No matter your reason for visiting you will be blown away at just how much Ceduna has to offer. An adventurous heart and a 4WD is a must to experience the very best of the Far West. Ceduna is located 780km west of the capital city Adelaide and is one of the very few destinations that you can fly to on the Eyre Peninsula. We recommend a week to enjoy the region, but for those with less time, a quick 3 day self-drive itinerary is below.
Day 1:
Make the most of your outback escape and grab an early morning flight into Ceduna from Adelaide, collect your 4WD direct from the airport at one of 3 available hire companies within the terminal and head straight to your waterfront accommodation at the Ceduna Foreshore Hotel. The hotel is positioned centrally in town and is opposite the Ceduna Jetty and the spectacular Murat Bay. For those travellers that like to bring their own accommodation, we recommend the award winning Ceduna Shelley Beach Caravan Park to base yourselves at one of the many beachfront sites available.
First stop, Ceduna’s town centre, Poynton Street. Despite being a small town the retail precinct is jam packed with shops including café’s, restaurants, galleries and our Visitor Information Centre, everything you need to be safe and well catered for on your self-drive holiday is available right here. The Ceduna School House Museum is next on the itinerary where you can immerse yourself in the regions pioneering and agricultural history. Grab a quick bite to eat from the The Blue Dolphin Cafe before heading to the Ceduna Arts & Culture Centre. Enjoy the breathtaking artwork and handicrafts from over 140 Indigenous artists local to our region, purchases from the Arts Centre go back into skills and development for the artists.
Heading a little further west out of town, past the quarantine check point, take your first left heading to Denial Bay. Following the coastline, past ANDOC park – the dirt circuit track, you will find the entry to Denial Bay on your left. Here you will see McKenzie’s Landing, which was the unloading facility prior to the jetty being built, at low tide the platform could be accessed by horse and cart. The jetty offers fantastic fishing for those who like to wet a line. During winter, visitors may get the chance to view the fur seals and their pups while they use the jetty as a bed and breakfast on their way back to their colony. As you exit town and hit Denial Bay Rd turn left and follow the road west an additional 15km to find McKenzie’s Ruins. McKenzie was the first to settle in the area in 1889 and his original homestead and settlement is available to explore.
On your short journey back into Ceduna, make a dinner pit stop at the Oyster Barn. Voted South Australia’s 3rd best fish and chips in 2021, select from a variety of fresh seafood, sushi and the weekly special’s ranging from Thai Curry to Mexican. For those who prefer to cook themselves, head to Thevenard Fish Factory to purchase some of the famous King George Whiting or Blue Swimmer Crabs found in abundance throughout the bay. Pack a picnic rug and head down to the Ceduna Foreshore to get a glimpse of one of the most remarkable sunsets you will ever experience.
Day 2:
Before embarking on your day, make a brief stop at the Ceduna Bakery & Coffee Lounge to fuel up the bodies before your adventure. 45kms east of Ceduna you will find Smoky Bay, home to the regions thriving seafood industry and aquaculture park. Here you will find over 20 local growers including the friendly team at S.A Premium Oysters. Select from one of their tours and enjoy first-hand the life of an oyster grower as you head out over the crystal clear waters to a purpose built platform overlooking the S.A Premium oyster lease. Enjoy lunch, sampling the freshest oysters directly plucked from the water and listen to local tales before heading back to the mainland.
On your way to, or from, Smoky Bay; Laura Bay Conservation Park, Wittelbee Conservation Park, and Cape Vivonne provide a rare window to the amazing coastline of the Far West. You may be lucky to see ospreys and other coastal raptors fishing along the shallow waters.
If you still have energy to burn, we recommend a sunset flight with Chinta Air Scenic Tours to experience the iconic South Australian Outback from the air. Departing direct from Ceduna, tours include the Nullarbor and Bunda Cliffs, South Australia’s salt lakes including Lake MacDonnell (the famed pink lake) and Maralinga, the British nuclear testing site, there is an itinerary for everyone.
Tonight dinner is at the Ceduna Foreshore Hotel Motel. Dine on a specially planned menu, utilising the best local produce the region has to offer, chat to the staff who will match your meal with the perfect local South Australian wine. Tonight take a leisurely stroll as the sun sets following the Encounter Trail, a 4km coastal track winding from the Ceduna Jetty to the Thevenard Port viewing platform at Pinky Point. The trail depicts the journey of Matthew Flinders and the first settlement to more modern times.
Day 3:
Today we ditch the coast and hit the Nullarbor travelling West. It is an entirely different experience out this way. Refuel and pack up the 4WD for the day with a picnic lunch, sunscreen, and plenty of water, you can never be too prepared. Travel 3hrs west and head in-land to the Murrawijinie Cave. Always ensure your safety first, these caves are particularly popular, as Swallows and Hawks like to use the caves as their nesting sites. The furthest of the caves contains indigenous ochre hand stencils, which are located just inside the cave’s entrance (bring a torch!).
As you head back onto the Eyre highway travelling East, the Head of Bight Visitor Centre will be on your right offering spectacular views of the Bunda Cliffs, a majestic place to pull up for lunch. The Head of Bight is famously known as the playground for the Southern Right Whale during their migration, a must see if you are visiting between June and October.
Continuing on your eastward journey back to Ceduna, once the sight of a whaling station, Fowlers Bay is now teeming with marine life including the Southern Right Whale. Here you can take a late afternoon whale watching tour with EP Cruises during whale season, alternatively swing into the eco-park kiosk and enjoy a sweet treat. The town has the remnants of the old whaling station with whale bones on display. On the last leg home, take a slight detour to visit the Penong Windmill museum and get an epic holiday shot with Australia’s largest windmill.
For those that may want to stay a little closer to home base for the day, we recommend Goog’s track, located 35kms from Ceduna, it is a 4WDing wonderland. The track is approximately 170kms long and crosses roughly 370 sand ridges (think Simpson Desert). It is as remote a spot you will find in the Australian Outback allowing you to immerse yourself in nature, there is a toilet facility approximately 40km into the track at Goog’s Lake, we recommend taking that opportunity before continuing your journey. Yumbarra and Yellabinna parks and reserves are part of the traditional lands of the Far West Coast Aboriginal people. They welcome visitors and ask you to appreciate the sensitivity of this land and to respect Country, please leave only footprints behind.
You don’t need a reason to visit, just a 4WD. We welcome you to come and experience the very best of the Far West.
