experience

FAR WEST COAST
TOWNS & DESTINATIONS

Click on the towns below to view further information

TOWN INFO

Ceduna is the last major town on the drive west to Perth across the iconic Nullarbor Plain and your first taste of South Australia’s Far West Coast. Explore Aboriginal artwork at Ceduna Arts or discover endangered Indigenous languages at the Far West Languages Centre. Go back in time at the National Trust Museum or watch ocean-going freighters at the deep sea port. Follow the coastal walking trail or four-wheel drive along Davenport Creek and Goog’s tracks. Drop a line in Ceduna’s countless fishing spots or tee off on the Nullarbor Links – the world’s longest golf course. Devour world-famous oysters and freshly-caught seafood at the local fish processors, hotel, cafes and even some caravan parks or at the renowned annual Oysterfest, then wash it down with a regional Eyre Peninsula wine…

TOWN INFO

Denial Bay boasts a rich European history, rewarding fishing and a flourishing oyster farming industry. In the limestone shores of Denial Bay discover historical remains of McKenzie’s Landing and the nearby pioneering homestead McKenzie Ruins. Fish or squid the crystal-clear waters or go crabbing for the abundant Blue Swimmer Crab. Visit local oyster farms, chat with passionate growers and tour the oyster nurseries, seeing how they’re grown and learning how to shuck an oyster. Top it all off by purchasing these Pacific Ocean beauties direct, before finding the perfect sandy patch in the bay to sip and savour the flavours. Find Denial Bay a ten minute drive west from Ceduna.

TOWN INFO

Make your way down the coastal track, as the beach approaches sand hills stretch tall and ramshackle beach shacks emerge. Fowlers Bay is less than two hours from Ceduna and brimming with breathtaking scenery, prolific fishing waters and Australian wildlife encounters. Embark on an oceanic mammal and birdlife eco-cruise or swim and play with sea lions off the coast of Point Fowlers. Spot whales from the esplanade observation deck or venture out on a guided sunrise or sunset kayak tour beside whales frolicking in the bay. When it comes to fishing, cast a line off the 300m town jetty, hop aboard a fishing charter or surf fish salmon Mecca of Scotts Beach. Head out on a hike along the pristine headlands or scale the nearby dunes, then enjoy lunch at the beachfront kiosk, soaking in beautiful views of the bay.

TOWN INFO

Head of Bight embodies rugged beauty and is one of the most contrasting, dramatic and isolated parts of Australia. The region is home to famed Bunda Cliffs – the longest continuous sea cliffs in the world and is an internationally renowned whale-watching spot – home to the most significant nursery ground for Southern Right Whales in the world. Follow a cliff-top boardwalk to viewing platforms at the Head of Bight Interpretive Centre or take an aerial tour over the Great Australian Bight Marine Park and watch whales and their calves frolic in the waters below. Witness awe-inspiring natural creation and nature encounters on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain, just three hours west from Ceduna.

TOWN INFO

Just a fifty minute drive west of Ceduna, Koonibba is one of the oldest Aboriginal communities in South Australia. Koonibba is home to a former Luthern Church Aboriginal Mission, handed back to the community in 1975. Journey to the Koonibba, learning of its mission past and visiting the remaining heritage-listed Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.  Meet Wirangu, Mirning and Kokatha peoples and hear Dreamtime stories at the rock hole. Gain insight into their heritage and culture through Aboriginal eyes.

TOWN INFO

Maralinga – a barren stretch of land in South Australia’s remote western desert is home to a former British nuclear test site now returned to its traditional owners, the Maralinga Tjarutja. You’ll find dusty roads, and ageing bitumen, surrounded by red desert earth dotted with old communication lines, ancient waterholes, waste burial pits and shards of twisted metal. Tour remains of the military village and airfield or stand in awe of ground zero, a disturbingly large test area, created by seven nuclear bomb detonations. Be surrounded by Indigenous, Australian and British atomic history only five hours drive from Ceduna or day trip with Chinta Air.

TOWN INFO

The Nullarbor Plain is home to one of South Australia’s most spectacular natural wonders and is the world’s largest semi-arid limestone karst landscape. The Nullarbor Plain covers 200000 square kilometres and stretches over 1100 kilometres from Norseman in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. The Nullarbor is around 25 million years old and is rich with Aboriginal history, heritage and culture. Spot abundant native wildlife and wildflowers across saltbush and bluebush-studded plateaus. Meet eccentric outback characters, visit historic homesteads and railway outposts or play the world’s longest golf course. Go whale watching along the clifftop lookouts or discover Aboriginal art in the Murrawijinie and Koonalda caves. Rest the night at the iconic Nullarbor Roadhouse or camp under endless starry skies along one of Australia’s greatest desert road journeys – the Nullarbor Plain.

TOWN INFO

Located forty-five minutes west of Ceduna, you’ll find a unique Australian skyline in the Wheatbelt settlement of Penong. Dozens of windmills are scattered throughout Penong; its trophy piece, a Comet windmill named Bruce, is the largest in Australia. Visit Paul Gravelle’s well-known surfboard factory where he hand shapes boards for the discerning customer or journey to the iconic surf mecca Cactus Beach. Marvel at Lake McDonnell, a super-high salt concentration resulting in serious intense colours, then spend the night camping at Catcus Beach campground listening to the waves rolling in…

TOWN INFO

There’s an unmistakable seaside charm about Smoky Bay. Less than an hour from Ceduna you’ll find a relaxed pace of living where the days seamlessly stretch before you. Bag out jetty fishing or take a boat out to explore the bay. Swim or relax in the emerald waters of Point Brown rock pools or surf the waves of St Mary’s Beach. Oyster farms produce top-quality Pacific oysters, renowned for their sweet ocean taste. Pick up a dozen at the general store or stop at the aquaculture park and buy direct from the producer. Top it off with an oyster farm tour and a lesson in how to shuck an oyster yourself. Get off the well-worn track and discover the ultimate coastal getaway.

TOWN INFO

Located at the south-eastern edge of the Great Australian Desert and eastern fringe of the Nullarbor Plain, Yalata Lands with its sandy plains, Mallee scrub and open woodland, covers over 450,000 hectares and spans approximately 150 kilometres of the Eyre Highway.

Popular for whale watching, camping, and fishing, Yalata provides many of the best natural dune camping areas, and some of the finest remote recreational surf fishing in Australia. Strict Permit system is in place for entry to the designated area, to preserve sacred sites and ensure recreational activities cause minimal impact to the Lands.

Yalata Community comprises of Anangu who speak Pitjantjatjara language, sharing a history of displacement, upheaval and survival. Yalata People have a deep connection with the Lands and commitment to Traditional lifestyles. Note, Yalata Community is closed to the public, and entry only permitted via a Permit system.