Beaches
Wild & Empty Coast
The best beaches in Streaky Bay
From the turquoise calm of Coffin Bay to the booming Southern Ocean surf at Locks Well, the Eyre Peninsula has some of the most beautiful and least crowded beaches in the country. Expect squeaky white sand, granite headlands and the very real chance you will have the whole bay to yourself.
Few coastlines in Australia rival the Eyre Peninsula for sheer, uncrowded beauty. Hundreds of kilometres of white sand curve between Whyalla and the Great Australian Bight, ranging from glassy, family-safe bays to wild Southern Ocean surf beaches where you may not see another soul.
The sheltered eastern gulf beaches around Tumby Bay and Cowell offer calm, shallow water ideal for swimming and wading, while the rugged west coast near Elliston and Streaky Bay throws up towering cliffs, granite headlands and powerful breaks. Inside Coffin Bay and Lincoln national parks, four-wheel-drive tracks open onto squeaky-white sand and turquoise shallows.
Many beaches double as fishing, surfing and wildlife spots - sea lions haul out, dolphins patrol the shallows and ospreys nest on the cliffs. Pack supplies, check tides and conditions, and remember that remote beaches have no services. Summer brings warm swimming, while autumn and spring deliver calm, clear days perfect for exploring the coast.
Browse beaches by area
11 places
Cape Bauer Loop & Whistling Rocks
Blowholes that whistle, cliffs that roar
A 38 km scenic loop from Streaky Bay out to the cliffs of Cape Bauer, where boardwalks lead to the Whistling Rocks and blowholes above the heaving Southern Ocean.
Hally Beach & Cape Bauer Loop
A coastal drive loop west of Streaky Bay linking sheltered Hally Beach with the dramatic blowholes and cliffs of Cape Bauer.
Haslam Jetty
A quiet little jetty at the tiny settlement of Haslam, fronting calm water ideal for fishing and sunsets.
Perlubie Beach
A broad, shallow, drive-on beach north of Streaky Bay where families park on the sand and the tide goes out forever.
Sceale Bay
A Sheltered West-Coast Hideaway
A small holiday settlement on a curving bay near Point Labatt, offering safe swimming, good fishing and surf at nearby beaches.
Searcy Bay
A scenic bay near Sceale Bay framed by rugged cliffs and offshore islands, with sweeping coastal views and quiet beaches.
Smooth Pool
A sheltered natural rock pool among the granite of the Cape Bauer loop near Streaky Bay.
Speeds Point
A sheltered point and tidal flat on the Streaky Bay foreshore, good for calm-water fishing, wading and watching shorebirds.
Streaky Bay Foreshore
The Heart of the Far West Coast
The friendly waterfront of Streaky Bay - a jetty, a sandy swimming beach and a foreshore caravan park that anchor town life.
The Granites
A photogenic beach south of Streaky Bay where huge rounded granite boulders sit on white sand beside a popular surf break.
Yanerbie Sand Dunes
A vast field of white coastal sand dunes near Sceale Bay, popular for sandboarding, beach fishing and big ocean views.
Beaches in Eyre Peninsula - frequently asked questions
What is the Eyre Peninsula known for when it comes to beaches?
The Eyre Peninsula is known for squeaky white sand, granite headlands and hundreds of kilometres of uncrowded coastline running from the gulf country down to the Great Australian Bight. It spans two distinct moods - sheltered, turquoise, family-safe bays like those around Coffin Bay, and wild Southern Ocean surf beaches such as Locks Well and Anxious Bay where you may not see another soul.
Which are the best beaches to visit on the Eyre Peninsula?
For calm swimming and sheer beauty it is hard to beat Almonta Beach and Gunyah Beach in Coffin Bay National Park, which have some of the whitest sand in the region, while the bays of Lincoln National Park offer crystal-clear, sheltered water. For wild scenery head to Locks Well near Elliston or Woolshed Cave at Talia, and for world-class surf, Cactus Beach at Point Sinclair and Anxious Bay are the standouts.
Do I need to pay to enter the national park beaches like Coffin Bay?
Yes, beaches inside Coffin Bay National Park and Lincoln National Park require a vehicle entry fee, which must be booked online at parks.sa.gov.au before you arrive. The fee is waived if you book a campground in the park, and frequent visitors can buy a single-park or multi-park annual pass. Beaches outside the parks, such as Perlubie and Locks Well, are free to access.
Which Eyre Peninsula beaches are safe for swimming and good for families?
The sheltered eastern gulf beaches and protected bays are the safe choice - Coffin Bay township, Almonta Beach and the northern and eastern bays of Lincoln National Park have calm, shallow, family-friendly water. Take care on the exposed Southern Ocean surf beaches like Locks Well, Anxious Bay and Cactus Beach, which have strong currents and rips and are not patrolled, so several are not safe for swimming.
When is the best time of year to visit the Eyre Peninsula's beaches?
Summer (December to February) brings the warmest weather and the calmest swimming conditions, with sea temperatures peaking around 19 to 21 degrees in late summer and early autumn, though it is also the busiest period during school holidays. Spring and autumn are quieter and still pleasant for walking and exploring, while surfers often favour the winter swells at Cactus Beach and the salmon runs that draw anglers to Locks Well from June to August.