Streaky Bay & Surrounds

You can also take a surf or paddleboard lesson with Streaky Bay Surf School or follow one of the coastal drives to discover spectacular views and some lazy locals (sea lions) at Point Labatt. Streaky Bay is a top fishing location, and it's a popular place to bring the boat. And we can’t mention Streaky Bay without also mentioning Perlubie Beach, where you can camp on the beach and paddle in warm shallow waters. Camping numbers are limited to protect the environment and must be booked online (we recommend in advance, particularly in peak season!).

If the weather on the coast is getting a little wild, or you’re just looking for something different, be sure to check out Yanerbie Sandhills for soft white sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see, and the amusingly named Murphy’s Haystacks. These rock formations were named after a visitor to the region thought they were haystacks in a field! They’re actually granite and estimated to be over 1500 million years old. Back in town, discover the area’s farming history with a visit to the National Trust Museum, or the Powerhouse Museum (check the opening times before going). Ride West SA offer bike hire, including e-bikes, so you can cruise around town and further. And no visit to Streaky Bay is complete without a visit to the Great White Shark replica at the Shell Roadhouse, which was caught 22km from Streaky Bay (on a fishing line!) back in 1990.

Further inland you’ll find the small farming towns of Poochera, famous for the discovery of dinosaur ants, and Wirrulla, with its inland jetty. Both towns are gateways to the Gawler Ranges National Park!

There are three driving loops around Streaky Bay which will take you to all the key spots – the Westall Way Loop, the Cape Bauer Loop, and the Point Labatt Sea Lion Loop. The Westall Way has some spectacular stops, including High Cliff, Granites, Smooth Pool and the Yanerbie Sandhills. The Granites is a particularly popular spot for its large lagoon like rockpool which is great for families, while surfers can catch a wave out the back. The Cape Bauer Loop will take you along the rugged coastline. Keep an ear out when you visit Whistling Rocks and Blowholes, which is accessible by a boardwalk – you’ll hear a whistling noise as air rushes through the rocks! And Point Labatt Sea Lion Loop will of course take you to Point Labatt, the only permanent colony of sea lions on the Australian mainland. You can see them lazing on the rocks from the viewing point above, before calling in at Murphy’s Haystacks.

Swimming with sea lions and dolphins in the wild is a magical experience – and at Baird Bay you can do this at the home of the original tour! Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience offer tours from 1 September to 31 May, out into the bay to swim with both wild sea lions and dolphins on a combination tour. Sea lions are like playful puppies – they really do play with you in the water. They’ll even deliberately come into the water when the boat arrives! The dolphins are a local pod of around 25, who are very different from the sea lions. They’ll get close but keep themselves a little aloof at the same time, and it’s an ethereal underwater experience.