Near Venus Bay SA

Sunday 9th April 2006
On a headland near
Venus Bay S.A.

Another leisurely 8.45 a.m. start to the day. Having had the annex out, it was going to be a fair pack so I got started while Amanda took care of her ablutions.

On the road a little past 10.30 and ambled out the highway at our customary 90kph. First port of call was Coffin Bay (so called by Matthew Flinders after a friend Sir Isaac Coffin who had assisted in preparation for his journey). It was a delightful little hamlet set on a picturesque estuary. Wharf, fishing boats, pine trees and oyster leases made a very attractive package. AS local market was going on so we stopped in and loaded up with home made goodies including almonds, cakes and a lunchtime lamb yiros. I was very tempted to stay there for a day or two as the weather was just perfect. Sunny and warm. The caravan park looked very inviting. Someone else didn’t seem that keen though so we headed back out to the Flinders Hwy again.

The coast line soon became rugged limestone cliffs with surf pounding their bases. We stopped several vantage points along the way. It was spectacular to say the least. Through the mallee scrub again to Elliston and then on to Venus Bay.We have pulled onto dune tracks a little outside Venus bay and after 5 km of rough driving or so, have been rewarded with a spectacular Cliffside camp site. We over look magnificent beaches fringed with rugged sandstone cliffs and sandy dunes. After setting up, we went down to the beach to explore finding a small cave that had been worn through the bas eof the cliffs allowing access from one beach to the next through the headland.The water was nippy but invigorating. Dinner was an Indian affair with a homemade tart from Coffin Bay for desert. Sunset was again a reward. We’ll see if I have the guts for an early morning dip!