Streaky Bay

We leave Coffin Bay via their local Sunday market, and pick up some fresh vegetables at below local supermarket prices. Elliston is close to half way to Streaky Bay, and we take a break to view the magnificent coastline of Waterloo Bay before sharing a pie and a pastie in the local park. The take-away shop appears to be the only one in town, and is overrun by passing tourists, backpackers, and most likely patrons of the nearby caravan park. Like many of the coastal towns along the Eyre Peninsula, Elliston appears to be ideally located for a restful stay and a spot of fishing. For us, it’s on to Streaky Bay.

Streaky Bay Sunset

In hot and still weather we set up Matilda in the Streaky Bay Foreshore Tourist Park, which surpasses the Coffin Bay park in terms of fisherpersons, tinnies and larger boats. Groups turn up here at the same time every year to renew acquaintances for periods varying from two to six weeks. Others have even longer stays. The sites are obviously wide and deep to accommodate the van, the annex, the boat and the vehicle, and many of the 4WDs are equipped to carry the tinnie on the roof. No chance of a beachside site here, but even though our site is on the fence line, we are still only six rows from the bay coastline. The sites are on hard gravel, so hard that the owners lend us a drill with a 30cm long bit to predrill the ground where our shade cloth guy ropes will be pegged. Sat on the lawns next to the beach until the sun set and the midges took over.

Cape Labatt

Following a lazy day around the caravan park and a dark and stormy night (apologies to Edward Bulwer-Lytton), we explore Sceale Bay, Surfers Bay and Fishermans Paradise, the last being a collection of very newly built houses, old shacks and sheds in a neatly laid out estate with paved roads, as distinct from the unsealed roads providing access to these locations. From a constructed observation platform at Cape Labatt a colony of sealions can be seen on the rocks below where they are known to breed, nurse and generally bask.

Shingleback Lizard

Travelling the unsealed roads requires attention to shingleback lizards that are encountered frequently crossing the roads at their crawling pace. These creatures live alone, but reunite with the same partners during the mating seasons, and we avoid creating widows and widowers with careful driving.

Smooth Pool

To the west of the Streaky Bay township is Westall Way, a loop road (also unsealed) taking us to Smooth Pool, a group of protected rock pools with drive-onto beach, coloured rocks, and views of nearby High Cliff. Even on this relatively calm day the surf continually roars onto to the nearby reefs. Further on is Tractor Beach with its bush camping area ($5 per night per person) where the local district council has cut into the scrub to form individual camping sites suitable for tents, camper trailers and medium sized caravans, only a step from safe swimming in Corvisart Bay.

At the end of the day we partake of the $12 beef schnitzel, chips and gravy meal at the caravan park café.

That’s it. Time for a bourbon.