Lake Newland Conservation Park

The hidden lake

Driving the Flinders Highway between Elliston and Venus Bay, you would never guess what lies behind the coastal dunes: Lake Newland, a saline lake system some 20 km long that ranks as the most extensive wetland on the Eyre Peninsula. The conservation park protecting it runs for roughly 38 km along the coast, a ribbon of lake, spring, dune and ocean beach that most travellers pass without ever seeing.

Birds and springs

Freshwater springs seep into the lake from below the dunes, creating a chain of habitats that waterbirds exploit year-round — Cape Barren geese, shelducks, snipe and, in season, migratory waders that have flown from the other side of the planet. Birdwatchers rate it among the best sites on the west coast; bring binoculars and scan from the lake edges rather than trudging the salt margins.

Two ways in

Access is via Walkers Rock Road in the south or Sheridans Lane in the centre. The southern entry leads to Walkers Rock Beach, where a 2WD-friendly day-visit and camping area sits behind a long white surf beach; exploring the lake section itself requires a 4WD and dry conditions. Either way, it is an easy and rewarding detour off the run between Elliston and Venus Bay.