 Visit the Yorke Peninsula SA
The Yorke Peninsula juts out between Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf in South Australia. Its just a couple of hours drive west of Adelaide. Further south is the serene beauty of Innes National Park. Along the west coast are the copper towns of Kadina, Moonta and Wallaroo. You can revisit the history of copper mining at the Moonta Mines Museum or tour the actual mine site.
This coastline is irresistible to some of the best eating fish in South Australia. King George Whiting, Snapper, Garfish and Little Tommy Ruffs can be caught in this region and blue swimmer crabs are plentiful around the jetty at Ardrossan.
The Yorke Peninsula is fast becoming a centre for surfing with more surfing and bodyboarder competitions coming to the region each year. There are more tranquil waters at Marion Bay for swimming.
The small ports around the eastern side of the peninsula have been a holiday playground for the Adelaide people for decades. Port Vincent is a day's sailing across the Gulf St Vincent from Glenelg's suburban beaches. There are extensive caravan facilities on the Yorke Peninsula for self-drive visitors. There's good beach and jetty fishing at Stansbury. You'll find safe swimming and great diving in the deep-sea port town of Wallaroo.
Yorke Peninsula National Parks
If you are visiting the Yorke Peninsula and you want to experience the beauty of this region first hand, a great place to start are in the national parks and conservation parks that are spread throughout the region. Rugged coastal cliffs, sweeping sandy beaches and rich mining and seafaring history are all only 90 minutes away from Adelaide. There are a large number of activities available including viewing remnants of old mining areas, surfing, fishing, swimming, bushwalking and whale-watching. Within these parks the birdlife you will see include black-faced cormorants, crested terns, wedge-tail eagles, sea eagles and brown falcons. You can stop and view the beautiful vegetation including wildflowers, acacias and sheoaks. Spending time in the Yorke Peninsula's national parks and conservation parks provides you with the perfect escape.
Innes National Park
The Innes National Park is 9200 hectares in size and features interpretive trails, camping grounds, heritage accommodation and a diverse range of flora and fauna. You can explore the ruins of the historic heritage-listed Inneston village or catch a glimpse of some of the 90 or so species of birds that inhabit the area. Keep a look out for grey kangaroos and emus that often roam the park. You may sight a southern right whale passing the coast between May and September or see dolphins in the shallows all year-round.
There are many different experiences waiting for you in the Innes National Park. Imagine the excitement of living in a restored heritage-listed lodge in an old gypsum mine learning about the regions maritime history with fascinating interpretive trails like the 'Investigator Strait Maritime Heritage Trail'. Here you will learn about the sea wrecks that litter the ocean floor off the coast of the Yorke Peninsula. You can learn about the park's history by taking the two and a half hour return 'Thomson/Pfitzner Plaster' walking trail from Stenhouse Bay to Inneston.
Stunning coastal views, sculpted rock headlands and wavecut platforms and some of the most rugged coastline and alluring beaches and bays go into making up Innes National Park. It is an ideal destination offering both cultural history and natural beauty.
The Innes National Park features seven walking trails ranging from 10 minutes to several hours. The Browns Beach to Gym Beach is three hour long. While walking this trail you will see unique flora and fauna and high sand-dunes.
The one hour walk from Dolphin Beach to Royston Head will provide spectacular views of the rugged peninsula and the Southern Ocean. There are fantastic views from the lookout at Royston Head.
The West Cape Lighthouse walk is 40 minutes in length and starts from West Cape car park. Here you will follow the cliff edge to the lighthouse. Smaller 15 minute walks include 'The Gap' walk offering spectacular views and, the 'Cape Spencer' walk offering views to Althorpe Island and Kangaroo Island.
Troubridge Island Conservation Park
The Troubridge Island Conservation Park is located 233 kilometres northwest of Adelaide off the coast of Edithburough. As the name implies, this is an island. The amazing thing about this park is that you can actually stay in the old keeper's cottages making this one of the best escapes on offer in South Australia. By day you can laze about in the sun and enjoy a swim or fish. By evening you can relax in the comfort of your own private cottage. This island is home to a large colony of little penguins, black-faced cormorants and crested terns. The old lighthouse keeper's cottage was vacated years ago after the lighthouse was converted to automatic operation, making the cottages available for rent.
Leven Beach Conservation Park
Long walks along the beach, low cliffs, undulating dunes, a healthy pocket of sheoak and spinefex go into making the Leven Beach Conservation Park one of the finest coastal reserves in South Australia. Located just 11 kilometres from Corny Point, it covers an area of 493 hectares. This is a unique park because it preserves vegetation that is vitally important in maintaining the stability of the extensive dune system. This park is a great place for a relaxing day trip and you can enjoy recreational activities such as fishing, walking and camping at the adjacent Burners Beach.
Clinton Conservation Park
The Clinton Conservation Park, near Port Wakefield, was specifically dedicated to protect the significant and undisturbed mangrove forest, making this park one of the few places where you can see a mangrove forest in South Australia. When visiting this park you will see vegetation including shell grit ridge shrubland, samphire shrubland and mallee woodland. The tidal estuaries provide vital nursery areas for fish breeding and are essential for the ongoing prawn cycle. There are also 57 recorded species of birds, and you can have a go at fishing and crabbing.
For more information regarding South Australia's National Parks and Conservation Parks please visit SA National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Fishing in the Yorke Peninsula
The waters off the Yorke Peninsula provide some of the best fishing and boating South Australia has to offer. It doesn't matter what your level of experience, there is some great fishing to be had, both from a boat or from the shore.
There are boat launching facilities available from most coastal towns throughout the Peninsula. The key point to remember is to stay within legal sizes and bag limits. By doing so you will preserve the valuable fish stocks in South Australia.
The historical jetties of the Copper Coast are some of the most popular in the State for fishing. Good catches of snook, King George whiting, squid or tommies most of the year. September to April is a good time to catch blue swimmer crabs. For light fishing and snorkelling head to South Beach at Port Hughes. It is well known for its pristine waters.
The uniquely sheltered bay of Port Broughton and Fisherman's Bay offers good boating and fishing all year round. Ardrossan to Port Vincent offers reliable tommy ruff and school mulloway and Blue crabs are caught through the summer months from Port Vincent north to Port Wakefield.
The large jetty at Standsbury will produce tommy ruffs and squid and in the summer months you will see garfish also being caught from the jetty. South of Stansbury at a place the locals call back beach, good quantities of mullet are caught in February and March.
Port Giles has one of the peninsula's longest jetties. Fishing is allowed after 4pm and until 7am weekdays and all weekend, unless a ship is tied up at berth. November will see snapper, yellowtail and tommies, squid, bream and the start of garfish. You may even catch some King George whiting, snook, salmon and trevally.
If your planning to fish from Edithburgh to Saltana Point you can expect to catch King George whiting from the northern side of the jetty. Tommies, snook and squid are also caught there. All along the beach should produce salmon, snook, flathead and whiting.
The southern beaches from Troubridge to Marion Bay provide some of the best fishing to be had in South Australia. Large mulloway up to 80lb have been caught in this area. For best results with the larger fish try fishing at night for example, school and gummy sharks are commonly caught in the evenings.
Corny Point to Point Turton can produce some wonderful rock and beach fishing at certain times of the year. Salmon, snook and trevally are the most commonly caught species. Mullet can be caught all around the souther coast in autumn.
In general, crabs are caught all year round but, due to water temperature, the summer months are more productive. Anywhere there is a headland, bluff or surf area, southern salmon can be caught using pilchards or lures as bait. Rugged coastline areas on the southern shores of the Yorke Peninsula are home to the southern rock lobster. Southern rock lobsters are allowed to be caught in the crayfish season from 12 noon on November 1st to 6pm April 30th.
Surfing in the Yorke Peninsula
Yorke Peninsula surfing is rapidly becoming well known on the world stage. The southwest corner of the peninsula is one of the great surfing areas of Australia with excellent surfing spots ranging from fast, hollow beach breaks to powerful reef set-ups. Beginners should take notice of the potentially dangerous nature of some of the breaks and, shark attacks, although rare, have occurred around the Australian coastline. Our best guide is to take care in remote areas and always seek the advice of locals.
The following locations are located in or around Innes National Park.
Chinaman's offers an excellent hollow, very powerful left-hand reef break. Complete with a hair-raising take-off and a sharp, shallow ledge. It is best at low to medium tide in north or light northeasterly winds and a one to two metre swell. It ocassionally produces a right-hander. Can produce a heavy surf and subject to strong undercurrents. Care should be taken. This is a break that is ONLY for experienced surfers.
West Cape is a left and ocassional right-hander beach break up to two metres. Best on a low to medium tide when a north or northwest wind is up. Can produce a heavy surf and subject to strong undercurrents. Care should be taken.
Trespassers is located just outside Innes National Park, near Point Margaret. A good quality right-hand reef break up to three metres. Trespassers is very powerful with a take-off similar to Chinaman's. Best on easterly winds and a low to medium tide. Can produce a heavy surf and subject to strong undercurrents. Care should be taken. This is a break that is ONLY for experienced surfers.
Pondalowie Bay offers a very good quality combination beach and reef break. About 250 metres north of this main break is Richards. A good quality beach and reef combination right-hander that breaks up to 1.5 metres. Best on an east-northeast wind at low to medium tide.
Diving in the Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is one of the key diving spots in South Australia. The combination of different habitats and unspoilt ocean waters means that there is a huge diversity and an abundance in fish and crustaceans. There are two underwater Maritime Heritage Trails that provide excellent diving opportunities. The Wardang island Maritime Heritage Trail has eight wrecks to view. While the Investigator Strait Trail offers 28 vessels including the Clan Ranald which sank west of Troubridge Hill taking with it 40 lives.
Other dive spots of interest include the Edithburgh Jetty. This world renowned spot offers spectacular diving. Its a very easy dive, good for all levels of experience. Expect to see marine life including Big-bellied Seahorses, Port Jackson Sharks, Leafy Sea Dragons, Ornate Cow fish, Giant Cuttlefish and Dumpling Squid to highlight just a few.
Point Gilbert at Port Moorowie is a great shallow snorkel. It has excellent visibility and you can expect to see Port Jackson Sharks and huge Eagle Rays.
Remember when diving please advise someone of your intentions, when you will expect to be back, and please dive with a buddy.
This information was compiled with the help of resources available from South Australia Tourism. Please visit their website at www.southaustralia.com for a more detailed rundown of this exciting region and others.
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