Coastal calm: Adelaide to the Yorke Peninsula

It’s only a one hour drive to Edithburgh, so rest easy knowing there’s no need to rush. Head down the east coast, through wheat and barley fields and by tiny hamlets till that crystal blue sea appears on your left again. Along the way, stop at Port Vincent for morning tea and perhaps a quick paddle, or work along the beach a little to reach Port Vincent Cemetery — one of the only seaside graveyards we’ve come across in Australia.

Edithburgh sits near the peninsula’s southern tip and faces across to the tiny Troubridge Island and its tall red and white lighthouse. The town is known for its tidal pool, an inviting saltwater swimming spot just to the north of town. Bring your snorkelling gear if you have it, as you never know what small fish and rays may drift through.

Looking south, The Mosaic Trail runs for around three kilometres from Edithburgh south to Sultana Point and makes for a perfect way to spend the late afternoon (or early morning). Meanwhile,if you’ve got kids in tow, the brightly coloured Edithburgh Water Tower — it’s about one and a half kilometres due west to the centre of town — may be more interesting. Finish off the day with a 12 km drive south to the Troubridge Point Lighthouse — we just about guarantee you’ll have it to yourself for a clifftop sunset.

Not long after Marion Bay you’ll reach the frontier of Dhilba Guuranda–Innes National Park, one of South Australia’s most striking coastal reserves. For the best chance at spotting the park’s ample wildlife and birds, set out early to explore Innes’s network of walking trails. The short Stenhouse Bay lookout walk is a great warm-up, leading to turquoise bays and towering cliffs, where dolphins and seals often frolic below — do keep an eye out for passing whales in season. For a longer adventure, the Thom­son-Pfitzn­er Plas­ter Trail fol­lows the old wood­en rail­way line that runs from Inneston to Sten­house Bay. As always, carry plenty of water and check conditions before you get going, as summer days can be extremely hot.

The park’s coastal strip is lined with bays and beaches, each with its own character. Pondalowie Bay is the surf hub, while nearby Shell Beach and Browns Beach offer calm, family-friendly shallows. Ethel Beach, named after a 1904 shipwreck whose rusted hull still lies on the low tide sand, makes a fascinating stop for kids (and the young at heart) when the tide is low — over 40 shipwrecks lay off the National Park’s coast. Between swims, keep an eye out for western grey kangaroos grazing near the dunes and emus striding across the track. Also keep your eyes peeled for rare tam­mar wal­la­bies — they were re-intro­duced to the park after becom­ing extinct in South Australia. In the evenings, the night sky is brilliant — perfect for stargazing away from city lights.

The full loop from Adelaide covers around 800 km, with no driving leg longer than three hours. All the main roads are sealed and well-signposted, though fuel stations can be spaced out in the southern sections — fill up when you can, with Yorketown being the last town with much in the way of supplies, including fuel.

While the main roads are all-weather sealed affairs, once you’re off the main thoroughfare, unsealed roads become more common. If you rented a car in Adelaide, be sure to check your rental car provider’s Terms and Conditions regarding unsealed roads. That aside, the Yorke Peninsula is largely accessible to a regular sedan, and while you probably won’t be needing a 4WD, a rental SUV would provide more comfort during a road trip such as this one.

Driving a campervan? The Yorke Peninsula is littered with camping grounds, and both powered and unpowered sites for campervans, making it ideal for a campervan road trip from Adelaide. There are remote beachside options as well as others with easy access to shops and cafés to choose from. In off-season booking ahead shouldn’t be necessary, but in summer, especially across long weekends and school holidays, booking in advance is prudent.

Regardless of the type of vehicle you’re driving, take particular care at dusk when kangaroos are enjoying their end-of-day hop—they can (literally) jump into your path in a blink of the eye. If you’re travelling in the summer, be sure to carry extra water and check total-fire-ban alerts before heading into the national park.