The ultimate road trip is on the bucket list for many Aussies and hitting the road in a van is one of the best ways to discover the country. South Australia has some of the best road trips in the country.
This article is a guest post, written by Lauren from South Australia Road Trips. Lauren is a mum of twin boys and has a passion for travelling and sharing South Australia with everyone.
Eyre Peninsula
Bounded by the Spencer Gulf, the Great Australian Bight, and the Gawler Rangers, the Eyre Peninsula road trip is one of the best in South Australia. With amazing food and wine and a vast array of wildlife on both land and sea, this one is a family-friendly road trip.
The Eyre Peninsula can be broken down into five main areas – Lower Eyre, Gawler Ranges and Central Eyre, Eastern Eyre, West Coast and the Far West Coast and the Nullarbor.
The Lower Eyre is the place to discover some of the best seafood in the country. Home to Coffin Bay (and the famous Coffin Bay Oysters), jump onto the oyster farm tour and experience walking around the oyster farm dressed in waders, as well as the pure taste of oysters freshly harvested and shucked. There are campgrounds in the Coffin Bay National Park, however you will need a 4WD van to get into all but one. Yangie Bay campground is the only option for 2WD vehicles.
The Central Eyre takes you into some of the last remaining wilderness areas. While the coastline may not be here, the chance to camp out under the stars amongst the red dirt and amazing landscapes is a must on an Eyre Peninsula Road Trip. Scrubby Peak Campground puts you close to the Organ Pipes, while Chillunie and Kolay Hut are great for discovering Kolay Mirica Falls.
The Far West Coast and the Nullarbor is one of the top destinations for many visiting the Eyre Peninsula. Starting out from Ceduna, the Nullarbor is one of the best road trips in the country – this place is four times the size of Belgium! Play the Nullarbor Links as you travel (world’s longest Golf Course), experience the longest sea cliffs in the world in the 200km long, 90 metre high Bunda Cliffs, and enjoy pointing out constellations to the kids – there is no light pollution out in the Nullarbor.
Kangaroo Island
If a Kangaroo Island road trip is on your bucket list, you won’t be disappointed. If this is a quick trip, you can see the main sights within three days, but a good week or two will really have you enjoying the area. This is the road trip to tempt your tastebuds, with plenty of great food and wine to taste.
going off-road.
Millie Mae’s Pantry in Penneshaw sources and serves locally grown products for breakfast and lunch, while at the Enchanted Fig Tree, you can dine in the shade of a 120-year-old fig on the shores of Snelling Beach; and if fresh seafood is still on your mind, a stop in at the Oyster Farm Shop in American Bay will have you filling up on oysters, marron, abalone and King George Whiting.
Kangaroo Island Spirits in Cygnet River is a must-stop – their spirits, particularly their gin, is distilled using native botanicals from around the island. The Mulberry Gin is a treat while the Zenzerino offers a ginger zing.
Kangaroo Island is also home to some amazing campgrounds, most of which you can access with a 2WD van, however, if you do have a 4WD, get a permit to camp within the conservation parks of Cape Gantheaume, Flinders Chase and Lashmar – you absolutely will not regret it.
These parks will take you back to true wilderness camping, with no facilities, and in some cases, no phone reception. What you bring in, must go back out with you, and while you need to bring everything you need, there is almost nothing else like falling asleep under the stars and waking up surrounded by nature with views over open ocean.
Don’t forget to check out Seal Bay, Remarkable Rocks, and many of the walking trails that cross the island.
Yorke Peninsula
A Yorke Peninsula road trip is one most South Australians get started on. Close to Adelaide, this is a great getaway for school holidays or to pack up the van for a week and just take off. With 19 bush camping sites across the peninsula, and all but one open for 2WD access, you’ll have plenty of places to choose from to pull up for the night.
The Yorke Peninsula boasts 700km of coastline, delicious local produce, and an abundance of seafood. Throw a fishing rod into the van – this is the place to throw a line in. Yorke Peninsula fishing is some of the best you’ll get across the state; off the peninsula’s 15 jetties, you can catch tommy ruffs, squid, blue swimmer crabs, and garfish, giving you plenty to cook up back at the campsite.
If history is your thing, across the Yorke Peninsula you can find traces of Cornish influence through the architecture, surnames of descendants, and a great Cornish Pastie. Join a tour at the Moonta Mines Tourist Railway and enjoy a guided tour of the Moonta Mines National Heritage Area. Make sure you pop into the Moonta Mines Sweet Shop to stock up on old-fashioned lollies for the rest of your trip.
Hopping in the van for a coastal road trip is almost an institution in Australia, and the Yorke Peninsula beaches don’t disappoint. The south-west corner hosts some of the best surf beaches, including Daly Head, the first National Surfing Reserve on Australia’s southern coast.
For those more interested in what’s under the water, the Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail has 8 shipwrecks, while the Investigator Strait Shipwreck Trail includes 10 of the 26 shipwrecks in the area. There are also several diving spots across the state for travellers who prefer to scuba.
About South Australia Road Trips
South Australian born and bred, Lauren is a mum of twin boys, and along with her husband, has a passion for sharing South Australia with everyone. Road tripping across the state is something Lauren has done since she was young, from visiting the caves of Naracoorte to the cuttlefish of Whyalla.
Lauren believes that the recent pandemic and border closures have meant that more people are exploring their own backyards, packing up the family, and enjoying life on the road, living out of their van.
South Australia Road Trips was created to help share the best of South Australia with locals, interstate and international visitors hitting the road to discover interesting places, great places to stay and amazing food to eat.
If you’re ready to pack up your van and go exploring, South Australia Road Trips will show you where to be.
