FOLLOW
Photography – Bobby Bense & Helen Janneson Bense
Editing/Styling/Creative Direction/Model – Helen Janneson Bense
Locations – South Australia – Port Lincoln, Eyre Peninsula Tanonga Eco Lodge, Line and Label, Greenly Beach, Mikkira Station, Almonta Beach, Tumby Bay, Port Lincoln Hotel, Memory Cove, Seawall Apartments, Glenelg Beach, Moseley Beach Club, L’Anse Tumby Bay Cafe, Rogue & Rascal, Del Giorno’s
Please note that all drone imagery at Memory Cove and Almonta Beach was obtained with permission by the Department for Environment and Water.
Outfit Details
Dresses – Arnhem Island Sun Dress + Maxi Dress (Similar) | Tiare Hawaii Brooklyn Dress + Eyelet Hollie Dress| ASTARS Swing Cami + Soiree Wide Leg Pants | ASTARS Capitola Embroidered Skirt + Capitola Off Shoulder Top
Swim – Camilla Lace Front V Neck One piece
It was a journey into the unknown. Into the wild, raw and beautiful South Australian wilderness. We literally had no idea of what was in store. That we would be feasting on some of the freshest locally grown produce crafted by culinary experts. That we would be so deeply immersed in nature, connecting with the land and wildlife. That the coastal views and multitude of turquoise rock pools would completely take our breath away. And that all of this would be ours to enjoy with barely another soul in sight.
Our journey to Eyre Peninsula began in Adelaide. From here it’s a short under 1 hour flight to Port Lincoln. A great place for food and some local shopping, situated right on the beautiful Boston Bay. We stayed at the Tanonga Eco Lodge, 20 minutes from Port Lincoln. It’s a sustainably built lodge that sits high upon the ridge overlooking the ocean. I loved waking up here to the sound of birds and the golden glow of the sunrise each morning. Also the perfect spot to end a long day of exploring as the sunset sky creates a 360 degree panorama for you to feast upon each night. It had all the luxuries one could want, in a modern light filled space, that won’t cost the earth. Just some of the inspired sustainable design elements include an in ground slab for thermal mass, double glazing with attention to window orientation and size, a stand alone power supply primarily from solar energy, rainwater, organic worm treatment for all waste water, along with locally sourced produce. Tanonga was such a great base of comfort, luxury and some the best sleep I’ve had in awhile.
Day 1 – On our day of arrival we headed to Tumby bay for lunch at L’Anse Tumby cafe, a super cute French inspired cafe and worth a visit. We explored all the street art, including the incredible Silo art you’ll find just as you turn off to Tumby Bay. We settled in at Tangonga and then off for more incredible plant based cuisine. We found everyone so accommodating about our food preferences and it was super easy to travel through this region. Dinner was on the waters edge in Port Lincoln at Del Giorno’s and it was so delicious with such wonderful, welcoming service.
Day 2 – Swimming with Sea Lions with Adventure bay Charters. Hands down the best thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. I can’t recommend this enough. From the moment you arrive to the beautiful turquoise cove you can see these adorable sea puppies swimming excitedly towards the boat to greet you and play. They are such social creatures and absolutely loved swimming with us. I’ve never felt such a deep connection like this. And they are so cute! On the boat trip back to Port Lincoln we stopped offshore at Memory Cove to take in the pure pristine wilderness. We learnt about how endangered these beautiful beings are and that we must be aware of our part to play in their decline. If you choose to eat seafood, please ensure it is sustainably caught. Fishing nets are the biggest contributor to plastic pollution in the ocean and cause countless deaths of marine life each year, including dolphins, whales and turtles too.
After our adventure packed morning we enjoyed a delicious plant based lunch at Rogue and Rascal and then decided to take the wild and long 4WD journey down to Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area in Lincoln National Park. This incredible blue lagoon is about a 4 hour 4WD round trip from Port Lincoln. You’ll need to a key from the Visitor Centre to enter as they only allow 15 vehicles in per day. You’ll need to pack all your essentials too – water, sunscreen, food, first aid etc. as there are no facilities once you’re there. Just pure wilderness. You’ll see so many emus and kangaroos on your drive in. And many rare species that find a safe refuge here including Rosenberg’s goanna, echidnas, western whipbird, malleefowl and hooded plover. And if you’re lucky you’ll see the endangered white bellied sea eagle, which is the second largest bird of prey in Australia. We were able to spot one from our earlier boat trip with Adventure Bay Charters. Just look for the white belly.
Day 3 – We had a little sleep in after our mammoth first day and headed to explore Greenly beach. We had a lot organised for the day, but we honestly got so caught up exploring this one stretch of coastline which is just pure magic! We found a beautiful turquoise rock pool filled with starfish and decided to enjoy lunch here and soak up some sunshine. It was great to adopt a slower pace today and really breathe in the beauty of our surrounds. If you would like exact map details to help you locate this rockpool pictured in this post, please send me an email or comment on this post.
We ended the day with a wonderful dinner at Sarin’s at the Port Lincoln Hotel. They have the most amazing set up and sunset view with twinkling lights and all the ambience you could envision. They created a bespoke plant based menu for us and it was one of the best dishes I’ve had in a long time. I was completely overstuffed by the end because it was just so good I couldn’t stop myself from eating more. I highly recommend this spot for dinner while you’re traveling through this region.
Day 4 – We started our day with an incredible sunrise at Tanonga and our staple avo on toast and a cup of tea. A beautiful day of exploring lay ahead and we were all a buzz with excitement. First up we ventured out with eco-accredited tour Xplore Eyre to Coffin Bay national park. Our first stop was Almonta beach, stopping along the way to say hello to the many emus and kangaroos that you will see in this region. Again we were so shocked to have this entire beach to ourselves. There were breathtaking cliffs and pure white sand beach for as far as the eye can see. And we were lucky enough to be greeted by a pod of dolphins swimming in these beautiful turquoise waters.
Next up we headed to Mikkira Station, home to a wild koala colony. Never have I ever seen koalas in the wild like this. I must have seen a koala in almost every tree. It was cuteness overload. We checked out the historical Mikkira homestead, set up a little picnic and enjoyed some healthy fresh treats amongst the gum trees and koalas. This protected haven is private property, so you will require a permit from the visitor centre to visit, or you can book a private tour via Xplore Eyre.
To end this incredible day we went to Line and Label for dinner. We had no idea what we were in for. And what a treat! And what a way to end our time on the Eyre peninsula. It’s a stunning venue built amongst the Peter Tinkle vineyards. You’re surrounded by organic gardens filled with vital foods used in all their dishes. I don’t think I’ve ever been welcomed so beautifully to any restaurant like this before. I felt like family, like I was at home, in this immaculately designed restaurant. All the design details reflect consideration, to ensure a welcoming, comfortable experience. And the food, well I can’t say enough great things about the food. They created an incredible plant based menu for us. 5 courses of pure deliciousness. I’ve never felt so spoilt in my life! Line and Label is more than a culinary experience. It’s a place to enjoy an entire afternoon or evening amongst the vineyards, watch the sunset, listen to music, enjoy the delightful ambience and decor, and explore the gardens. It’s an absolute must visit for the Eyre Peninsula.
Day 5 – Time to say goodbye to our wilderness and head back to Adelaide. Honestly there is still so much more to do here. Check out Talia caves, Whaler’s way and many more rock pool locations along this magnificent coast. We decided to save this for our next trip ;)
Straight off the plane we headed to the historical beachfront Seawall Apartments in Glenelg. Probably one of my favourites places to stay in Adelaide due to the close proximity to the beach, main shopping, beach club and cafes. We stayed in the gorgeous Beach house, which has maintained it’s beautiful historic charm in the design details, with modern, fresh beach themed decor. We absolutely loved this spot and would definitely book this for future family holidays to Adelaide.
First stop was Moseley Beach Club for some family fun in the sun and lunch. This is the most unique beach club located right on the sand by the jetty, just metres from the water. It’s super laid back with daybeds and beanbags and the perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail. We had an awesome, super fresh, plant based meal here of tofu, rice and veg, salad and sweet potato fries. Perfect seaside food :) From here you can ride the giant ferris wheel, walk down the Glenelg jetty, the kids can enjoy the massive play space, and you can shop your heart out along Jetty road.
After enjoying a magical sunset right in front of our beach house at Seawall we ventured into town for a unique dining experience at Parwana. A bustling local spot of home cooked style Afghan food. We enjoyed some dhal and chickpea curry and some of their homemade soda. We were thoroughly stuffed and ready for a good nights sleep at beautiful Seawall. Though with all the fun and action of Glenelg we decided on a night time walk to watch some live music at the jetty. You are guaranteed there is always so much going on here.
Day 6 – Starting the day fresh with acai bowls at Bomdia. This is our second time to Adelaide and we love this cute spot. It’s just off Jetty road, walking distance from Seawall. Next stop Henley beach for a lazy beach day with the family, throwing the football, swimming and long beach walks.
We ended this beautiful day with a huge spread at Secrets by the Sea. Traditionally a seafood restaurant they created a plant based feast for us all. Everything was so beautifully presented with a fabulous sunset view from this stunning historic building.
It’s safe to say I left my heart in South Australia. What a trip! I highly recommend it. If you have more time I could suggest a million more things to do! Honestly there is so much! But hopefully this is a good start to help you plan your own adventure.
With love and gratitude,
Helen xx
All text and images copyright © Helen Janneson Bense 2020
