SA-Eyre Peninsula-Elliston

Heading north from Coffin Bay we arrive at another charming seaside town, Elliston. The town is set on the shores of Waterloo Bay with spectacular surrounding ocean- side cliffs and crystal clear water which looks so inviting.
As many of the cliff tops have large overhangs, there are signs that warn you not to drive too close to the edge. Recently, just north of here, a young girl fell from a cliff edge while watching the sea lions so the warnings are obviously there for a reason. Dangerous territory!
The area has a biennial art festival which encourages local and national artists to create sculptures along Elliston’s Great Ocean Drive. It was interesting driving the 12klms and stopping to view and read about the art and artists along the way.
As well as wheat farming and sheep, the area is well known for fishing. Locks Well is a stunning surf fishing beach, renowned for salmon, and only keen fisherman or crazy tourists such as ourselves are keen enough to negotiate the man made stairway down to the beach. There are 283 steps that hug the 120 metre cliff, going down is fun, but the way up the hill needs a rest stop on the way. From the beach looking up, the stairway looks like a mini wall of China.
The Talia Caves, forty klms north of Elliston, are large caverns that have been carved into the granite cliff by the action of the waves. We spent a long time here exploring the many deep rock pools. At the end of this road is the magic 20 klm long Talia beach. The sand is white, the water turquoise and so inviting. It is a breathtaking sight driving around the corner and finding this gem. We went swimming here with friends Di and Steve and had to pinch ourselves that we weren’t dreaming. It was magic.