Streaky Bay

Streaky Bay is a town of about 1,200 people on the western shore of the Eyre Peninsula, roughly 700 kilometres from Adelaide along the coast road. The town sits on a protected inlet facing west across the Great Australian Bight and has been a fishing port and grain shipping point since the 1860s. Matthew Flinders named the bay in 1802 after observing streaks of coloured water, most likely caused by oil from a species of seaweed.

The coastline around Streaky Bay is extraordinarily varied. To the south, Point Labatt is home to the only permanent mainland colony of Australian sea lions and can be viewed from a cliff-top platform. Cape Bauer, a few kilometres west of town, has a scenic loop drive along granite cliffs and blow holes that are particularly spectacular in rough weather. To the north, the coast softens into long sandy beaches and shallow lagoons.

Murphy's Haystacks, about 40 kilometres south-east of town on the road to Port Kenny, are the most photographed feature of the area. These are a cluster of ancient granite inselbergs - rounded pink and orange boulders up to five metres high that sit in a wheat paddock overlooking the sea. The granite is estimated at 1.5 billion years old, making these among the oldest exposed rocks on the Eyre Peninsula. The formations are on private land and a small entry fee applies.

The town itself is quiet and functional with a bakery, a pub, a small supermarket and several holiday parks. The local fishing fleet brings in King George whiting, snapper and blue swimmer crabs, and the Streaky Bay Hotel does a reliable counter meal featuring the day's catch. Oyster farming is an important local industry and Eyre Peninsula oysters from the surrounding waters are highly regarded by chefs across the country.

Streaky Bay is best visited from October to April when the weather is warm and the sea conditions are calmer. Winter brings dramatic coastal storms but the town is quiet and some facilities reduce their hours. The town is a standard overnight stop on the Eyre Peninsula road trip and combines well with the Nullarbor drive.