What a lovely place … so much so we are here for the weekend. Rode to Port Hughes only 3km and a jetty. The town of Moonta is worth another look with a rustic look to it. The coast is amazing and an electric sunset.

‘We can do this Johnny, sleeping under the stars … no one around in our little bush camp.’ All packed up and the car doesn’t start … the jump start battery certainly came in handy.

Off we go … headed for Port Germein … the top of the Spencer Gulf. And of course there is a Jetty but this is special … it was the longest wooden Jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. ‘I s’pose you want to walk it, Susie? … I think that was a rhetorical question. A good 3km return walk.

We are on the Yorke Penninsula and the Copper Coast.

How many jetties can you see in a day? Driving down the coast and popping into the little coastal towns for a squiz.

Port Germein, Port Broughton, Walleroo and our destination, Moonta Bay … and in the distance I can see Port Hughes jetty – that will be a bike ride tomorrow.

Walleroo is where the car ferry leaves/starts for the Lucky Bay, Eyre Penninsula … a 2 hour ferry crossing to save going around the top.

We are all set up in the big tent … it was going to be a one night stay but I made an executive decision when I saw that we are only metres from the beach and 500m from the jetty and the start of the ‘Walk the Yorke’ trail.

Goodness John, look at the water slides in that play area … wow!!, how much water has it dumped … fancy being under that!! A free small water park … wouldn’t the grandies just love that.

Jetties, beaches and bush …

Working our way north popping into coastal towns. It’s a little windy at Port Neil, a freshly caught squid on the jetty by a man and a young boy. The sun glistens in the water as it breaks through the clouds. A bit too cool to consider a swim.

Arno Beach is the next stop. This was rated in the top 10 as SA’s best beaches, not today. The sand did have a squeak to it. There is large mounds of seaweed heaped on the beach and in the water. On the jetty, there are a couple fishers feeling the cold in their track suits. after a conversation, they say that before the last 3 windy days, the beach was pristine (such a shame). They said to try Red Banks Beach.

True to their word, Red Banks Beach was delightful, lovely white firm sand with interesting red rocks.

A small marina at Cowell, the carpark with about 6 tractors with trailers, it wasn’t long before we realised the oyster farmers come in here with the oysters, boat and all, process near by then return them back to the farms. A great water playground with waterslides for kids … just part of a park.

A quick look at Whyalla, another Jetty (with a difference) this is circular. The beach ‘long’ low tide and it would probably be 500m before you got your toes wet. We have committed to a bush/farm stay at the foot of the Flinders Ranges, otherwise I’d be right in there.

‘Do you want a site in the caravan park or a bush site?’ … we are all set up in a bush site under a huge gum tree. No one around … just the birds. We don’t have the fly on the tent … sleeping under the stars.

They have won medals for their dorper lamb here … we have some for dinner tonight.

What time is it … I ask as we start putting up the little tent … then almost done … how long did that take?  … ’20 minutes’ says John, we laugh … from the moment we met everything was 20 minutes.  How long will it take to get to xyz?  20 minutes was always the reply.  I think he was always 20 minutes late too … I quickly changed that!!!

Only 40km to Tumby Bay!!  … what was I thinking. I could have ridden.

A beautiful calm morning, the wind has gone.  Before we shut the doors, we are there. 

At last some silo art as we approach Tumby, nice set up under a pink flowering gum, it’s nice to hear the New Holland Honeyeaters chittering away, pink blossom on the tent.

Originally, it was a 2 night stay … we have changed our mind … 1 night is enough.  Lots to do but with our bikes we have it covered in a couple of hours.

The mangrove walk; coastal walk; street art.  ✅️✅️✅️

We are off to see the Jingo Brothers at the local pub tonight … Steady Eddy … yep the real Steady Eddie.

Great night out.

That is a ‘real’ cream bun … I haven’t seen one since last time in the east. They just don’t make them in the west … remember those huge ones in Wilmington when we drove through Horrocks Pass and it was freezing cold it must have been 1981.

A very windy night and the tent survived.

A stroll along the foreshore in town along the Parnkalla Trail. Nice grassed areas, the locals getting back to their routine after a weekend and off on their power walk/stroll with a friend, men and women alike.

A walk along Delta Proude’s Jetty … nobody would be game to throw a line … it’s extremely windy.  As with most towns along the Penninsula there is a netted off area for swimming: this is the most impressive so far. 

It’s Monday and all happening down at Brennen’s Wharf, only about 500m from the city hub.  Road trains lined up to empty the grain into silos, the trail takes us within meters of the action as the grain dust blows our way.

100m further, a fishing boat has docked and all hands on and off deck as the boat is unloaded with the catch.  Bags of ice are poured in tubs full of seafood, they are wrapped in plastic,  labelled and sit by the refrigerator truck for loading.  These look like they are on the way to Melbourne. All in front of our eyes.

A nice coffee and vanilla slice and cream bun to share … I committed to share today … very unusual for me, haha. I think we chose the right place; it seemed to be patroned by locals, mums and bubs; seniors catch ups and all ages in between.

We make some minor adjustments to our set-up in camp with a trip to Bunnings and get some guy ropes with runner and trace springs … I’m getting more like my Dad. The awning is much more stable, although the wind has dropped a little.

To the Marina Hotel for dinner … lovely views and meal.

When the smallest things excite you … we succumbed to K-Mart yesterday and bought a $1 dustpan and brush … joy!!

A drizzly morning; a good time to explore the National Park.  It’s a Sunday and the Information Centre is open a great shopping strip on the foreshore bustling with people at the many cafes tucking into breakfast. A different scene today as the leggings and jumpers are out. We find a french patisserie and indulge. There is also an Arts and Crafts market in the Civic Centre … It’s all happening here on a Sunday.

The drizzle stops as we drive stopping at bays and beaches through the National Park. It’s cloudy with glimpses of sun and windy, however, depending on which side of the Penninsula you are at.

Not to forget the hike to the lookout of the Matthew Flinders Memorial with stunning 360° views.

A short ride to the Marina via the Parnkalla Trail, many wrong turns indicative of a marina’s maze of roads and waterways. We finally found the large fleet of fishing boats and the Marina Hotel, ‘Do you want a drink?’, ‘Yeah, why not’ seated on the boardwalk with lovely views … $10 … 2 drinks … it must be happy hour!! John was very happy!!!

Port Lincoln is the largest commercial fishing fleet in the Southern Hemisphere; with prawn, tuna, mussel, and lobster boats docked in the Marina. I wonder what this place would be like at 4am? … I don’t think I’ll ever know somehow.

It’s got really windy so much so that the awning comes down for tonight … John will have fun in the night when he gets up, trying to navigate the multiple zippers to get out of the tent 🤣🤣🤣

A short 40km drive to Port Lincoln but first we need to go to Almonta Beach, the lady in the caravan park said it was the best in Australia, according to her. Well the morning is perfect, no wind. Through the National Park with amazing views of the coastline. The last 500m was a rocky track, ‘watch that hole!!!’

‘OMG … this is beautiful’, as we head over the sand hill and see the most amazing … long!!! … beach. ‘I might just wet my feet’ says John, within five minutes we are both submerged in the crystal clear water.

True to her word … it is a very impressive beach.

Another wow moment as we head over a hill to see Pt Lincoln … the blue water and islands/penninsula ahead.

Oh no!, a roundabout; K-Mart, traffic lights – get me out of here!! The direction to the caravan park takes us out of the ‘hub’, and we are overlooking the bay with beautiful views … we’ll probably get blown away tonight.

I have carried these Aldi pots around and never used them, voila! Quietly John is shaking his head as we go into a fish retailer, I walk out with fresh King George Whiting fillets and shelled prawns. ‘Okay, John, we can pan fry the fish and add garlic to the prawns’

After a coastal walk, to the camp kitchen … pretty nice dinner if I say so myself.

A great day … easy to pack up and a hot day.  A short 140km to Coffin Bay the reviews are amazing; best of the Penninsula in terms of beaches and oysters.

On the way we pass some drystone walling …

An oyster tour … this will be interesting … we don the waders the deeper we go in the water … ‘oh!! I’m getting a wedgie’ the water pressure.  We are at a pontoon, learning about the region and oysters, how to shuck and to eat.  Surprisingly they were pretty nice.

Out of the waders and on shore it’s very hot so off to a beach … you got it … it’s called Long Beach, not sure how it got its name.  It is ‘long’ but also a ‘long’ way to get to deep water.  It was lovely and refreshing, crystal clear.

It’s better on a bike …

Lovely day with a short 20km ride to see the Cliff Top Drive sculptures.  An attraction to the town.  We meander along the limestone roads with majestic views. Every few hundred metres, another sculpture to keep the tourists entertained. A table and chairs with shelter at one site.  Was this put there for the surfies? It looks like a popular surfing break. A lone surfer relaxing at the table; about 5 others way below waiting for their wave.  2 dogs eager for us and others to throw a stick placed strategically at our feet.  They must belong to the surfers. One surfer scrambles up the rocks how they get up, who knows, he’s probably been up and down these rocks for years.

Another sculpture, time to eat the vanilla slice we’d bought at the bakery, we sit on the edge of a cliff long enough to see a sea lion playing in the waters below.

Another short ride and swim at Little Bay, just minutes away from where we are camped.

Lost in Translation ... 

'This holiday I want to go slow so we can see all the beaches along the way', she said.  

'Why are we being overtaken by a caravan?'  
 
'We have all day'  he said.  

But you don't have to drive sooo slow. 

There are many ‘best $ I’ve spent’ moments … another is a gift for John … screw in tent pegs … I have claimed them … give a girl a drill!

A lovely day today exploring the rugged coastline as we head to Elliston.

Our first stop at Murphy’s Haystacks, out in a paddock are huge granite boulders.

Off to Port Kenny a very short jetty on Venus Bay and nothing much else, the hotel has a claim to fame with great meals and prices.

The South Head Walking Trail, at Venus Bay, great views of the coastline of bay and ocean. The crystal clear waters still blow me away.

Talia Caves, walking on large granite rocks, rock pools and the roaring waves.

Colten Bakehouse renowned for sticky buns and bread baked in a scottish wood fired oven. It operates via a roadside cash only honesty system, we were lucky to get some buns … bread was sold out. The best about this place is the reviews on Wikicamps. The buns were pretty good too .

Off to Elliston for 2 nights, a grassed site easy up for tent, no wind today.

We go to the jetty on the changing of the guards … the afternoon fishers are just walking out at 7pm and we are alone, ‘That was a dog barking, John? He turned around to see a sea lion poke it’s head up and look at us. He swims around, attracting our attention for a while, then evening fishers start to arrive, picking their ‘spot’ on the jetty.

What a great day … a lot cooler here and no wind … the tent will be much more comfortable tonight.