Destination Coffin Bay, South Australia

In the realm of remote seaside delights, few places tick all the boxes like the southern national parks of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.

The sandy peninsula of the Coffin Bay National Park is a perfect example, pounded by the ocean along its rugged southern coastline while idyllic protected bays and campsites dot its northern shores. With sensational fishing, a foot-traffic-only wilderness area, sublime beaches, towering sand dunes, historic sites, and 4WD-only access, it confidently pitches for the top vote.

Both locations are winners in their own right, so rather than split hairs, we’ll give you the good oil on both, leaving you to make the final call.

A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY

As you pass through Port Lincoln, stop at the visitor information centre to grab the key and pay any camping fees. The wilderness area attracts a $10 premium per day over the other national park camping areas, confirming that peace and tranquillity do indeed come at a cost. Grab a copy of the Memory Cove self-guided drive map which describes the history and points of interest, ranging from the vegetation, walking tracks, viewing areas and surrounding islands. As in wilderness areas, generators, pets and fires are not permitted.

Take the right fork towards Wanna in the Lincoln National Park and before long you’ll find yourself meandering towards the Southern Ocean along the single-lane access track.

The landscape offers a little bit of everything, from tall coastal scrub to sparsely populated plains, with a few rolls in the horizon thrown in for good measure. For the most part, the track is reasonably smooth and doesn’t require 4WD, but there are a few slower sections and steep descents which could get slippery in inclement weather, thus the 4WD recommendation.

The campground is tucked into the tree cover and flows onto a wide beach overlooking a number of small islands. A plaque can be found on the foreshore commemorating the loss of eight crewmen from Matthew Flinders’ ship, Investigator, back in 1802. A landing party had been sent ashore further south in search of water, but a search party was deployed when they failed to return. Pieces of the boat were found on the shore the next day, but no bodies were ever recovered. Flinders named the area Cape Catastrophe and eight of the surrounding islands after his fallen crew.

There are plenty of other exploration options nearby. The Sleaford-Wanna Dunes 4WD track is a highlight and is readily accessed beyond the locked gate. The dunes open up to an expansive area, offering elevated views of the wind-sculpted dunes and rugged coastline. Markers guide your passage, although when we went through many were missing or knocked over and, with wheel tracks running in virtually every direction, navigation was a bit challenging at times. But in the absence of markers, just use some of the old common sense and you’ll eventually stumble back on track.

Beyond the dunes, the cliff-top track is laden with limestone outcrops, which makes it bumpy and slow. Still, the rewards are the amazing coastline vistas.

The other worthy day activity is Whalers Way, located further west and outside of the national park. Originally established as a flora and fauna reserve, the park extracts another $30 entrance fee and a $10 key deposit from the tourist office. As the name implies, the area was once a popular whaling area. There are a number of unique landmarks around the 14km self-drive circuit, although you might find it a bit familiar if you’ve already done the dunes drive.

NICE AND COSY

The camping areas in Coffin Bay are isolated from the township like those in Lincoln National Park, so make sure you’re fully stocked before entering the park. Good fishing is available at Gunyah Beach, not far from the self-registration station and entry point. Access is 4WD-only, negotiating around some tall dunes and following the now familiar route markers to the beach.

The bitumen peters out around Yangie Bay, a protected waterway on the northern side which boasts two camping areas. Make the effort to drop your tyre pressures here because the track quickly regresses to a single lane of deep, soft sand with limited areas to pull off the track.

It’s an entertaining drive, carving through the soft sand that at times runs perilously close to the water’s edge — check the tide times before travelling because there is evidence the tide can affect access. Forward vision is limited in some sections as the track dives through pockets of vegetation, so take it easy, particularly if you have a camper trailer or tinnie in tow.

Remote camping is available at Black Springs on Port Douglas Bay, Morgans Landing at the end of Seven Mile Beach, The Pool near Point Sir Isaac, and Sensation Beach.

The other campgrounds involve traversing Seven Mile Beach, which can only be passed at low tide due to the close proximity of the dunes to the water.

You will see plenty of wildlife around, in particular dolphins and mobs of ’roos and the emus that graze on the open plains and wander down to the beach.

Sensation Beach is another popular fishing / surf beach and provides spectacular views up the coastline to the Almonta Dunes. The adjacent Whidbey Wilderness Area is only accessible on foot and allows you to enjoy the riches of an unspoilt coastline. Matthew Flinders also once surveyed this section of coast, naming Point Sir Isaac after Sir Isaac Coffin, which also hints to the naming origins of the national park.

Until recently, Coffin Bay NP claimed the mantle of our favourite beachside destination in South Australia. That in itself is quite a big a call because the Limestone Coast in the state’s south-east is another of our favourite playgrounds, affording challenging sandy tracks with a relatively close proximity to Melbourne.

We only recently discovered the Lincoln NP, and Memory Cove in particular. Memory Cove arguably provides easier access, but still has plenty of adventure, whereas Coffin Bay NP is a little more challenging to get to, ploughing through the soft sand and managing the tidal influences.

But, at the end of the day, they both provide the ultimate remote beachside wilderness haven and will delight all who venture there.

FAST FACTS

• Entry into Lincoln NP is $11 per vehicle. Camping costs $8 per night, except for Memory Cove which costs $18 per night. Maximum stay at Memory Cove is three days.
• Entry into Coffin Bay NP is $10 per vehicle. Camping costs $8 per night.
• Call the Port Lincoln Visitor Information Centre on 1300 788 378 or visit www.visitportlincoln.net for more information on touring Eyre Peninsula.
• Call the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on (08) 8688 3111 or visit www.environment.sa.gov.au for information on camping in Eyre Peninsula, including visitor guides and a Memory Cove self-guided drive map.

Published in TrailerBoat #293, April 2013.

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