THE BRINY
But there is much more to this thriving hub
than just tuna. The productive waters also
produce large volumes of other fare, including:
whiting, snapper, crayfish, calamari, abalone,
oysters, mussels, crabs and deep sea trawl
species. What isn’t netted, hooked or gathered,
is farmed in large scale aquaculture set-ups,
using progressive techniques to cultivate
speciessuchasyellowtailkingfish,aswellas
the bluefin.
All things considered, Port Lincoln has a
genuine claim to being the seafood capital of
Australia. It's a huge working port servicing a
wide region of the Eyre Peninsula.CAMPING OPTIONS
Port Lincoln is a tease for any keen camper
who happens to have a tinge of salt water in
their veins. There are miles and miles of pristine
white sandy beaches, rugged coastline, crystal
clear fertile waters, inshore reefs, islands andEyre Peninsula sunsets pair well with a freshly caught seafood dinner
COFFIN BAY
Only a brief 44km west from Port Lincoln is the beautiful
Coffin Bay. If you like oysters you'll be in paradise — but
there’s much more to this small coastal community than
just the seafood. Coffin Bay is surrounded by sea and
national parks with magnificent rugged coastline and
a large protected estuary that’s not only popular with
campers but offers terrific fishing, sailing, swimming,
kayaking, waterskiing and SCUBA diving in pristine calm,
clear waters. The bird watching and other terrestrial
fauna opportunities are endless with walking trails
offering plenty of native wildlife, while on the coastal
fringes you will often be treated to sightings of dolphins,
sea lions, fur seals and a plethora of marine species.
Coffin Bay offers a mix of caravan park and camping
alternatives, both in the township proper and in the large
Coffin Bay National Park.
For visitor information, visit coffinbay.net or view
the Coffin Bay Visitor GuidePORT AUGUSTA TO PORT LINCOLN
If you are coming from the eastern states, don’t
underestimate the drive from Port Augusta to Port
Lincoln. To race straight through will take about four
hours, whereas, to explore it properly would take me four
months! It’s a beautiful drive through arid, yet strikingly
beautiful countryside bordered by the magnificent
coastline of the Spencer Gulf. There’s the large industrial
city of Whyalla and the small coastal town of Arno Bay
that are both famous for their snapper fishing. The coast
is smattered with parks and coastal reserves and almost
every track heading east off the Lincoln Highway will
reveal a hidden coastal gem.
The small township of Cowell is around half way
down the peninsula. It has a huge expanse of enclosed
waterways with only a small entrance into the gulf. It’s
another of those small coastal communities steeped in
both mining and maritime history where you could visit
for a day, a night, or stay forever.
The beautiful Tumby Bay is the last major town
along the Lincoln Highway before Port Lincoln. If you
can imagine your ideal coastal holiday destination, it
may look something like Tumby Bay. It really has the
works, including a terrific climate similar to Sydney but
drawing less humidity due to its arid surroundings. It's a
town that provides a full range of facilities for travellers
with its crystal clear offshore waters, wonderful
architecture, beautiful tree-lined foreshore, excellent
swimming, fishing, sailing and boating as well as excellent
bushwalking, bird watching, trails, lookouts, museums
and galleries. Tumby Bay's jetty is also home to a healthy
sea dragon colony and is one of South Australia’s most
famous dive spots.ADVENTUREShrna ntureCOFFIN BAY AND LINCOLN
NATIONAL PARKS
Experience some of the
country’s finest coastal scenery
in the huge Coffin Bay and Lincoln National Parks. There
are tracks and 4x4 adventures suitable for beginners right
through to extreme sand, rock and beach trails. The locals
warn clearly to travel in tandem with another vehicle and
that, “the tides can be huge here and getting stuck on a beach
is not an option”. Fair warning.
Lincoln National Park is just 13km southwest of Port
Lincoln, but you'll need to pick up a permit and gate key from
the Port Lincoln Visitor Information Centre. First stop is often
Memory Cove, then beach 4x4 driving to the Sleaford Wanna
Dunes and back across to the Whalers Way access road.
Whalers Way takes you talong huge sand dunes to the
southernmost tip of the Eyre Peninsula. Hema quotes, “The
most exciting drive in the area is to Point Sir Isaac along Seven
Mile Beach in Coffin Bay National Park, but it's one that must
be undertaken with all due diligence. It's a six-hour return trip
from the park entrance and you'll need to coincide the drives
with low tide, as high tides often come right up the beach and
the only escape routes are the entry and exit points. The sand
is also extremely soft and usually pretty chopped up but it's
well worth it, with some spectacularly rugged coastal views at
the tip of the point”.
Camping fees for one night at Whalers Way is $25, with
further camping available at $5 per night. Camping in the
Lincoln National Park includes Yangie Bay, Black Springs,
Morgans Landing, Big Yangie and The Pool.