The ultimate Eyre Peninsula Road Trip
A beautiful and diverse part of South Australia with hidden secrets around every corner! Welcome to the Eyre Peninsula. Here you’ll find beautiful pristine white beaches, rugged coastlines, red dust and dreamy pink lakes – all in one region.
In this blog, we’ll uncover the best kept secrets of the Eyre Peninsula, and tell you everything you need to know to plan your own trip to the Eyre Peninsula.
How to get to the Eyre Peninsula?
You’ll reach the Eyre Peninsula after a four hour drive from Adelaide to Port Augusta. At Port Augusta, you can decide which way you’d rather go. You can either follow the coast from Whyalla south towards Port Lincoln, or keep heading west via Kimba and Wudinna to visit the Gawler Ranges.
Alternatively, you can fly in at one of the three regional airports located in Whyalla, Port Lincoln and Ceduna and explore the Eyre Peninsula in a rental car.
Eyre Peninsula Map
The Eyre Peninsula is home to some of the most picturesque areas of South Australia, and planning ahead is a must if you want to access this area’s best kept secrets.
We’d highly recommend exploring the the Eyre Peninsula in a 4WD. The area is true paradise for 4WD enthusiasts, with rocky tracks, endless sand dunes and the whitest beaches to explore off the beaten track.
Whilst planning, it’s good to know that there are 5 subregions within the Eyre Peninsula. Below we’ve listed the 5 regions for you to help you plan your ultimate Eyre Peninsula Road Trip.
- Eastern Eyre Peninsula
- Southern Eyre Peninsula
- West Coast
- Gawler Ranges & Central Eyre Peninsula
- Far West & Nullarbor
You can download a map of Eyre Peninsula here.
Things To Do Eyre Peninsula
Eastern Eyre Peninsula
The Eastern Eyre Peninsula is home to charming coastal villages and local communities. You’ll drive through scenic farmland, explore the industrial city of Whyalla and in June and July you can swim with giant Australian cuttlefish in the Upper Spencer Gulf. A bucket list item for many!
You’ll find some beautiful bays in the Eastern Eyre Peninsula such as Lucky Bay and Arno Bay, where you can go fishing or enjoy any other water activities.
Southern Eyre Peninsula
The Southern Eyre Peninsula is famous for its seafood, but it’s so much more. Think pristine waters, idyllic beaches, beautiful bays and stunning National Parks. And if you explore this area with a 4WD, you’re in for a treat!
A full day of off-road adventures awaits in the Southern Eyre Peninsula’s National Parks. You can drive through the mind-blowing sand dunes of Lincoln National Park, be one of the lucky few that get the key to the picturesque Memory Cove, or explore Coffin Bay National park and make friends with the local wildlife at one of the many 4WD campgrounds.
Lincoln National Park – Sleaford/Wanna Track
This 4WD track is a spectacular drive filled with breathtaking views. The Sleaford-Wanna Track is a 3-4 hour track that will take you through stunning sand hills and limestone cliffs while you can constantly enjoy incredible beach views.
You can plan a full day of adventure. There are designated sandboarding areas in Lincoln National Park and Coffin Bay National Park. We hired our sandboards from Xtreme Kites and Paddle for the entire day.
Please remind that when you’re visiting Lincoln National Park and Coffin Bay, you’ll need a vehicle entry permit when entering the park. You can buy your permit here.
Memory Cove – Lincoln National Park
For a truly unique experience, Memory Cove is a must-visit.
Access to this slice of paradise is restricted to high-clearance 4WDs, and you’ll need to get a physical key from the Port Lincoln Visitors Centre to access this area.
Why is a key required to get to Memory Cove?
Memory Cove is a Wilderness Protection Area and access is limited to 15 vehicles per day. They’ve put the limitation in place to preserve its special wilderness qualities.
The 4WD track to Memory Cove takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. You can visit Memory Cove just for the day, or if you book well ahead, you can stay at one of the five campsites. Note that the campsites are only suitable for tents and off-road camper trailers (no caravans). Be sure to book a few weeks or even months in advance as these stunning campsites fill up quickly.
You can book your campsite and park entry permit here.
We’ve created a full guide to Memory Cove that includes everything you need to know. You can find the full blog here.
Coffin Bay & Coffin Bay National Park
Coffin Bay is famous for its Oyster Farm where you can slurp delicious oysters straight from the source. The area is surrounded by stunning bays and the beautiful Coffin Bay National Park. Spend your days relaxing at Little Douglas, Mount Dutton and Yangie Bays, where you might spot a pod of dolphins, seals and sea lions, or hang out with the local emu community.
This national park is known for its remote coastal scenery, picturesque bays, and friendly wildlife. The park is accessible for both 2WD and 4WD vehicles, with only the southern end accessible by 2WD. If you’re a 4WD enthusiast, you’ll quickly fall in love with Coffin Bay National Park! The park offers a variety of 4WD conditions from sand dunes, to narrow winding tracks and soft sands. A high-clearance 4WD is needed to reach the northern beaches, but you’ll find plenty of camping areas with easy beach access at Coffin Bay National Park.
You can easily spend a week at Coffin Bay National Park if you enjoy surfing, paddleboarding or fishing. Fishing is allowed in the marine park, but not in the 3three sanctuary zones. You can find more information here.
Book your campground and vehicle entry permit here.
West Coast
Explore the rugged coastline, stunning private bays and epic surf beaches at the West Coast of the Eyre Peninsula. This area is also one of the most insta-worthy regions in South Australia, with iconic spots such as:
- Cummings Monument
- Talia Caves
- Greenly Beach Rock Pool
- Murphy’s Haystack
Westwall Way Loop Drive
Don’t miss the Westwall Way Loop Scenic Drive when travelling through the Eyre Peninsula. It’s one of South Australia’s best-kept secrets! This 32 km loop drive is located about 10 kms south of Streaky Bay and it takes you past breathtaking locations like Smooth Pool, High Cliffs and Granites. Swim or snorkel in the rock pools of Smooth Pool, watch the surf or go for a swim in the picturesque lagoon of Granites. You can also stay overnight at Tractor Beach Campground.
Gawler Ranges & Central Eyre Peninsula
As you arrive in the Central Eyre Peninsula, you’ll encounter contrasting landscapes from open farmland to the untouched wilderness in Gawler Ranges National Park and charming country towns. Although this area has no coastline, it’s still worth a visit!
Far West & Nullarbor
If you’re travelling to or from Western Australia, you’ll pass the famous Bunda Cliffs and the Nullarbor. In this subregion you’ll find the stunning pink Lake MacDonnell, the famous surf beach Cactus Beach and Australia’s largest windmill museum in Penong. The Far West is also the best place to go whale watching in winter and to spot the majestic southern right whales.
What’s the best time to visit the Eyre Peninsula?
Choosing the best time to visit the Eyre Peninsula can be challenging.
Summer is great for water sports and swimming, but can get very hot and crowded due to school holidays.
Spring and autumn are ideal, with campfires allowed at several camps (from mid of April – just check fire restrictions before you go). The weather is still beautiful and generally smaller crowds, however, the water may be a bit chilly.
Eyre Peninsula Camping
You’ll find the most epic and amazing free camps in South Australia. We would also highly recommend you to book a campsite at the National Parks, as they often have easy beach access, 5-star locations and amenities.
Need more inspiration?
Check out our other free travel guides about South Australia here. Or find more inspiration for your Eyre Peninsula trip:
The content on Bush and Bay is based on our personal experiences and opinions. While we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date information, travel conditions and recommendations may change over time. We do not take responsibility for any decisions or actions made based on our content. Always conduct your own research and consult with professionals where necessary. Bush and Bay may earn a small commission from affiliate links, but this does not influence our reviews or recommendations. We only endorse products and places we have personally tested and believe in.
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