Drive time: 4 h 30 m | 333 km
If you have time there are a lot of things to do in Streaky Bay while you are here. The drive to Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience, where you can swim with the sea lions and dolphins, is 1 hr south of Streaky Bay. From Baird Bay it is another 265 km or 3.5 h to Coffin Bay National Park. We’ve listed campsites along the way, but only those that get rave reviews (4 stars or more).
All attractions and places to camp are mapped at the end of the article.
Watching the waves roll in. Photo: goldykilner via IG
It's a van life! Photo: vanlifeintransit via IG
The coastal town of Streaky Bay sits on a bay of calm waters sometimes streaked with the oils of local seaweed, a characteristic which gives Streaky Bay its name. The surrounding landscapes include rocky cliffs, pastoral farmland and surf beaches.
The Calpatanna Waterhole Conservation Park to the southeast of Streaky Bay is a protected example of the original coastal and salt lake habitats and they are still rich in wildlife.
There are three main scenic drives that take in most of the natural attractions: Westall Way, Cape Bauer Loop and Point Labatt. But the town itself has a few sights worth seeing.
Supper Room Studio Gallery, Streaky Bay
The jetty in Streaky Bay
Allow 2 hours to do this loop south-west of Streaky Bay, or you can set up camp at Tractor Beach or Speeds Point camping grounds if you have a campervan with a bathroom. There are no facilities here.
Allow 1 to 2 hours for this scenic drive north-west of Streaky Bay.
The Point Labatt Sea Lion viewing platform is an hour south of Streaky Bay, but to continue on to Baird Bay you need to come half way back to get around the bay adding another 40 minutes to your journey. If you’re taking the Baird Bay Eco Ocean Experience, you’ll be swimming with sea lions, so you can give the sea lion viewing platform a miss to save yourself some time.
The viewing platform sits 50m above the sea lion colony so you can observe them at close range. More than 50 sea lions and seals can be seen under the cliff face all year-round as they frolic, laze, swim and fish on the shoreline. Various sea birds hang out on the rocks amongst the sea lions.
If you’re coming to Baird Bay via the Flinders Highway, drop in to Murphys Haystacks a 1500-million-year-old pink granite rock formation worn by the wind into monolithic inselbergs standing in the arid countryside.
Facilities include toilets, Interpretive signage, walking trail, picnic area, undercover tables and chairs, car park.
Murphy's Haystacks. Photo: mrfujix via IG
Murphy's haystacks. Photo: anstagram_sa via IG
Murphys Haystacks. Photo: tripinzonetribe via IG
Swim with the sea lions and dolphins! Swim tours run from September to June. During the winter months, whale tours are on offer. The afternoon tour only runs if the morning tour is full. Arrive 30 minutes early to check in.
TOUR TIMES: 9.30 am and 1.00 pm
COST: $180 if you swim. $150 if you don’t swim.
Swimming with sea lions. Photo: Baird Bay Eco Experience
Swimming with sea lions. Photo: edgar_pacific_photography via IG
Swimming with dolphins. Photo: dalemontphoto via IG
Swimming with sea lions. Photo: warren_tribe via IG
As usual, we have only listed the camping grounds and caravan parks that get the beset reviews.
See our Coffin Bay article.
Look for the purple tags to locate the highlights mentioned in this article.
Heart of Reef Shuttles, 48-50 Carlo Drive, Cannonvale, Queensland 4802 Phone: 1800 216 223
20 Noble Avenue, North Gate, Queensland 4013
Phone: 1800 216 223
440 Sheridan Street, Cairns,
Queensland 4870 Phone: 1800 216 223
273 Elizabeth Street, Coburg,
Victoria 3058 Phone: 1800 216 223
23-25 Erskine Rd, Caringbah,
Sydney, NSW 2229 Phone: 1800 216 223
