Wilpena Pound, Brachina Gorge, lunch at the Prairie Hotel, Gawler Ranges, Streaky Bay, Ceduna, , sea lion viewing at Point Labatt, Murphy’s Hay stack, Port Lincoln marina walking tour including seafood tasting, Sightseeing cruise across the beautiful waters of Boston Bay ,ferry across to Wallaroo, Clare valley wine tasting and visit of Martindale hall
Itinerary
Adelaide to Wilpena – (lunch, dinner).
Pick up from your accommodation in Adelaide at 7 am. We commence our journey by heading north via the historical coastal town of Port Germein, with the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere to Mount Remarkable National Park. Here you will enjoy a “picnic in the bush’ with a backdrop of old mountain peaks.
We head north travelling through the picturesque Pichi Richi Pass to the historic township of Quorn (the start of the original Ghan Railway). From Quorn we head out to Warrens Gorge Conservation Park to search for the rare and elusive Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby.
Explore the deserted Willochra Plain on the way to the centre of the Flinders Ranges, arriving at Wilpena Pound late afternoon.
Overnight en-suite accommodation Wilpena Pound Resort
Wilpena to Port Augusta – (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Wake up to the call of the native birdlife.
Enjoy your breakfast at the resort and the morning view of South Australia’s iconic Wilpena Pound (also known to the local Aboriginal people as Ikara).
Today we explore the unique area that surrounds the Pound. We visit the famous Bunyeroo and Brachina Gorges (also called the ‘corridors through time’) and view some of the oldest rock formations and fossils in the world.
Wildlife including kangaroos, emus and the bold wedge tailed eagles are prolific in this rugged area.
We travel to Port Augusta via the spectacular Moralana Scenic track following the south western wall of Wilpena Pound.
Overnight en suite accommodation at The Majestic Oasis Apartments in Port Augusta
Port Augusta to Ceduna- (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
We leave Port Augusta, a seaport and railway junction known as the cross roads of Australia, and travel along the Eyre Highway via Kimba, Minnipa to Ceduna.
On our way we stop at the Edward Eyre sculptures for morning tea and then travel via the southern part of the Gawler Ranges: these scenic ranges consist of volcanic rock hills over 1500 million years old and are well known as a haven for wildlife and birds.
We continue our travel to Ceduna situated in the northwest corner of Eyre Peninsula, facing the islands of the Nuyts Archipelago. The name Ceduna comes from the local Aboriginal word Chedoona and is said to mean a place to sit down and rest.
Overnight en-suite accommodation at the Best Western, Ceduna.
Ceduna to Streaky Bay – (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
After breakfast we take a town tour with one of the locals, including a visit of the Old Schoolhouse. Within the museum are a number of historical displays covering the area’s pioneering past.
A unique feature of the museum is the Maralinga Room where visitors can view a number of radioactively inert objects souvenired from the British Government’s atomic tests of the 1940s and 50s. These tests were carried out at Maralinga and Emu – north of present day Yalata.
Nearby Denial Bay is the site of several Oyster Growing Farms. Fresh Oysters are usually available between April and January. After a visit of one of the farms we will drive to the Oyster Bar for lunch which obtains fresh Pacific Oysters direct from local oyster growers every day.
We make our way to Streaky Bay this afternoon along the coastline this is a significant breeding habitat for raptors such as the Southern osprey, White Bellied Sea Eagle and Peregrine Falcon.
Overnight en-suite accommodation at the Streaky Bay Hotel
Streaky Bay to Port Lincoln- (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
We continue our journey south to Point Labatt Located on the rugged coastline south of Streaky Bay, this park is fantastic for viewing Australian Sea-lions. See these fascinating animals in their natural habitat from a cliff top viewing platform. The reefs provide a resting place for the sea-lions, which have often spent several weeks at sea catching fish.
Some 40 km away we stop at Murphy’s Hay they are ancient, wind-worn pillars and boulders of pink granite estimated to be over 1,500 million years old.
Set in the middle of a wheat field and surrounded by mallee scrub, they are one of the most popular and photographed attractions on the Eyre Peninsula.
We travel Flinders Highway towards Coffin Bay. British naval explorer Matthew Flinders named the bay on 16 February 1802 in honour of his friend Sir Isaac Coffin. We arrive in Port Lincoln late afternoon.
Overnight ensuite accommodation Port Lincoln Hotel.
Port Lincoln and surrounds- (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Port Lincoln, located on the banks of Boston Bay, was originally considered a site worthy of becoming the state’s capital. It is thought that only the lack of a reliable nearby water supply prevented this happening.
Port Lincoln’s economy is based on the huge grain-handling facilities, the canning and fish processing works, lambs, wool and beef, and tuna farming for the Japanese market. It is home to Australia’s largest commercial fishing fleet.
This morning we will discover the seafood frontier on the ultimate interpretive walking tour, located in the heart of Port Lincoln’s Marina.
See working fishing boats, watch seafood harvest being unloaded, and hear about the different fish species and the effort that goes into bringing premium quality seafood to the table!
We will view these many fish species in the aquarium and taste some of the delicious seafood. After lunch we enjoy a sightseeing cruise across the beautiful waters of Boston Bay, and learn about the Tuna and Aquaculture Industries with expert local commentary.
Overnight en suite accommodation Port Lincoln Hotel.
Port Lincoln to Wallaroo – (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)
After breakfast, we head off to view some of the most spectacular coastal scenery the world has to offer. White sand beaches that stretch forever, rolling surf where pods of dolphins can be seen frolicking amongst the waves, and rugged cliffs that protect the unspoiled beauty of this pristine environment.
We arrive at Lucky Bay, from where we will catch the ferry and cross the Spencer Gulf (approx 2 hours).
Upon arrival in Wallaroo, we will explore one of the beautiful beaches in the area, before we check in at our comfortable accommodation.
Overnight en suite accommodation Wallaroo luxury apartments.
Wallaroo to Adelaide- (Breakfast, lunch,)
After breakfast we head across to the Clare Valley which is well renowned for its excellent wines, with time to visit the Seven Hill cellars, the oldest winery in the region established by the Jesuits in 1851.
We arrive at Mintaro for lunch .Originally Mintaro was a watering stop for bullock teams travelling between the copper mining town of Burra and Port Wakefield transporting copper and coal for the Patent Copper Company.
After lunch we visit Martindale Hall a Georgian style mansion which appeared in the film Picnic at Hanging Rock before we get back to Adelaide for the end of our journey.