South Australia (Eyre Peninsula)
Elliston
This popular resort sits on the shores of Waterloo Bay, flanked by ruggedly beautiful cliffs and a spectacular coastline. Named in 1878 after Ellen Listen, a governess, the town provides memorable coastal walks, caverns to explore, dazzling white dunes, unspoilt beaches and outstanding fishing.

Several sheltered bays are perfect for swimming, sailing, diving or water-skiing, while "Blackfellows" at Anxious Bay offers one of Australia's best surfing spots. Nearby conservation parks are the home of kangaroo, emu and the hairy nose wombat.

Bold murals at the Community Hall between the café and campsite address local themes – including a long-suppressed incident when Aboriginal people were driven over the cliffs. 

TALIA CAVES AND BEACH
South of Venus Bay, rocks have been hollowed by the sea to form the Talia Caves but the lengthy beach is more compelling. This captivating area just forty kilometres north of Elliston comprises limestone caves with a granite rock face and formations, plus magnificent white sand dunes and a beautiful beach.

The West Coast
To catch the best of the west coast and the townships along the way, you’ll need to detour off the main road between Coffin Bay and Ceduna. The coastal communities are an unlikely mix of conservative farmers and “alternative” surfies who come to ride the endless succession of strong, hundred-metre-long crests rolling into Waterloo Bay at ELLISTON, one of the state’s most highly regarded surf beaches. 

Turning to the coast about 20km north of Port Kenny, you go past the strangely flared Murphy’s Haystacks, a group of low granite monoliths that look like giant mushrooms. Push on to Point Labatt for a look at mainland Australia’s only colony of fur seals. Binoculars or a telephoto lens help to distinguish mother seals teaching pups to swim from the torpid, bulkier males basking on the rocks.

Then it’s back to the highway at Streaky Bay – the only place on the west coast that has a real centre – and then to drier country as you approach Ceduna and the Nullarbor.