Beaches
Wild & Empty Coast
The best beaches in Eyre Peninsula
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.
Read our guide to beaches ↓Browse beaches by area
Map shows the 24 places on this page.
Lucky Bay
View →A shack settlement on a sand spit
A classic South Australian shack community strung along a sand spit north-east of Cowell, with safe swimming, blue swimmer crabs and gentle gulf water.
Memory Cove
View →A Wilderness Named in Grief
A pristine white-sand cove in a strictly protected wilderness area, named by Matthew Flinders for the crew he lost here in 1802.
Needle Eye Lookout
View →A dramatic clifftop lookout near Venus Bay where the ocean carves the limestone into arches and stacks.
Perlubie Beach
View →A broad, shallow, drive-on beach north of Streaky Bay where families park on the sand and the tide goes out forever.
Point Lowly Lighthouse
View →A heritage lighthouse and keeper's cottages on a narrow spit east of Whyalla, gateway to the famous cuttlefish snorkelling.
Point Sinclair & Cactus Beach Surf
View →A world-renowned trio of surf breaks at remote Point Sinclair near Penong, drawing pilgrims to Castles, Caves and Cactus.
Port Gibbon
View →Beach camping where the grain ships once called
A tiny seaside settlement south of Cowell with beachfront camping, the remains of an old jetty, resident dolphins and the occasional sea lion hauled out at the point.
Port Kenny
View →The quiet side of Venus Bay
A tiny fishing town on the sheltered inland shore of Venus Bay, with a jetty over calm water and the sea caves and pink granite of the west coast minutes away.
Port Neill Jetty & Foreshore
View →A tidy gulf-side town between Tumby Bay and Arno Bay, with a historic jetty and a calm swimming beach.
Salmon Hole
View →A surf-fringed pocket of white sand inside Coffin Bay National Park, named for the schools of salmon that run the gutters.
Sceale Bay
View →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
View →A scenic bay near Sceale Bay framed by rugged cliffs and offshore islands, with sweeping coastal views and quiet beaches.
September Beach
View →A popular family camping and swimming beach in Lincoln National Park, with sheltered water and a campground just behind the dunes.
Sheringa Beach
View →Salmon, surf and space to yourself
A long, wild surf beach south of Elliston famous among Australian salmon fishers, with bush camping behind the dunes and serious west-coast sunsets.
Sleaford Bay
View →A long, powerful arc of surf beach south of Port Lincoln, exposed to Southern Ocean swell.
Smooth Pool
View →A sheltered natural rock pool among the granite of the Westall Way Loop near Streaky Bay.
Speeds Point
View →A sheltered point and tidal flat on the Streaky Bay foreshore, good for calm-water fishing, wading and watching shorebirds.
Streaky Bay Foreshore
View →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.
Talia Caves
View →The Woolshed & the Tub
Two dramatic coastal formations near Elliston - a vast granite cave called The Woolshed and a deep cliff-edge sinkhole called The Tub.
The Granites
View →A photogenic beach south of Streaky Bay where huge rounded granite boulders sit on white sand beside a popular surf break.
Tumby Bay Jetty & Foreshore
View →A Long White Jetty & Calm Water
Tumby Bay's historic jetty and long white-sand foreshore, offering safe swimming, good fishing and views to the Sir Joseph Banks islands.
Tumby Island Conservation Park
View →A small island off Tumby Bay protecting seabird breeding habitat, reachable by kayak across calm gulf water.
Venus Bay Foreshore & Lookouts
View →Pelicans, Cliffs & Quiet Water
A tiny fishing settlement on a sheltered inlet, with a pelican-filled foreshore and dramatic cliff lookouts at the Needle Eye and South Head.
Venus Bay Jetty
View →A long jetty over the sheltered inlet at Venus Bay, a prime spot for whiting and squid and for watching dolphins in the bay.
About beaches in Eyre Peninsula
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.
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.