At the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula, Coffin Bay National Park spreads across more than 30,000 hectares of rugged coastline, sheltered bays and windswept dunes. It is one of South Australia’s great coastal escapes, and it rewards nature lovers, seafood fans and adventurers in equal measure. Whether you have a couple of hours or a couple of days, here is how to make the most of it.
Almonta Beach
Almonta Beach is the easy highlight. You do not need a four-wheel drive to reach it, and the reward is a long sweep of some of the whitest sand on the Eyre Peninsula. The water is clear and calm enough for a swim or a snorkel, and the shore is made for picnics, beach walks and doing very little at all. Come early and you may well have the sand to yourself.
Point Avoid and the lookouts
The drive out to Point Avoid is fine in a conventional vehicle, and it delivers some of the best views in the park. From the lookouts you can take in the tall cliffs, the surf rolling in off the Southern Ocean, and the offshore islands scattered along the coast. It is a good spot to watch for dolphins, seabirds and, in season, migrating whales.
Kayaking and calm-water bays
For time on the water, Yangie Bay is the pick. The sheltered inlet is calm and quiet, ideal for kayaking or paddleboarding, and the surrounding wetlands are full of birdlife. You can launch, paddle the shallows, and pull up on a quiet stretch of shore for a bush picnic. It is also the park’s main conventional-vehicle campground if you want to stay the night.
Fresh Coffin Bay oysters
No visit is complete without the local Coffin Bay oysters. Coffin Bay is famous for them, and the nearby township is where you can buy them fresh from the source or join an oyster farm tour and taste them straight from the water. Grab a dozen, find a scenic spot in the park, and you have the perfect Eyre Peninsula lunch.
Getting there and good to know
The park sits under an hour’s drive from Port Lincoln. A vehicle entry fee applies (around $11 per vehicle) and can be booked online through National Parks and Wildlife Service SA. Many of the park’s remote beaches and campgrounds are four-wheel-drive only, so check track conditions before you head off the sealed roads. Bring water, sun protection and everything you need, as facilities inside the park are limited.
Where to stay
Best Western Port Lincoln makes an ideal base for a Coffin Bay day trip. Set right on the Boston Bay waterfront, with comfortable, recently refurbished rooms, easy access to the town’s restaurants, and friendly local service, it is the perfect place to come back to after a day on the coast. Book your stay and let the Eyre Peninsula do the rest.