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Five top attractions in Elliston, South Australia

Annette Green • Dec 02, 2019

5 Top Attractions in Elliston South Australia

Waterloo Bay, Elliston South Australia, Great Australian Adventure

Perched on the shores of Waterloo Bay on the west side of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia is this amazing little coastal town called Elliston. It is 169 km northwest of Port Lincoln and 641 km west of Adelaide. 


It has spectacular cliff top scenery, renowned fishing and beautiful beaches. It is an RV friendly town with two caravan parks, both easy walking distance to the beach. If you enjoy taking photos, then you won’t be disappointed with Elliston. 


Amoungst many others, these are my top 5 must see attractions when visiting Elliston.

1. Anxious Bay Cliff Top Drive

Make sure you take a full roll of film and your camera is fully charged because you are going to need it! This clifftop drive has so many photo opportunities that we found our selves getting in and out of the car every few hundred metres. Sculptures dotted along the drive seem to pop out of nowhere and are perched right on the cliff edge like long lost beacons from an ancient time. 
The scenery is just amazing with stunning clifftop views that rivals Victoria's Great Ocean Road. Located also along this drive is the famous 'Black Fellows' surfing spot which is said to be the best left-hander on the coast. It’s a long paddle out and in my opinion for the fit, courageous and those with a death wish only!

2. Little Bay Cliff Top Drive

Little Bay Cliff Top Drive, Elliston South Australia, Great Australian Adventure, Australian Silo Art Trail

The Little Cliff Top drive is on the Port Lincoln side of town, although not as long as the Anxious Bay Cliff Top drive, it is still every bit as spectacular. It's is a great level 2 walking trail also, along flat compacted gravel and for the fit a one hour return from the start.


 The Recognition Sculpture is located on the clifftop overlooking the Little Bay Surf Break at the end of the drive. It offers a beautiful place to sit and reflect on the spirit of reconciliation. 


From the lookout  here at its end you can take on the views of the islands nestled off shore, the township of Elliston and the farmlands beyond.

3. Murals at the Town Community and Visitor Centre

The town community and visitor centre was painted by the community under the guidance of Siv Grava and John Turpie and shows the life of early settlers in intricate detail. It covers an area of 500 square meters and took three weeks to complete in 1992. In 2014 it was repainted and was reputed as being one of the largest single murals in Australia. 

4. Little Coastal Walking Trail

Elliston, South Australia, Great Australian Adventure, Australian Silo Art Trail

This 900 metre walking trail is an easy grade 2 trail and would take about one hour to complete. The path is 1.2 metres wide and is designed to take you through dunes and stunning limestone cliff tops while keeping the walker away from unsafe and unstable clifftop edges.



The view from Wellington Point is spectacular, especially as you watch the waves crash into Bird Rock, which stands just a little off the point. 


The closer to the edge you get you will find all kinds of shells thown up on the cliff by the crashing waves and if the day is a little stormy the spray of the waves in your face also.

5. Locks Well

Locks Well is located 16 km south of Elliston and is reputed to be one of the most reliable locations for catching Australian salmon in South Australia. 

Views from the lower car park are pretty impressive and the round suspended platform at the top of the cliff overlooking the ocean is breathtaking . There is a staircase to the beach, which is not for the faint hearted and is reputed to have 283 steps! This has now made access to the beach much safer for those chasing the big catch.

There are two car parks at Locks Well, upper and lower. If you are travelling you can park your caravan in the upper car park, but not the lower. The drive down to the lower is very steep and if full of cars offers no where to turn around. After parking at the top, the walk down is steep and at a guess 200 metres long.
Locks Well, Australian Silo Art Trail, Great Australian Adventure
Annette and Eric Green - Australian Silo Art Trail
We have been travelling Australia in a custom built motorhome since 2018. Through the art of storytelling and photography, we help our readers explore Australia along with us, with the aim to encourage them to get on the road as well.

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