Eyre Peninsula full of exciting or delicious treasures

THE wild west coast is brimming with adventures both on dry land and in the ocean. When it’s all done for the day, there are more treats to tempt.

Swimming with sea lions, Seal Cove, Port Lincoln, Eyre Peninsula. Picture: SATC / Rob Blackburn

AN unlikely friendship between a third-generation printing magnate and arguably Australia’s most famous chef has helped illuminate the unsung and rather delicious treasures to be found on the Eyre Peninsula.

Always a destination for all-things coastal including surfing, fishing, camping, farm-holidaying and the slurping of globally coveted oysters and seafood from its pristine waters, the triangular West Coast peninsula now has all levels of food-and-stay experiences in play.

You might even spy celebrity chef Pete Evans on one of his regular consultant-chef visits to the new fine-diner, Line & Label, which opened at the former Delacolline Estate late last year. The bespoke architecture and restaurant are part of a $3 million makeover at the property now rebadged Peter Teakle Wines. Teakle is the chef’s multi-millionaire philanthropic fishing mate, a self-described Eyre Peninsula devotee.

More of Teakle’s works in progress include a sister business, the Limani Motel, with its glorious Boston Bay views. It is included in a luxurious stay-dine-explore package. There also are plans for a winery helicopter pad to bring visitors from Adelaide seeking luxury. The Teakle endeavours are bound to eventually rival the career-long Eyre Peninsula push by local fish-industry dynamo Hagen Stehr, of Clean Seas and the Stehr Group, who has pioneered sustainable fish “ranching” and made southern bluefin tuna and kingfish world-class delicacies.

The pair are among a brigade of passionate personalities showcasing their beloved peninsula as a rich food bowl. On a more boutique scale, bib ’n’ brace waders with wellies are daily attire for Ben Catterall and Kim Thomas, who supply more of the same to people joining Tours where they wade in to be seated at waist-deep tables, to wine and dine in the waters of the Coffin Bay oyster farm.

Coffin Bay Oysters at the Port Lincoln Hotel. Picture: SATC / Randy Larcombe

In a unique collaboration of local businesses, farmers markets are a moving feast around the peninsula. Check the South Australian Tourism Commission website for the latest dates and host towns, or southaustralia.com/places-to-go/eyre-peninsula/event. If you are in the vicinity in September, Coffin Bay hosts a leisurely Day on the Bay fest, where virtually the whole town produces special oyster/seafood menus. A shuttle takes you from spot to spot, including bars, live music and activities such as short bay cruises and tours to oyster beds and processing plants.

For those who’d rather “do” than eat, nature lovers can swim with sealions and dolphins, get dunked in a cage-dive with sharks, or trek through rugged national parks.

Remote beaches are hammered by surf waves, and the peninsula is a gateway to the Nullarbor which can provide one long self-contemplative drive all the way to Perth. Or you can join a small wilderness and wildlife adventure with the Xplore Eyre crew who share the sights, from a taste to a full tour, also delivering a true sense of “real” Australia.

In winter, the best photo ops are in the coastal waters off Head of Bight, home to migrating southern right whales and their calves.

While the peninsula affords a special sense of being remote, getting there is easy. Regional Express flies from Adelaide to Whyalla, Port Lincoln and Ceduna. Wherever you land, at the end of the day there will always be fresh produce, local fruit and seafood on the menu. Be sure to sample some Eyre Peninsula fish, whether it’s a line-caught fillet on a barbie by a wharf, a half-dozen oysters with a crisp local wine at a cafe, a bakery oyster pie or a finer-style nosh. Food, nature, action and relaxation are in reach, and so do-able.

EXPERIENCE THESE

Long Lunch: May 27

The Fresh Fish Place Long Lunch is Port Lincoln’s annual food, wine and music event across a number of participating venues. Special menus focus on local food, and there’s live entertainment. Proceeds support local children through Variety SA.

portlincolnlonglunch.com.au

Swim with giant cuttlefish: July 3-4 or 9-10

Once a year, these striking creatures migrate and congregate to breed. They are known for changing their luminescent patterns and colours. Just metres from the shore at Stony Point, near Whyalla, you can watch their colourful tricks while snorkelling as part of a two-day tour from Adelaide, including sights and bushwalks along the way.

puresa.com.au

Day on the Bay: September 23

Take a shuttle or roam the town of Coffin Bay, enjoying special menus focusing on local oysters and seafood, plus bars, live music and short tours.

facebook.com/CoffinBayADayontheBay/

Oysterfest: September 28-30

The Ceduna Oysterfest is a free community event with a focus on family activities, competitions, regional food and wine, a carnival with sideshows, arts installations and projects, cooking demonstrations, live music and an arts and craft market. ceduna.sa.gov.au/oysterfest

The giant mural on the silos at Kimba. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

FUN FACT

The Gawler Ranges National Park is famous for its rock formations, red soil and distinctive crevices. Spy southern hairy-nosed wombats, pygmy possums and endangered yellow-footed rock wallabies.