Introduction
Big skies, sparkling seas and vast unspoilt space make the Eyre Peninsula a joy to spend time in, and that's without the extra delight of the region being something of a seafood frontier. Every variety of shellfish and finfish is here to be sampled alongside fine wine, and with more than 2,000 kilometres of coastline to choose from, the chances of finding a deserted beach on which to enjoy them is high indeed.
Sheltered coves, secluded bays and stunning cliffs break up the beaches and provide great spots for fishing, snorkelling, swimming with giant cuttlefish and spotting southern right whales on their annual migration. Inland, life is just as riveting, with arid desert plains, golden fields of grain, bright white salt lakes, mysterious caves, national parks and the wilder parts of the Gawler Ranges to explore.
Port Lincoln is known as the ‘tuna capital of the world' and as the ‘seafood capital of Australia'. It could have been the real capital of South Australia, but a lack of fresh water put paid to that. Fish in all its forms is a big part of commercial and recreational life here. The marina development of Lincoln Cove is home to the tuna fishing fleets of the Great Australian Bight, and there are plenty of jetties and rock formations for keen fishermen to cast their lines from.
Alternatively, dive in and swim with giant tuna, or take a cage dive to see great white sharks up close. On land and in town there are numerous galleries and museums to explore, or walking trails to follow through the Glen-Forest Tourist Park, where kangaroos, koalas and wombats can be seen.
Lincoln National Park is a treasure too, boasting a scenic coastline, the vast Sleaford-Wanna sand dune system, and the beautiful Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area. It's a lovely place for boating, beachcombing, swimming and wildlife spotting - look out for the sea lions and seals that haul up on the coast to rest, the southern right whales that are occasionally sighted from the park, and the dolphins that are frequently seen close to the shore.
Spread over 77,000 square miles, the sunburned expanse of the Nullabor is characterised by an absence of trees (hence the name, from the Latin Nullus and Arbor). Trees may be missing, but there are plenty of caves and karst landforms to marvel at. The sheer size of the region is a challenge waiting to be conquered - for many Australians, ‘crossing the Nullabor' is a quintessential experience of the Australian Outback and stickers on vehicles in varying sates of repair saying "I have crossed the Nullabor" are not an uncommon sight. The Nullabor Roadhouse - which includes a motel, restaurant and caravan park and sits adjacent to the historic Nullabor Homestead - is the access point for adventures amid this extraordinary landscape.
The Gawler Ranges National Park is a showcase of simply stunning and surreal scenery, full of natural sculptures created by volcanic activity millions of years ago. Perhaps the most striking sight is the dramatic ‘Organ Pipes' - hexagonal columns twisting up out of the ochre earth - but there are plenty of ancient rock formations to marvel at here, set against a backdrop of rocky gorges and rugged hills. The hills are alive with the sounds of Major Mitchell's (pink cockatoos), scarlet-breasted parrots and hairy-nosed wombats, and home to numerous more species, as well as the heritage sites of Old Paney Homestead (one of the oldest pastoral holdings in the region), Policeman's Point and the Pondanna farm precinct.
There are also several sites of Aboriginal significance, including archaeological and burial sites. The park provides fantastic opportunities for sightseeing, photography, touring by 4x4 and remote bush camping.
