Arno Bay Foreshore & Estuary

Arno Bay is one of those easygoing Spencer Gulf towns that rewards a slow afternoon. A boardwalk loops through the tidal estuary behind the dunes, threading mangroves alive with birdlife and small fish, while the front beach offers calm, shallow swimming and a jetty for casting a line.

The estuary walk is the highlight, an easy circuit that brings you close to the mangrove ecosystem that nurses the gulf's fish stocks. The town's jetty and boat ramp make it a popular base for anglers chasing whiting and snapper, and the foreshore reserve has shade, grass and a playground for families.

Set roughly midway down the east coast, Arno Bay is an unhurried stop between Cowell and Port Neill. Bring a picnic, walk the boardwalk, and stay for the sunset over the gulf.