Eyre Peninsula

The Eyre Peninsula juts south into the Great Australian Bight, separating Spencer Gulf from the open Southern Ocean. The eastern coast is sheltered, with the calm waters of Spencer Gulf and the towns of Port Augusta, Whyalla and Cowell. The southern tip is Port Lincoln, the largest town on the peninsula and the unofficial seafood capital of Australia.

Port Lincoln is the launch point for two of the country's most celebrated wildlife encounters. The first is cage diving with great white sharks at the Neptune Islands, around 70 kilometres offshore. Australia is one of only three countries where you can see great whites this reliably (the others are South Africa and Mexico). The second is swimming with Australian sea lions at Hopkins Island, a quieter encounter with the world's rarest sea lion species.

Coffin Bay, on the western side of the peninsula, is internationally famous for its oysters. The bay's tidal mix of fresh and salt water creates ideal growing conditions, and several operators run tours where you wade out to the leases to taste oysters straight from the water.

Lincoln National Park, just south of Port Lincoln, has white sand beaches, the historic Donington lighthouse, and dunes that stretch for kilometres. The peninsula is around 650 kilometres west of Adelaide, an 8 hour drive or a short flight to Port Lincoln Airport.