A Perfect One-Day Getaway in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park
Nestled on the stunning Yorke Peninsula in South Australia lies Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, a breathtakingly picturesque destination often overlooked by travellers. However, don't let its low online profile deceive you - this hidden gem offers much more than just renowned campgrounds. Whether you're seeking a peaceful day lounging on the beach or an exciting adventure-filled hike, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park provides a wide range of activities suitable for all ages and fitness levels. In this guide, I'll take you on the perfect one-day getaway in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park.
To get there, we started our drive from Black Point Caravan & Camping Ground, which you can find on the WikiCamps app. It was a great place to stay overnight, with amenities like toilets, showers, and laundry facilities. The sites are spacious, and there's even a walkway that leads down to the beach with a cabana that's perfect for getting out of the sun on a hot day.
From Black Point, we followed part of the Yorke Peninsula Salt Lake Trail that begins and ends in Yorketown. We didn't have high expectations for the salt lakes since most we'd seen in South Australia had been far from pink, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that the few salt lakes we visited on the Yorke Peninsula Salt Lake Trail were kind of pink.
Hint: The best time of year to visit a salt lake is in the warmer months, from November to April. The combination of the increased salt concentration due to condensation and the high level of sunlight during the warmer months causes the pink colour to become more intense and vibrant.
After a 45-minute drive from Yorketown, we arrived at Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. The road led us straight to the visitor centre, where we paid our entry fee of $12.50 per vehicle. If you plan ahead, you can also purchase the entry fee online, which is valid for 24 hours.
Hint: Learn from our mistakes! If you're planning to stay overnight at one of the campsites in the national park, you can book at the Visitor Centre, but it's recommended to book ahead, especially during school holidays. We visited in January, and all of the campsites were fully-booked for the month.
Our first stop in the national park was Stenhouse Bay, which boasts a very long heritage-listed jetty. We recommend getting there early to walk the jetty since it can get very busy with fishermen, and the wind in the afternoon can affect water visibility. We visited at 8 am, and it was perfect. For a longer walk, the Stenhouse Bay Lookout Walk is a 2km trail that takes about an hour to complete. The trail includes seven viewing points with coastal views.
As we were leaving Stenhouse Bay, we decided to take a detour and turn right onto a dirt road in search of emus. Within moments of turning onto the road, we were delighted to spot a family of emus. They were completely unfazed by our presence and began walking towards our stationary car, giving us an amazing opportunity for some great photographs. It's worth noting that emus can be found all over the park, so be sure to keep a lookout for them while walking.
Continuing southwest in the park, we drove to Cape Spencer Lookout, a newly opened platform that gives you a 360-degree view of the national park. From there, it was a short drive to Cape Spencer Lighthouse, one of the most picturesque lighthouses we've seen on our trip so far. The nearby beach cliffs to the right make for an excellent photo.
The Inneston Historic Town was right around the corner, where we tackled the Inneston Historical Walk before lunch. The walk took us about 45 minutes to complete, including stops to read the signs that told the story of the close-knit community of Inneston. It's a 2km loop in total back to the car park.
West Cape was the next stop on our list and it only took us 25 minutes to walk along the cliffside to reach the lighthouse. It's a unique lighthouse, constructed from stainless steel, and the walk there is absolutely stunning with 360-degree views of West Cape, Pondalowie Bay and Marion Bay Township.
If you're into surfing, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park is the place to be. The two best beaches for catching a wave are Pondalowie Bay and Chinaman's Beach. We skipped Chinaman's Beach and headed straight to Pondalowie Bay. But be warned, it's a really popular spot with a small car park, so it can be tough to snag a spot. We managed to get lucky and found a space in the car park at Pondalowie Surf Break. From there, we walked down the boardwalk to the beach viewing platform. We don't surf, but it was still great fun to watch everyone else out there catching waves.
There are loads of hiking trails in the national park, and if you're feeling up for a challenge, we'd highly recommend tackling the Royston Head Hike. It takes around 2 hours return and is 4km long. You can find access to this walk at the car park before Browns Lake. We would have done it ourselves if we'd had another day to explore the park.
Last but not least, Brown's Beach was our final stop for the day in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. It's at the very end of the road, and it's a great spot for beach fishing or a swim if you're looking for something a little less busy than Pondalowie Bay. The surf was up when we were there, but we found a sheltered spot near the car park where we could still take a dip.
There are loads of beautiful campsites in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, and we would definitely recommend staying at Pondalowie Campground or Shell Beach Campground if you can. Unfortunately, we missed out on a spot there, but we found a bucket list campsite at Daly Head Campground just outside the park. Even arriving late from Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, we were able to secure a great spot with no problems.
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There's something for everyone in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, regardless of fitness level. Whether you're looking for a challenging hike, a short stroll, or something in between, you'll find it here. Some of the best views can be enjoyed from the comfort of your car or a short, easy walk, such as the lookout at West Cape or the beach viewing platform at Pondalowie Bay. Wildlife enthusiasts will love the abundance of emus throughout the park, while surfers can catch some waves at Pondalowie Bay or Chinaman's Beach. And history buffs can explore the Inneston Historic Town. With so much to do and see, you'll want to plan for at least a full-day to explore.
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Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park is located on the stunning Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. If you're coming from Adelaide, the most direct route to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park is to head north on Port Wakefield Road, which turns into the Augusta Highway. After about 90 km, turn left onto Copper Coast Highway, which will take you to the park entrance. This route is about 306 km and takes around 3.5 hours.
If you're coming from Port Wakefield, you can take the same Copper Coast Highway to the park entrance, which is about 52 km and takes around 45 minutes.
From Port Pirie, you'll want to head south on the Augusta Highway and then take the Port Germein-Gladstone Road to reach the Copper Coast Highway. From there, it's a straight shot to the park entrance, about 108 km and takes around 1.5 hours.
Note: Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park is accessible by 2wd, and we found that all of the roads were in great condition.
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If you're planning a camping trip to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, make sure to book your spot ahead of time, especially during peak season. While we didn't manage to snag a camping spot, we did check out all six of the beautiful campsites:
Cable Bay Beach campground
Casuarina campground
Gym Beach Campground
Pondalowie Bay campgrounds
Shell Beach campground
Stenhouse Bay Campground
Each of these campsites offers unique features and amenities, ranging from beachfront locations to access to hiking trails. Our top two picks would have to be Pondalowie Bay campgrounds and Shell Beach campground. Both of these campsites offer great locations for bushwalking, fishing, and swimming. Overall, we were really impressed with the quality of the campsites in the park, and we can't wait to come back and stay at these two spots next time.
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We visited Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park in summer and it was absolutely beautiful! The days were warm and sunny, perfect for spending time outdoors, swimming and surfing. The crystal clear waters at Pondalowie Bay were a highlight for us, and we highly recommend taking a dip if you get the chance. If you're planning a trip to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, we’d recommend visiting in the warmer months.
The average temperature in summer ranges from 18°C to 27°C, in autumn it's cooler with temperatures ranging from 11°C to 22°C, in winter (June to August) temperatures range from 8°C to 16°C, and in spring the weather starts to warm up again with temperatures ranging from 12°C to 24°C. So, make sure you pack accordingly depending on the season you plan to visit. It’s also worth noting that it can get windy, and it tends to pick up most afternoons.