The Eyre Peninsula's coastal paradise

Swim with giant cuttlefish, Whyalla

Set your coordinates for Whyalla where an incredible natural phenomenon puts this historic seaside town on the map. The annual migration of Giant Australian Cuttlefish is one of the most spectacular events under the water - and is unique to South Australia. They congregate in the thousands off the coast every year between May and August to mate and spawn. Cuttlefish, often known as sea chameleons, change their colors and patterns wildly as they swim about, creating an underwater carnival that snorkelers and divers won't want to miss, and Pure SA or Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries have front-row seats to this spectacular color show.

Tumby Bay

The seaside hamlet of Tumby Bay, on the east coast of the Eyre Peninsula, is a living gallery inundated with a rainbow of street art. The town is a big canvas filled with art around every turn, from grain silos to the local motel. The most impressive masterpiece towers above the town; an epic silo art created by Argentinian street artist Martin Ron and South Australian painter Matt Gorrick. As well as being home to this incredible 30-metre-high silo artwork, street artists from across Australia and the world descend on Tumby Bay each April to paint the town red (and every other colour) for the Colour Tumby Bay Street Art Festival, brightening the town long after the paint brushes have been packed up.

Shark cage diving, Port Lincoln

Push yourself to the limit on a thrilling shark cage diving expedition off the coast of Port Lincoln, Australia's only spot where you may see great white sharks in their native habitat. Come face to face with these remarkable beasts on a full day boat excursion to regions normally unreachable with Calypso Star Charters or Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions. They may grow up to seven metres long and weigh more than 3000 kilos.

Lincoln National Park

From epic surfing swells to secluded coves, there are literally hundreds of spots to set-up beach tent and towel on the Eyre Peninsula, and some of the best spots away in Lincoln National Park. A short 15-minute drive from Port Lincoln, this coastal paradise lies centre-stage to some of the peninsula’s best beaches – including the unforgettable Memory Cove. With towering snow-white sand dunes, crystal clear lakes, and pristine bushland abounding with wildlife, this picturesque coastal playground is the perfect area to stop, stretch your legs, and soak up the sun for a day (or more).

Coffin Bay oysters

Just half an hour from Port Lincoln, pull-up in Coffin Bay, jump on-board an oyster boat, then chug out to the beautiful waters of Coffin Bay National Park on a Experience Coffin Bay. Enjoy the genuinely unique coastal panorama of the Eyre Peninsula as you travel 16 kilometers to the oyster lease, complete with local wine and freshly shucked oysters. Learn how oysters are cultivated, pick up a few tips, and then eat some of the world's best oysters fresh from the sea. If you want to stay on land, Oyster Farm Tours, located directly on the seafront, serves world-famous Eyre Peninsula oysters and local wine. Afterwards, throw on your bathers and head out to explore the national park, where pillowy sand dunes meet glassy waters brimming with fish and lush bushland teeming with animals.

Wine and dine, Port Lincoln

Hungry? Take a seat perched by the seaside and wine and dine in the heart of Australia’s seafood frontier. Here, you won't have to travel far for decadent dinner or long lunch featuring a stellar line-up of fresh seafood and local produce. Afterwards, visit Fumo 28 Oyster Bar and Seafood or 1802 Oyster Bar to continue your oyster feast. Snag a table with a view of the sea and dine on the best of South Australia's produce, including oysters from the waters outside your table. If you'd rather grab-and-go, stop by Port Lincoln's famous Fresh Fish Place, where you can pick up some famously fresh seafood and cook it up at home, or sit down at the cafe and eat local oysters, scallops, crayfish, crab, and fish. Pick up a pack of locally brewed craft beer or cider at Beer Garden Brewing to wash it down.

Baird Bay

Baird Bay’s beautiful clear waters make it the perfect pit-stop for a refreshing ocean dip with a few of the water-loving locals. Squeeze into a wet suit, slap on a snorkel spend the morning meeting and greeting playful sea lions and lightning-fast dolphins in crystal-clear Eyre Peninsula waters. The more active you are, the more they’ll want to play; duck, dive, roll and race – just don’t expect to be the star of the show.

Streaky Bay

Do you need to refuel while on the road? Streaky Bay's stunning craggy shoreline is absolutely overflowing with fresh seafood, from abalone, Spencer Gulf King Prawns, Moreton Bay Bugs, Blue Swimmer Crabs, and freshly shucked oysters. The Streaky Bay Fish Fix van, which offers up excellent old-fashioned fish and chips and a variety of freshly cooked, locally caught seafood just outside the Streaky Bay Marine Products plant, is one of the greatest ways to sample the local seafood supply. Once you’ve hit your seafood quota, take a dip in Streaky Bay’s famous turquoise waters or venture further and explore nearby attractions including Murphy’s Haystacks (Australia’s answer to Stonehenge), Talia Caves, and Yanerbie where you can surf down impressive sand dunes.

Lake Macdonnell

Continue along the coast to see one of South Australia's most photographed pink lakes, which has jaw-dropping magenta seas. With a super-high salt content resulting in some seriously strong pink colors, Mother Nature's full palette is on display in Lake MacDonnell on the Eyre Peninsula. Nature's strawberry milkshake pink lake, of course, has a rational explanation. The lakes' distinctive pink color comes from high salinity levels mixed with the presence of salt-loving algae and pink bacteria known as halobacteria. The salt is more concentrated and the color is brighter when there is less water in the lake. Afterwards, head down the road to Cactus Beach: an oceanic wonderland, drawing surfers from across the world to its powerful breaks and Southern Ocean swells.

Head of Bight

Taking a road vacation in the winter and spring? You're in for a spectacular natural performance! The migration of Southern Right Whales is one of the most awe-inspiring spectacles in the world, and one of the greatest places to witness these gentle 90-tonne titans of the sea is at Head of Bight on the Eyre Peninsula. Discover the world's most important nursery habitat for Southern Right Whales by traveling to the spectacular Nullarbor on the last stretch of the Seafood Frontier. Up to 100 whales can be seen in the waters of Head of Bight at any given time during whale season, with 170 whales, including 68 calves, travelling through these waters in 2018. Park at the Head of Bight Interpretive Centre and follow the cliff-top boardwalk to a viewing platform from where migrating whales can be seen in the deep blue waters below or join a tour with EP Cruises, Xplore Eyre, Chinta Air or Australian Coastal Safaris.

Credit: Tourism Australia, South Australian Tourism Commission, Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions and Goin’ Off Safaris / Fran Solly