The western coastline of Eyre Peninsula is one of our favourite pieces of coast line. Wild, rugged, and sparsely populated, it makes an ideal spot to get away from the crowds. One of the better spots along this stretch of coast is the Sheringa camping area.
Multiple Camping Options
Sheringa offers multiple options for camping. The first is a campsite set about 1km inland from the beach, nearby the Sheringa Lagoon (a large saltwater lagoon. Aside from an incoming storm, I don’t know why you’d camp back here. It is very protected though behind the huge dunes.
The second area is a small zoned camping area with toilet facilities, right near the corner of the Sheringa Beach. There is about seven small cut outs here, and it’s pretty close to the beach. This would be good for families who like to have a toilet nearby.
The third is really an assortment of areas. Travelling north west from the campground, follow the track around and check out the awesome coast line and cliffs. From here the track will lower back down and there are quite a few little clearings where a caravan could be parked up, basically on the edge of the water. For those in tents, there are a few spots with more protection further a long. Right at the end is a huge clearing that could host big groups. There aren’t any toilets down this way, so being self contained, or due to a lack of trees – a willingness to take a really long walk with a shovel is needed!
Fishing
Sheringa is known for its great surf fishing, particularly in the winter months. We’ve had great success off the northern beaches chasing salmon. They can be subject to seasonal changes though, and whilst they might be sandy one year, it’ll be exposed reef the next.
One of the most memorable fishing sessions I’ve had occurred on the beach opposite the northern camping clearing. I woke up one morning and still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I took a walk up to the top of the dunes to look at the water. What I saw shocked me out of my sleep daze. A huge black circle of salmon huddled right up next to the shore. I raced back to camp to grab a rod and a few lures, and darted back over the dune. For the next few hours we were catching and releasing some stomping salmon. Well needed rests occurred when the school drifted out of casting range, and then it was back on as they swam in closer. My arms were sore for days after!
The main Sheringa Beach (the huge one at the start) is also know to produce some XL King George Whiting. Driving on the beach can be sketchy though, it’s one of the softest beaches I’ve encountered, and doesn’t get a lot of traffic to compress it down.
A short trek up the highway will lead you to Locks Well, one of South Australia’s most famous Salmon beaches. For those prepared to tackle the huge staircase down the cliffs (and back up again) you’re very likely to be rewarded. I don’t think I’ve ever come away empty handed!
Exploring the area
One of the great things about camping at Sheringa, is the option to go exploring in your 4wd. The huge dunes that frame the area are ever changing. There is a track that can be taken from the main campsite and you can drive through the dunes all the way to the other end. Great fun.
You can also follow a sandy track north of the large clearing and explore the coast line that way. We were standing up on the cliff as a particularly huge swell was bashing into the rocks – it was almost as if you could feel the entire ground shudder with each wave crashing into the cliff.
I already mentioned it above, but all of the coast line along here is worth a drive. There are some spectacular little carve outs in the cliffs which make a great photo.
At low tide, the rock pools can expose themselves and provide a great exploration activity. Be careful though as they can get seriously slippery!
Best Time to Visit
I’ve almost timed my visits to Sheringa to coincide with the Salmon activity – so around winter. Whilst it can certainly be freezing, the wind is often less severe in winter. Setting up camp on the waters edge, watching the sun set over the horizon would be amazing on a hot summers day, but the wind is always a factor on the west coast. Particularly during ‘blow-vember’.
Permits are required and can be booked online at https://book.eyrepeninsula.com.au/book for $20 per vehicle per night (recently $10, following the recent trend of doubling camping fees in SA)
If you’re heading west following your stay at Sheringa, be sure to check out Fowler’s Bay!
