We didn’t only get to travel Port Augusta to Ceduna along the coastline of the Eyre Peninsula, we also drove all the way back from Fowlers Bay, through Ceduna, to Whyalla (below Port Augusta) along the Eyre Highway. We didn’t do that just because we wanted to see ALL of Eyre Peninsula, but because we had to go back to Whyalla to get a new windshield wiper motor at the local Mitsubishi dealer – which we had to stick around and wait for for a month. Yes, we could have maybe gotten a secondhand one super cheap, BUT then we wouldn’t have had those amazing 5 nights at Bay 10 in Port Lincoln, where we really had a luxurious life. However, enough about that.

Fact is we travelled the Eyre Highway on top of the Eyre Peninsula twice. Once from Ceduna to Whyalla and once all the way back, because we are now headed towards WA.

So, on our way from Ceduna we did a few stops along the way to drag out the time until we had to be in Whyalla. We stopped for two nights in Gawler Ranges Nationalpark, one night in Kimba and one night at Lake Gilles.

Before we went to Gawler Ranges Nationalpark, we had a short shop at Wave Rock, also known as Pilpappa Rock. Honestly, it was a little disappointing. After we have been to Murphys Haystacks, where we were positively surprised by the giant rocks, that looked somewhat not very impressive on pictures, but VERY impressive in real life, wave rock didn’t quite give us the same surprise. Wave rock looks like it does in the pictures. Ofcourse, it looks like a wave and thats cool, but I wouldn’t set up a entire day-tour just to visit that stone, if anyone is thinking about that. However it could be a great place to stay overnight if you are travelling along Eyre Highway and need a rest. They have free camping and amenities and its not to far off the highway.

From Wave Rock, we drove to Gawler Ranges Nationalpark. We stayed two nights at Kolay Hut Campground. The campground has drinkable rainwater, a wood-fired shower, toilets and a small hut, where you can sleep inside. We drove to the campground via Minnipa, which was estimated by Google Maps to take almost three hours, however it didn’t take us more than 1,5 hours. Most of the track in the park leading to the campground was 4WD only, but the tracks weren’t bad at all, a bit rocky at times, but otherwise fairly easy to drive. It was a beautiful drive through the park to the camp, where we saw lots of grey (almost white) kangaroos for the first time and emus.

We didn’t meet a single car along the 68 kilometres we drove in there and there was just another couple camping at the campground on our first night. The second night we had it all to ourselves. It sure felt like we were all alone in the world. We sat around our bonfire for 7 hours, which felt like no time and we got to see a beautiful night sky. Definitely the most crazy stars, we had ever seen so far! Now we have seen crazier, while camping along the Nullarbor. But from Gawler Ranges, the view is spectacular as well!

Just opposite of the campground is a big hill, which we decided to climb, after wandering around the surrounding bushland for a while. Up here we actually had a bit of reception, so if you forget to book your campground before going and you are aware that the rangers are not to far away, then climbing the hill and booking it up there is no problem 😉

A short 15 minute walk from the campground is Mirica Falls, which doesn’t have any water in it at the moment. However it’s still beautiful, especially during sunset. We had a walk above and around the waterfall, where we where very fortunate to see an Echidna. Neither of us have ever seen or heard of it before. To us it just looked like a giant hedgehog. We took a picture and showed it to an elderly man at our campground, who could tell us all about the animal and how lucky we had been to see one.

Gawler Ranges is quite different from the other nationalparks, we have been to. First of all, we have seen more tourists and it also seemed like some of the parks where aiming more towards tourists by having lots of walking trails, hikes, must see-attractions etc. I am aware that Gawler Ranges has two walks and a few attractions, but I think the best way of experiencing and taking in this park, is simply just driving along the tracks and walking around areas, where there are no designated walking trails. Make your own hikes and walks like we did and enjoy the views from the top of a mountain.

After staying two nights in the Nationalpark we headed off and decided to stay in Kimba, because they have a free campground inside the town. There are toilets, showers and free books in the female amenities. While you are in Kimba, you can have a look at the Silo Art, which you have probably seen a picture of, if you have been looking into South Australia.

Our last night between Kimba and Whyalla we spend at Lake Gilles. Its only a 30-minute drive from Kimba, so we really only stopped there, because we had a lot of time to kill. There is lots of space for camping for free around Lake Gilles. You can either sleep right next to the highway, or you can drive along a gravel track, Lake Gilles Rd, that starts on the left just before the green area of Lake Gilles starts. We drove along the gravel track and found a nice spot to camp next to the salt lake and also next to a hundred bees. So careful where you camp here! You might wanna pick a spot, that is not just above where they sleep in the ground.

So, if you’re travelling along the Eyre Highway between Port Augusta/Whyalla and Ceduna, I hope you can make use of some of our experiences. If you’re unsure whether to drive along the coastline of Eyre Peninsula or the highway, I would definitely go for the coastline, if you have some time, so that you can stop in Port Lincoln, Coffin Bay and see Murphys Haystacks and Talia Caves between Coffin Bay and Streaky Bay. If you just wanna travel through fast, then go for the highway and please make sure to stop at Gawler Ranges Nationalpark! You will not be disappointed.