Tours Touring Travel and Sightseeing

South Australia

Shortcuts to trips from Adelaide	Day Trips From Adelaide	National Parks Mentioned on This Page
Overnight trips from Adelaide	Yorke Peninsula	Flinders Ranges National Park
	Eyre Peninsula West Coast	Robe to Beachport & Mt Gambier

South Australia is, generally speaking, a dry and barren countryside compared to the other Australian states. However it is a state of massive contrast, some incredable beauty and does offer much to those touring and sightseeing, especially those travelling by four wheel drive.

Apart from the south east of the state, South Australia receives the least rainfall of all Australian states.

The capital of the state is Adelaide, situated on Gulf St Vincent, one of two huge gulf areas off the Southern Ocean. The other is Spencer Gulf to the west.

Adelaide is a well planned, modern and vibrant city yet also full of early Victorian architecture.

It hosts a casino, excellent museums and cultural festivals. The beaches are superb and, mostly, in close proximity to the city.

Day Trips From Adelaide

To the south east of Adelaide is the mouth of the mighty Murray River that has wound its course for over 2,500 km.

Typical out of town tourist attractions are The Barossa Valley, famous for its vineyards and wine making.

Kangaroo Island, accessable by plane or ferry, which offers beautiful beaches, rock formations, and plenty of wildlife. Apart from normal beach activities, beach fishing is popular, as it is from the various jetties.

The Flinders Ranges are carpeted with wild flowers in the spring and act as a magnet to tourists and photographers alike. Its brilliantly natural contrasts of scenery make the area a haunt of artists.

The southern end of the ranges is within a day trip from Adelaide but if you want a longer trip with more scenery as well as some four wheel driving go to the section on

Longer than day trips from Adelaide

Yorke Peninsula

As mentioned above Adelaide is on the eastern side of Gulf St Vincent. On the west side of the gulf is the Yorke Peninsula that is the land mass separating Gulf St Vincent and Spenser Gulf on the western side of Yorke Peninsula.

Head north from Adelaide along the Princes Highway to Port Wakefield then go off to the left aiming for Kulpara. At Kulpura head for Port Victoria on the west coast, via Melton and Arthurton.

Port Victoria was established as a grain loading harbour in the late 1800's because of its sheltrerd position behind Wardang Island. Today it is more of a holiday destination and setting off point for small boat fishing.

From Port Victoria head along the coast road to Warooka, at the bottom of Hardwicke Bay.

From Port Victoria you can take the conventional vehicle sealed road but hugging the coast with a 4wd will give you excellent scenery as well as superb swimming, fishing and surfing.

Some of the 4x4 tracks can be heavy going, but that's four wheel driving - isn't it. If it wasn't harder going we would all be in two wheel drive cars.

From Warooka turn westward and travel around the coast through Point Turton, The Pines and Corny Point, where you will head south aiming for Marion Bay.

From Marion Bay you have two choices - head for Stenhouse Bay in the Innes National Park right at the southern tip of the peninsula, or head east for Edithburgh.

From Stenhouse Bay go up into the park and head for Pandalowie Bay, just past West Cape, which is the most westerley point on the peninsula and rejoin the road you have already travelled on from Point Margaret to Marion Bay.

Excellent camping spots in the Park. If you are towing a caravan you would have left it at Port Victoria if you are following the 4wd route

Alternatively you would probably have left it at Hardwicke Bay.

OK so we have diverted from Marion Bay and done a loop through the Innes National Park. Now we are back at Marion Bay.

The conventional vehicle road goes back via Warooka on Hardwicke Bay anyway. But you have the opportunity now to head for Edinburgh, on the eastern bottom end of the peninsula via secondary and four wheel tracks, via Point Yorke and Port Davenport.

From Edinburgh you will be back on sealed roads and heading north.

The Flinders Ranges National Park

Head north out of town along the Princes Highway to Port Augusta. Just before Port Augusta head off to the right towards Quorn via the Pitchi Richi Pass.

Quorn is a well known tourist center and known particularly for the vintage locomotives that go on scenic tours around the area during holiday periods. This is a unique and memorable trip.

The town was a thriving centrer to the local farming community in the past but these days relies almost totally on the tourist trade.

When leaving Quorn you head for Hawker. You can go up the main road or take the deviation to The Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park just out of town.

Caravans could make the trip but check the suitability of your setup with the locals before you leave,

They certainly can be taken up the normal road to Hawker.

Dutchmans Stern Peak that towers above the surrounding areas. A short walk from the car park will reward you with stunning views of the surrounding countryside and distant views of Spencer Gulf.

Further on you will see the turn off to Warren Gorge and Mt Arden. This is a pleasant spot with excellent, peaceful camp sites. If you have a 4wd you can take the four wheel track to the top of Mt Arden for spectacular and expansive views of the surrounding country side.

There are several other gorges and places of interest that you can visit on the way to Hawker.

From Hawker head for Wilpena in the Flinders Ranges National Park. You head up the main road or take some of the very scenic detours along the way.

One of the detours is to the Arkaba Station about 20 km north of Hawker. There are spectacular four wheel drive tracks on the property and you can rent accomodation at the staion or camp on the property.

At Wilpenna you will find decent caravan and camping facilities.

The park has a number of excellent four wheel drive tracks that offer a variety of stunning scenery, all of which make this a very deserving trip and one you will remember for a long time.

Eyre Peninsula West Coast

Head north out of Adelaide to Port Augusta then go west along the Eyre Highway to Kyancutta where you will head left towards Elliston.

This trip goes from Ellistion north to Streaky Bay ( south to north ). So you could, if you wish go north to south. In that case, and if you are travelling west from Adelaide turn off the Eyre Highway at Poochera and head for Streaky Bay.

If you are approaching this trip from Western Australia and the Nullarbour then turn right off the Eyre Highway at Ceduna. Straeky Bay is about 100 km from Ceduna and 60 km or so from Poochera.

There is some great scenery to see along this stretch using a conventional vehicle but the great scenery turns into absolutely stunning if you take the 4wd route. Your 4x4 will get you into deserted beaches and coves, take you to absolutely mind blowing coastal views and one of Australia's favoutite four wheel drive areas.

Robe Beach to Beachport

Robe Beach is situated about 350 km south of Adelaide towards Mt Gambier. This part of the world offers a very pleasant trip to all vehicles but offers 4x4's the opportunity of visiting the extra special areas along this coast line.

Both Robe and Beachport offer caravan and camping facilities. A really decent break down here is to arrive one day and setup camp, book into a motel or whatever and then spend the next day doing the Robe - Beachport drive in the morning and then doing the sightseeing thing at Mt Gambier in the afternoon.

National Parks Mentioned On This Web page

Flinders Ranges National Park Innes National Park

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