We drove from Port Augusta to Ceduna with our 9-year-old Kidsetter and dog in tow. We passed through some iconic country locations during the journey. The first being Kimba. Known for being the gateway into the Gawler Ranges, we only made a pit stop at the infamous Big Galah to top up on supplies.
More and more silos around the country have become canvas for artists to create their master pieces. These silo murals are great ways to conceal what would normally be an unseemly sight. Kimba’s silo mural is outstanding.
Our next brief stop was at Wudinna to see the great ‘Australian Farmer’ granite sculpture. ‘Australian Farmer’ celebrates the spirit of Australian farming communities from pioneering days to the challenges of rural living today. It is a reflection of life, spirit and soul of the farming community.
Making our way through the Eyre Peninsula it was difficult to choose from the many stunning bay options to stop at along the way.
Between Elliston and Streaky Bay lie the quiet seaside holiday locations of Venus Bay. A small tourist town with a jetty and a community of holiday makers. A road behind the settlement climbs up to the nearby cliffs. The harbour at Venus Bay is quiet. Just over the hills to the south of the village are some of the most beautiful and dramatic cliffs on the Eyre Peninsula. The Venus Bay South Head Walking Trail is an ideal location for spotting Southern Right whales, dolphins, Australian sea lions and sea eagles.
Unfortunately, the weather was overcast for us, however we enjoyed soaking in the ambience of this peaceful holiday destination. We packed some sandwiches and ate them in the local park situated beside the ocean. Our Kidsetter feel in love with the park surfboard and admittedly it was difficult to retrieve him to make our way to our next destination.
Our next stop before we reached Ceduna was Streaky Bay. A quiet holiday town on a beautiful stretch of the Eyre Peninsula coastline.
Streaky Bay is an important, small service centre on the edge of the only safe, deep water harbour between Port Lincoln and King George Sound in Western Australia. While the town has a wonderfully casual, Mediterranean ambience its real attraction is that it is surrounded by some superb, unusual coastal scenery.
The beautiful Smooth Pool and huge white sand dunes on the Westall Way Scenic Drive; the sea lions lazing in the sun on the rocks below Point Labatt; the rugged cliffs and pristine, white beaches all help to make Streaky Bay a magnet for Kidsetter families alike.
Walking along the pier absorbing the charming town’s persona made it difficult to move on to our final destination.
After a leisurely drive we arrived at our Ceduna destination. A town in South Australia situated on the shores of Murat Bay on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula. The name Ceduna is a corruption of the local Aboriginal Wirangu word Chedoona and is said to mean a place to sit down and rest.
Ceduna is the only township of significance on the eastern side of the Great Australian Bight. Located 1208 km to the east of Norseman in Western Australia all that lies between the two towns are roadhouses which provide food, accommodation and fuel for travellers journeying across the Nullarbor Plain. In this sense Ceduna is very much the last easterly stop before entering the wastelands of the Nullarbor Plain and the vast flatlands which lie to the north of the Great Australian Bight.
A vibrant multicultural community with a significant Aboriginal population, it is the service centre for a rural area known for its agriculture. Ceduna is set amidst a patchwork of grain farms, natural bush and rugged rocky bays, secluded white sandy beaches and wilderness. We enjoyed walks along the shore and eating fresh fish and chips !
Ceduna is recognised as a premier fishing location. Apart from jetty fishing there is also surf fishing, rock fishing and the waters of Murat Bay are safe for small vessels. We are not keen fisherperson’s but enjoy the fruits of others labour !
The area is famous for its oysters and the Ceduna Oyster Bar, on the edge of town. Naturally we had to taste them for ourselves. There are also direct sales at Denial Bay and Smoky Bay where most of the oysters beds in the district are located.
Next, we visited Thevenard which is a port town 3 kilometres south-west of Ceduna. Thevenard is our deep-sea port exporting grain, salt, mineral sands and gypsum. Small fleets of fishing boats also share the bay.
Ceduna’s Encounter Walking Trail winds along the foreshore of beautiful Murat Bay for 3.6 kms between the Ceduna Sailing Club and the Pinky Point Lookout at Thevenard. Our Kidsetter enjoyed viewing the ocean whilst ascending the anchor from the sunken Eleni K ship in front of the Ceduna Sailing Club at the beginning of the walk. Created to celebrate the historic meeting between Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin, the English and French explorers who were the first to traverse the South Australian coastline.
Situated at the Thevenard end of the Encounter Walking Trail, Pinky Point Lookout offered a spectacular view of the wharf area, the islands, the channel and Denial Bay showcasing a stunning sunset. Even our dog was able to enjoy the sights !
A beautiful mosaic styled 4.3-metre-high lighthouse memorial was created to commemorate people who have lost their lives at sea.
After our leisurely walk it was time to throw some rocks into the ocean.
On our final day in Ceduna, we ventured out to Smoky Bay. Located 44 km south of Ceduna on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula.
It is a quiet, sleepy, attractive holiday town which came into existence in 1895.
Smoky Bay was named by Matthew Flinders who, observing a haze over the area which may have been result of fires lit by the local Aborigines, wrote “The number of smokes arising from the shore of this wide, open place, induced me to give it the name Smoky Bay.”
Today it is a holiday resort town where fishing for whiting, flathead, snook and garfish is popular.
Our Kidsetter enjoyed splashing in the warm inviting ocean.
The friendly locals had informed us about a fabulous nearby playground called ‘Denton Street Park’ with a jumping pillow. Naturally, we had to investigate.
The Eyre Pensinula is vast and a magnificent place to explore. There are wonderful surprises around every corner. All ages will enjoy the sand between their toes, making sand castles, smelling the sea air and absorbing the slower pace of life. Kidsetters alike will be hard pressed not to have imprinted beach side holidays into their childhood memories forever.
