Dec 21 to Jan 4  Port Lincoln is a coastal city on Boston Bay at the southern-most tip of the Eyre Peninsula. It is located approx 280 Kms in a straight line west of Adelaide … but you have to drive for 650 Kms to get there !! Port Lincoln is reputed to have the most millionaires per capita in Australia.

British naval officer Matthew Flinders discovered the harbour in February 1802 and named it after his UK home in Lincolnshire. The economy is based on the huge grain-handling facilities (a total capacity of over 337,500 tonnes), the canning and fish processing works, lambs, wool and beef, and tuna farming for the Japanese market.

We set up in the caravan park close to the centre of town and unpack the annex for a relaxing 2 week stay over Xmas and the New Year. The weather is very strange with normally quite windy but warm days and cool nights. Then we are thrown by one day at 36 degs !

The weather becomes quite stable with warm and sunny days giving way to comfortable evenings and nights. Christmas Day is spent with a group of other travellers in the caravan park ans lunch consists of some beautiful locally caught and/or bought seafood.

We spend the Xmas break touring around the Eyre Peninsula which has spectacular views, especially along the famous ‘Whalers Way’, a rugged and beautiful part of the coast.

We are introduced to a locally caught seafood delicacy, the razor fish, which is a little like a cross between a scallop and an oyster, once you have got rid of all the gunge inside the shell (see photos).

 

Dec 14 to 20  Three more stops on the way to our Xmas location, Port Lincoln, including 2 very good free camps. Port Hughes had some spectacular sunsets. More fishing for squid and blue swimmers. Stopped in Whyalla to see one of the World War 2 ships that were built there. Also saw some very clever roadside Xmas decorations.

Dec 10 to 12  Remaining on the Yorke Peninsula, we move a little further south to Stansbury, a great little town with a caravan park literally on the beach on the edge of the sheltered Oyster Bay. And this is where the hunting and gathering genes kick in. We get serious about sharing the local marine delicacies which are abundant – namely squid, blue swimmer crabs and yellow fin whiting. Well, 2 out of 3 anyway, those whiting are really hard to catch.

Whilst not easy, the squid and blue swimmers can be caught but see what lengths we go to to try for the whiting – yes we have both walked at least 2 kilometres to the water and are wading to the tops of our thighs but still no whiting.

Dec 9  On our last trip to South Australia last year we did not visit the Yorke Peninsula so we take a left turn north of Adelaide and travel down the east coast of the Peninsula. First stop, Ardrossan, a great place to catch blue swimmer crabs, except the crabs are obviously not aware of this fame. They are all undersize so maybe after Xmas would be a better time to try for them. We were taken aback a little when the caravan park owner warned us about the brown snake underneath the toilet block !! Note the local golf course could do with a new greenkeeper !

Dec 7,8  We return to West Beach in Adelaide for a 2 day stop which includes a celebratory dinner for our 6th wedding anniversary. The weather is starting to warm up but they should rename South Australia to The Windy State. It never stops blowing !!

Dec 4 to 6  Aldinga Beach is an hour south of Adelaide and close to the famous McLaren Vale wine region. The caravan park has its own native peacock who is very friendly (and noisy !).

Dec 2,3  Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It was first settled in the early 19th century by sealers and whalers then an official settlement was established in 1836.

The highlights for us were our first encounters with wild koalas and seeing  fur seals and sea lions playing in the surf.