South Australia (Eyre Peninsula)

A tuna port and resort town built on a hillside above Boston Bay, PORT LINCOLN has the busiest atmosphere of anywhere on the peninsula. Its harbour is dotted with trawlers, and the seafront Tasman Terrace and Liverpool Street are full of eateries and far-from-genteel taverns. Porter Bay, until recently a swamp just south of town, has been transformed into a marina which has drawn many of the boats and some of the life away from the old town. The development includes a large modern leisure centre (Mon–Fri 6am–9pm, Sat, Sun & holidays 9am–6pm). 

Port Lincoln has a surprising artistic streak – the Arteyrea Gallery on Washington Street (tel 08/8682 6444; look for the bike-riding fish) is worth a visit – but most of the town’s attractions are underwater.

You can get bait and tackle from any service station and fish off the town jetty; for heavier game contact Sea Charters (tel 08/8682 2425), which can also take you on a cruise to Dangerous Reef for seals, birdlife and sharks. Divers after Great White thrills should contact Got One at 80 Tasman Terrace (tel 08/8683 0021) and organize a foursome to split the $800-a-day tab; a shark cage is employed if you’re “lucky” enough to make contact. Port Lincoln Diving, on Tasman Terrace (tel 08/8682 4428), can rent out gear for less dangerous diving. Check out other local attractions at the information centre (daily 9am–5pm; tel 08/8683 3544 or free tel 1800/629 911), on Tasman Terrace between the post office and shopping mall.

Entering town from the north, the Lincoln Highway affords splendid views of Boston Bay and presents you with myriad motel accommodation, such as the luxurious Limani Motel, as it becomes the beachfront Tasman Terrace and then London Street, at the far end of which lie the terraced tent sites of Kirton Point Caravan Park.

Lincoln National Park

A place of dramatic contrasts, from the gently undulating north coast to the rugged bluffs of the south. Being just twenty kilometres south of Port Lincoln, the open country and quiet bays present ideal locations for camping or day trips. Bush walkers find the exposed coastline and granite-topped hills a challenge and the cliff-top walk near Wanna is particularly memorable but please take care. Parrots, emus and kangaroos inhabit the northern section, while osprey and sea eagles soar over the southern coast.

Cape Catastrophe and Memory Cove, where Matthew Flinders lost eight of his men in 1802, are both wilderness areas reached only by four wheel drive vehicles. While conventional vehicles can negotiate most of the park tracks, some are rough and can become impassable.

Whalers Way

Similar scenery 32km south at Whalers Way is open to all traffic, once a permit and key have been collected from the information centre in Port Lincoln ($15, plus $3 deposit); the name derives from the whaling station which once operated at Cape Wiles – relics are stacked up around the gate. If you’ve ever felt the need to be impressed by the sea’s power, head for Cape Carnot: giant waves and frosty blue surf force through blowholes which sigh as they erupt in sync with the swell.

Coffin Bay National Park

Attractions

• APEX WHEELHOUSE This original wheelhouse from a Boston Bay tuna boat has a restored and fully-equipped cabin which serves as an interpretive centre for the commercial fishing industry.

• AXEL STENROSS MARITIME MUSEUM This unique venue is centred around the boat building workshop of the late and legendary Axel Stenross. This Finnish craftsman set up his trade here in the 1920s and the many relics, artefacts and photos of early sailing ships recall his working life and times.

• BARBED WIRE AND FENCING EQUIPMENT MUSEUM There's more to wire and fencing than meets the eye. This quirky yet fascinating collection features more than three hundred varieties of barbed wire from Australia, Germany, Belgium, Japan and the United States.

• BOSTON ISLAND The island is a fully-operational sheep station reached via passenger launch. An island tour comprises a tractor and trailer journey across the island to see the historic old slab cottage built in 1840, the shearing sheds and Squeaky Beach - which lives up to its name!
• CONSTANTIA FURNITURE Constantia's Designer Craftsmen are among that rare breed of artisans accredited to the Guild of Master Craftsmen. A guided tour takes visitors from the raw timber, through the design and construction stages, to the finished piece.
• TUNA FARMS AND DANGEROUS REEF CRUISES A delightful 2 hour cruise to a commercial tuna farm located in a sheltered cove off Boston Island. See the fish being fed and view these magnificent creatures close up from the Underwater Marine Viewing Platform. Cruises operate from September through to June. The extended cruise to Dangerous Reef, home to Australia's largest sealion colony and haunt of the Great White Shark, includes a visit to the Tuna Farm en route.

• GREENPATCH FARM Nestled in the Koppio Hills only fifteen minutes' drive from Port Lincoln, Greenpatch Farm offers visitors a genuine farm experience. Sheep shearing, milking cows, sheepdog trials, horse and pony rides are all part of the working day. Australia's native animals can also be seen in the adjacent reserve.

• THE KARLINDA COLLECTION This collection, at North Shields, contains more than 10,000 sea shells and marine life from around the world. Also included are rocks, minerals, fossils, butterflies and a special Deepwater Trawl Fish Exhibit.

• KOPPIO SMITHY MUSEUM This is an authentic open-air experience of early pioneer life. While only forty minutes' drive north from Port Lincoln, the elaborate complex could be a world away in time. Inspect a 1903 blacksmith's shop, school, historic cottage housing antiques and artefacts of the period and 'Glenleigh' - a fully- restored 1890s pine log cottage with Pioneer furniture.

• M B KOTZ COLLECTION OF STATIONARY ENGINES A living legacy of early farm equipment which helped open up Australia for settlement and growth. Many engines are fully operational today.
• MILL COTTAGE MUSEUM This National Trust Folk Museum preserves the pioneer life and times of the Bishop family in their original 1866 home. Nearby, the Settlers Cottage Museum houses a collection of local memorabilia.
• THE OLD MILL The Old Mill was built as a flour mill in 1846 but never commenced operation. Now an historic lookout, it offers excellent views of Port Lincoln and Boston Bay.
• WINTER'S HILL LOOKOUT One of Australia's most spectacular coastal panoramas. Located 5km out of town on the Flinders Highway.
• ROSEWALL MEMORIAL SHELL MUSEUM Set in the grounds of the Eyre Peninsula Old Folk's Home, the museum has a world-wide collection worth more than $100,000.
• TINY TOTS GNOME VILLAGE Takes children and adults into a fairytale world, with miniature houses, trolls, witches, assorted little folk and gnomes.
• TOD RESERVOIR MUSEUM This is history on tap! It tells the story of Eyre Peninsula's water supply from the start of the reservoir project in 1918 to the present day. Housed in one of the original homes built at the reservoir in 1922, the history of water is given a running commentary by audio and visual displays and other assorted memorabilia.
• WHALERS WAY This incredible area is on the southern-most tip of Eyre Peninsula and contains some of the most accessible, dramatic and beautiful coastal scenery in South Australia. Cliffs, caves, crevasses, blowholes and beaches abound. So do wildflowers, from May until November, with kangaroos and emus being the permanent residents. Be sure to take your camera and binoculars. Cape Carnot is believed to be the oldest rock in South Australia - at more than 2000 million years old. Entry permits are available from Eyre Travel and numerous outlets around Port Lincoln.

Events

• TUNARAMA FESTIVAL (January) Port Lincoln Tunarama Festival is one of South Australia's oldest events, providing good family entertainment such as outdoor processions, concerts and gala cabaret - plus the unique tuna- tossing competition.