Eyre Peninsula

Eyre Peninsula really is one of those hidden gems in the over scheme of travelling Oz. We spent three exceptional weeks there. We made a quick trip of getting to Whyalla as we had limited time off work. Normally we would plan a slower pace but time is of the essence. Windy Whyalla as the locals know it, didnt disappoint. The site we had at the caravan park was right on the beach but the wind was howling. My estimate, 50knots non stop...fortunately there were no gusts on top of that so we survived. Suffice it to say we chose the pub for dinner which was excellent and then a quiet night behind the shelter of the van. The next day saw still winds as we headed south after stocking up on supplies via Lucky Bay, Cowell and ultimately to a bush camping area at Point Gibbon where we overlooked the ocean for a few days. South Australia does there camp booking really well and for our entire trip we encountered no issues with pre-booked sites being unavailable. From here we headed onward to Lincoln National Park via a night at the camp grounds at Lipson Cove and lunch the next day at the unmissable Tumby Bay. Make sure you visit the bakery. Port Lincoln is a great town with lots of facilities including Bunnings and BCF for the obligatory last minute important items such as Bushmans! Believe me, you need it. We had pre-booked a site at Fishermans Pt in the National Park and our campsite, No 8, was fantastic. Protected from others, a view over the bay and a private and sheltered fire pit. The amenities at the park are incredible and are cleaned on a daily basis; seriously, better than some caravan parks I have stayed at. Of course we enjoyed the constant hassle of wasps and flies but after a day or so we became used to their nuisance. There is an entrance to the beach just round the corner from the camp grounds however we recommend caution because whilst it is driveable, it does get soft and the inexperienced will get unstuck. We did take a day to explore the national park and in particular had a really enjoyable day on the Sleaford Wanna track, stopping at the lookout at Wanna for lunch. Great fun drive and spectacular views and landscapes. You can easily do this track on your own, just be mindful of tyre pressures. It really is a must not miss item in Lincoln National Park. We did move on to September Beach Campground for an night which had excellent access to the beach however the campground itself wasnt quite as inviting as Fishermans Point. After a quick re-stock in Port Lincoln...it turns out 1 Litre bottles of Grey Goose dont last as long as you might hope, we headed west for Coffin Bay National Park and what a wonderful spot Coffin Bay is. We parked up at Yangie Bay campground and had once again selected a fantastic spot right on the waters edge. Noticeably less wasps, less flies and less snakes which made us both significantly happier. There is lots to explore in the national park with another excellent drive which takes you all around the park; we went as far as Morgans Landing but you can extend your drive if you want to. What was such a joy to see was the number of Emu's in the park and in fact in the township itself. Emus, seem to have made Coffin Bay and the national park home. We tried both of the seafood restaurants in Coffin Bay and whilst not cheap, they are absolutely worth a visit. We are not Oyster fans but the rest of the seafood on offer was excellent. Time to head north and after a one night camp at the spectacular Sharinga Beach we headed to Elliston. We had Sharinga Beach to ourselves and honestly the way the sites had been mapped out, and the baroness of the place brought memories of the movie Martian. We needed a caravan park for washing duties and chose Elliston Caravan Park which turned out to be gem. Grassed sites, excellent facilities and more importantly a local fisherman came in the evening and cooked up freshly caught fish and chips. Awesome and unexpected treat. Time permitting, and if we had brought our clubs, a game at the Elliston Golf Club might have been interesting...have a look for yourselves. Leaving Elliston, about 20k's up the road you will come across a very small, but absolutely worthwhile stop at Colston Bakehouse. Honestly, you wont regret spending your hard earned here, the fruit buns are just amazing. We explored the rest of the coastline on our way up to Streaky Bay where we stayed at the local Caravan Park on the beach. Streaky Bay is a nice place but we had booked four days here and to be honest, its too long; there isnt much to see or do and although its a pretty spot, even getting Barry the Boat our was more of a chore given the shallow waters. We did do the obligatory tourist things like visiting Murphy's Haystacks and a slow drive on Westall Way Loop. We also took a look at Perlubie Beach but didnt camp there as it was full to overflowing. Might be fun for a night or two to say you have done it but, we wont lose sleep over not getting a chance on this trip. As we headed home from Streaky Bay, we diverted via the southern Flinders Ranges...But thats for a different day.