South Australia - Seafood and Wildlife

Your adventure will commence in Adelaide.  You make your own way from your home town to Adelaide Airport.

Fly from Adelaide to Port Lincoln - a flight suggestion will be made based on your dates of travel.

On arrival to Port Lincoln you are met by your private guide and  commence your touring.

You travel to Mikkira Station - one of the few habitats where koalas can be found in the wild. Go for a stroll under the beautiful old eucalypt trees and come face to face with the cuddly icon of Australia as they laze in the Manna gums.  Wild but placid kangaroos casually hop around in this beautiful historical setting, where in 1842 Scotsman Adam Borthwick and his family made their  home as one of the very first settlers of the region. Emus roam around amongst mobs of sheep and there is astounding birdlife here, many of which are rare and native to this area.

As the sun settles for the evening,  relax with a platter of local produce, wine and listen to the sounds of nature. 

Following sunset you transfer to your accommodation for the next three nights -  South Point Beach House, a modern 4-bedroom self-contained waterfront home with a gourmet 3-course dinner provided by your hosts.

Today is spent “hunting and gathering” for some of Australia’s best seafood. You will gather your own Coffin Bay cockles and oysters before being taken to some of the best-kept secrets on Eyre Peninsula. 

Coffin Bay is an area is of outstanding beauty, world famous oysters and is home to a variety of important species of flora and fauna. There are no other comparable systems of bays and inlets in such compact form anywhere on the coast, which is why this area is classified as a maritime wilderness area.  On the low tide, you will roll up your pants and easily collect the local cockles (pippies/clams) which are beautiful to eat and expensive to buy.  

Following with  the seafood theme,  you will also enjoy a tour with Pure Oysters Coffin Bay, where your host will provide an overview of the Pacific and the Native Angasi Oyster from his oyster-processing shed. Fresh out of the rack, you get to sample these magnificent oysters as well as seeing all the equipment used to get these oysters into the top restaurants around the world. 

You then continue on the scenic Flinders Highway, which was originally surveyed by John Eyre. This is one of Australia’s best marine parks viewing an abundance of marine life in safe and clear rock pools, beach comb and walk along one of the best white, footprint free sandy beaches, and explore the rock pools with mask and snorkel for the prized abalone in the clear waters of the Great Southern Ocean.  You may also 4WD over some massive sand dunes, body surf, sand board or throw a line in, from your private beach, to catch the big fighting Australian Salmon. 

On your way back to Port Lincoln, listen to the stories about the local legends and characters that live in this backyard. 

Tonight, your hosts will prepare seafood BBQ of the days catch back at the Beach House.

Today you dive with Great White Sharks.  This is an adrenaline-pumping activity but to see these magnificent creatures in their natural environment is not to be missed.

7.00 am - Board your boat (shared basis) and head for the Neptune Islands. This cruise takes 2.5 hours, cruising along the edge of the Port Lincoln National Park and out into the Southern Ocean.  Enroute you are served a light breakfast, along with a choice of hot beverages.

Often pods of dolphins come to play at the bow of the boat, white bellied sea eagles are seen nesting in the National Park, and at the right time of year you may also see pilot, blue and humpback whales (May-October).

As you near your destination the crew will get get you kitted out in 7mm dive wetsuits, hoods, booties and gloves. Once you arrive at the Neptunes, the skipper will find a sheltered area to moor, and you gather to discuss dive safety and procedures - because this is a surface dive you do not need any prior experience or qualifications. Over the course of the next 5-6 hours all passengers will have the chance to enter both the Aqua Sub (a glass underwater viewing area) and also get some underwater action in the cage.

To ensure the protection of the natural environment only audio sound vibrations (generally ACDC's greatest hits) are used to attract the sharks to the boat rather than burley.  The benefits of using sound vibration is that it is omnidirectional, instantaneous and completely eco friendly.  The sharks are inquistive by nature and come near the boat to investigate.

The Neptune Island Marine Park is also home to breeding and feeding sites for many local and migratory birds, Australian seas lions and long-nosed fur seals all of which can be viewed from the boat.   

Throughout the day you are welcome to tea, coffee, soft drinks and water, along with cake and fruit for morning tea, hot soup, a buffet style lunch, and in the afternoon a sausage sizzle to keep you satisfied until your return to Port Lincoln.

You return to Port Lincoln early evening and are transferred back to your accommodation.

Today you farewell Port Lincoln. 

You travel into the outback to Kangaluna Camp where your wildlife experience continues with an afternoon tour to see the outback animals that thrive in this natural environment. You can expect to see three species of kangaroos, emus and many birds, returning to Kangaluna after sunset drinks at Kolay Mirica Rocks (organ pipe formations).

For an overview of the camp and activities: https://youtu.be/7TfYEjbaF0I

Visit an ochre pit, once used by the indigenous people of this area, on the morning drive to spectacular Lake Gairdner. This lake is like a piece of Antarctica, with its glistening white salt pan, set in the stark landscape of the Australian outback.

Here you can walk on the surface of Lake Gairdner and look north to see the endless white plain and the striking red surrounds and islands. Enjoy the stunning scenery with its vibrant colours and reflections. The red dunes along the lake are covered with flowers in Spring, unique vegetation and bird life and yield many animal tracks. Photo opportunities are endless.

In the afternoon you drive through a changing landscape, including cigar shaped volcanic rock formations, and an abundance of wildlife. You may see emus, red, western grey and euro kangaroos as we drive through the ancient outback range to Kangaluna Camp. After dinner you can enjoy stargazing with a computerised telescope. 

Morning is leisurely and allows plenty of time to walk through the bush near camp. This morning you will walk on Lake Sturt in the Corrobinnie Depression and see the array of colours and patterns in the bed of the old lake. This is a geological marvel, with many interesting rocks.

Continuing around the lake to Mt Sturt taking short walks in the bushland, you observe a diversity of Australian plants and trees.

Early arrival back to the camp gives the extra chance to spot some of the 110 species of birds at Kangaluna and the visiting animals, or relax in the stunning surrounds.

Sunset drinks will finish the day at Sturt’s Lake. 

Today you return home.  Your guide will bid you farewell at the Port Lincoln Airport.

Fly from Port Lincoln to Adelaide - a flight suggestion will be made based on your dates of travel.

At Adelaide Airport to connect with your homebound flight.

END OF ARRANGEMENTS