of the coast and country
shows the sheer diversity
and beauty of the
surrounding area.
Boston Bay played
host to intrepid Mathew
Flinders when his
ship HMS Investigator
dropped anchor in
February 1802. He
named the spot Port
Lincoln after ~his
native Lincolnshire
in England.
Port
Lincoln is on the
Eyres Peninsula, boarders
the north Eyres Highway, boasts Coffin
Bay National Park,
and Lincoln National
Park. Both parks provide
bird-watching, brush-walking,
and you can bush camp,
but do inquire locally
about safe swimming.
PORT
NEILL
Population:
510
With one of the
safest swimming beaches
for families, supported
by attractive lawns
and picnic areas, Port
Neill is a popular holiday
town. Visitors can get an
impressive introduction
to the area from Port
Neill Lookout, Wharminda
Soaks, a charming
picnic area twenty
kilometres west of
Port Neill is abundant
in wildflowers and
birdlife. STREAKY
BAY
Population:
992
This ruggedly beautiful
region is a haven for
the fishing industry,
with crayfish, abalone
and shark being the
main catch. Probably
one of the first "tourists"
was Dutch explorer Peter
Nuyts, who sailed past
in 1627 aboard his ship
Gulden Zeepard (Golden
Seahorse). Mathew Flinders
followed in 1802, naming
the bay after the bands
of colour in the water
made by seaweed. Overland
explorer Edward John
Eyre was more interested
in fresh water, setting
up a depot nearby in
1840. Today all the
modern comforts can
be found, plus a number
of historic buildings,
walks and rock formations
popular with photographers.
TUMBY
BAY
Population:
996
Once a thriving
port supplying Adelaide
with wool and grain,
Tumby Bay today plays
host not to the old
sailing ketches but
modern pleasure craft.
The Island Lookout rewards
visitors with a fine
panorama of town and
offshore islands.
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