Exploring Whalers Way, Lincoln National Park, and Coffin Bay National Park

Port Lincoln works beautifully as a base if you like day trips without constantly packing up camp or the caravan. Everything feels remote once you’re out there, but you’re never too far from town if you need fuel, supplies, or a decent coffee.

During our stay, we picked three day trips. Each one was doable in a day, even at a relaxed pace, and suits both grey nomads and families. No long hikes required, plenty of places to stop, and scenery that does most of the work for you.

Whalers Way Sanctuary

Whalers Way is one of those places where the landscape is the main attraction. Towering cliffs, endless ocean, and lookout after lookout. It’s ideal if walking long distances isn’t your thing, as most highlights are reached by short, flat paths from the car parks.

On a hot day those rock pools would be inviting, unfortunately trying to get to most of them would be dangerous, they are not very accessible.

One of the roads was closed so we parked up and walked the 20 mins to Wiles Bay. While there and looking real hard, we eventually found a couple of fur seals.

Tips:

• $40 entry, payable at Information Port Lincoln, they will give you a key for the gate.
• Take a packed lunch, drinks etc, there are no shops there
• Allow half a day, minimum
• The road is unsealed, but nothing to challenging, any vehicle can do it.
• Dogs are allowed, just clean up after them.

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Lincoln National Park

Lincoln National Park feels big and untamed, but you don’t have to tackle it all at once. A slow drive through the park with a couple of short stops is more than enough for a satisfying day.

The coastal views are stunning, especially where sand dunes meet the sea. It’s not a park that demands you rush. We found it best to choose one or two spots and spend time there rather than trying to see everything.

Tips:

• For Memory Cove, you need a key from Port Lincoln Information, $50 deposit, which you get back when key is returned.
• For the park itself you need to get a free permit from South Australia National Parks and Wildlife Service.
• Bring packed lunch, drinks, there are no shops here
• Plenty of beaches to swim at
• Allow a whole day
• The caravan parks are easy to get to, except for Engine Point, which is along an unsealed road, but in our opinion one of the better ones.
• The campground at Memory Cove is one of those picture perfect places, a sheltered beach, perfect sand, the campsites are small so tents only or small hybrid campers.
• No Dogs

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Coffin Bay National Park

Coffin Bay National Park is probably the easiest and most relaxed of the three, especially for families. The water is calmer, the beaches feel safer, and the whole area has a gentler pace.

Even if you don’t have a 4WD, there are still beautiful spots to explore. The red road line on the map is all nicely sealed.

This is an easy park to enjoy without overthinking it. It’s well suited to a picnic lunch, paddling in shallow water, or just sitting and watching the world go by.

Tips:

• Need a permit, which is free which you can get from South Australia National Parks And Wildlife Service
• Almonta Beach is the place to go for swimming,snorkelling
• Pack lunch, drinks, no shops here
• The 4WD track to Point Sir Isaac is rough and hard going. Rocky with big potholes, slow going.
• Seven Mile Beach is excellent to drive along and sand a bit soft in places. Stay high up the beach is best.
• Big Yangie campground is easy to get to.
• No Dogs

If you enjoy a challenge, and have the patience, then a trip to Point Sir Isaac is a bit of an adventure. But allow all day, take note of the tides and warnings, a decent 4WD is definitely needed. Recommendation is that you should be on the beach approx 2 hours either side of low tide. We came back with 1 hour before high tide and were ok.

We would have loved to stop and have a picnic along Seven Mile Beach, but we did not allow enough time.

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Thanks for reading Excellent Day Trips from Port Lincoln. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.

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