El Dorado by the Sea - Yorke Peninsula, SA Part 2

Days 32 and 33

After a few days exploring the eastern side and the wild southern tip of the peninsula, we turned our attention to the west - and that’s where things got really special.

On Monday morning we attempted to exit the national park via the western side, only to discover a dead end - so back we went. Along the way we passed a group of young people and their teachers hiking with packs. When I asked where they were heading, one young man replied, 'To hell'. I remember being that teacher on camp, trying to sell the joys of a long hike. Some kids (and adults) remain unconvinced.

Back through Marion Bay, we headed north along the west coast toward Corny Point (named because it resembles a corn on the foot that is Yorke Peninsula). We’d heard whispers about off‑grid camping at Gravel Bay - and sure enough, we found our El Dorado.

A challenging 4WD descent delivered us to a perfect camp, metres from the water. Rock pools, stunning scenery, total isolation. We celebrated with a bottle of GH Mumm champagne, a roast dinner, and a sunset that lit the sky with pinks, oranges and reds. Absolute perfection.

We weren’t in a hurry to leave Gravel Bay (shame the name doesn’t reflect the beauty of the spot) the next morning, but rising wind encouraged us onward. Izzy climbed back up the cliff and we drove onto Flaherty’s Beach (literally) - apparently Tourism Australia’s fourth‑best beach in 2022 - after navigating some serious corrugations.

From there we entered the Copper Coast, encompassing Moonta, Minlaton, Kadina and Wallaroo. Copper was discovered here in 1859, and Cornish and Welsh miners soon made it known as Australia’s Little Cornwall.

We stopped at Minlaton to see the restored Red Devil aircraft - a Bristol M1C monoplane flown by Captain Harry Butler (farmer turned aviator), the first to fly across the Gulf to Yorke Peninsula carrying mail. He was also the first to take an aerial picture of Adelaide. A local legend.

Had a wander around Minlaton and found some cool wall art and a very good pie.

The rest of the day unfortunately became the day when everything was closed.

We missed out on Watsacowie Brewing Company, eating a famous Moonta Cornish pasty, and Ye Olde Sweet Shop - all closed, despite advertised hours. Country town roulette.

That evening we settled into a great caravan park near Wallaroo, right on the bay. Plans to walk into town were foiled by a maze of canals, so instead I swam, and we watched the sunset from a fabulous grassy spot adjacent to the beach with nibbles and drinks.

Wallaroo marked our final stop on the Yorke Peninsula.

Next stop: the Eyre Peninsula. Keep watching this space.