Beachport

If you love white sandy beaches, kicking up the heels and view that will take your breath away, then you need to get acquainted with Beachport in South Australia. About 385kms out of Adelaide, or around 6 hours from Melbourne, this seaside town is quaint and full of charm.

We are firm lovers of Robe and the Limestone Coast, so we were very excited to see what Beachport would bring to the table. I can confirm, it delivers. On our visit we saw some of the most turquoise waters, ate some incredible calamari and took some long, nature filled walks. It was the perfect relaxing holiday, but there was equally plenty of things to see and do if you can’t sit still (guilty as charged).

On the way to Beachport we drove past the Larry The Lobster (a photo of it is a must), and popped into our beloved Robe. We also had the pleasure of visiting Karrata Wines Vineyard for a private tasting- more on that later.

Here’s a little snippet of our trip and our favourite things to do in Beachport.

E X P L O R E

If you love getting amongst nature then Beachport is the place for you. There are some gorgeous walking trails dotted throughout the town and along the coast- be sure to pop into the Beachport Visitor Information Centre and grab a map. The walking trail around Woolley Lake in the Beachport Conservation Park is a beauty and takes in views of the ocean and Lake George- just make sure you bring covered in shoes.

If you like a spot of history then check out the Old Wool and Grain Store Museum in the heart of town, open from 10am-4pm.

If you have access to a vehicle (you will definitely need one if you’re visiting), check out the Bowman Scenic Drive. It winds its way around the coast, taking it some of the best beaches that Beachport has to offer. Our favourite places to stop include Post Office Rock, Burns lookout and Salmon Hole.  If you are looking at bringing a drink/picnic with you, then set up shop on one of the many benches along the coast. It’s the perfect place to sink a few and take in one hell of a view.

B E A C H,  P L E A S E! 

Beachport is said to have some of the best beaches in South Australia, and now that we have visited them, I totally agree. You will be spoilt for choice in terms of salty water, but here are our favourites-

Pool of Siloam– It’s South Australia’s dead sea. People say that taking a dip is loaded with therapeutic benefits (perfect for tired muscles), but we visited mostly for the novely. Apparently even if you swim like a brick you will float in this water. So cool!

Beachport Jetty– One hell of a long jetty- 772 metres to be exact! It’s the perfect spot to take a stroll, throw out a line or gaze at the sunset in the evening. The beach just by the jetty is also super popular with kids, and swimming out to the pontoon makes for a lot of fun!

Beachport Surf Beach– Channel your inner Kelly Slater and give these waves a crack. I’m no surfer, but the waves at this beach looked pretty epic and there were plenty of people bobbing about in the water.

Salmon Hole– One of the most talked about beaches in Beachport and for good reason. Salmon Hole has crystal clear waters with turquoise hues and is the perfect place for snorkeling and safe swimming. After 100 or so photos of the beach I still couldn’t get enough. Love this place!

Post Office Rock– We stumbled across this place when we were on the Bowman Scenic Drive, and it was one of our favourites. We stumbled across the path of boulders when the tide was low and explored the little island on the other side, where we were in awe of the crystal clear waters and stunning view.

E A T 

If you love seafood, baked goods and a cafe overlooking the ocean, you’re in luck!

Head to the Beachport Hotel for delicious pub fare.

Bompas Cafe offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and great Asian cuisine. They also have some of the best salt and pepper squid going around and serve locally roasted Mahalia Coffee- perfect for the early mornings.

The Waterfront Cafe just opposite the jetty has the usual cafe fare, as well as fish/chips and deep fried goodness, perfect for taking across the road and eating on the sand.

If carbs are your favourite food group (I’ll confess, they’re mine) then check out Baked at Beachport. Their meat pies are so good they don’t need sauce and their sweet fresh cream buns are next level.

S L E E P

There’s plenty of accommodation in and around Beachport, depending on how you like to travel. We had a voucher to use with Short Breaks Australia which had a small selection of places to stay on the Limestone Coast. We ended up spending two nights at Beachport Harbourmasters, which offered uninterrupted views of the beach and jetty. Yes please! Our favourite bit about it was the deck out the front, equips with deck chairs and a BBQ- we spent so much time here and it was a struggle to leave.

S H O P

As Beachport is a small coastal town don’t expect to see a Woolworths. However, their local corner store has all the goods from picnic supplies, camping essentials and all the usual suspects. There’s also a petrol station, chemist and a few other shops to pick up some fare so you don’t have to leave town. If you’re after a bigger supermarket to do a full weeks shopping, then check out Foodland in Robe, and for decent bottle-o, Cellarbrations in Robe.

During the peak seasons their cinema in the main town is also open, and is bound to keep the little people in your life entertained.

 Just a S T O N E  T H R O W away

Check out some of these awesome places, just a stone throw away from Beachport.

Robe– Just over half an hour away from Beachport and filled with some of the best food, shopping and views that the Limestone Coast has to offer. Robe is easily one of our favourite seaside towns and when you visit you’ll know why. Have brekky at No.4, top up the caffeine at Mahalia Coffee, devour lunch at Union Cafe and your weight in seafood at Sails.

Wine and Beer Tasting– If you love a frothie or vino then you need to head towards Robe/Mt Benson and Cape Jaffa. Karatta Wines makes some mean reds and a fabulous bubbly, Cape Jaffa wines offers exceptional Biodynamic wines and Wangolina is quaint cellar door with a beautiful outlook. All worth the drive.

Umpherson Sink Hole– Located in the Mt Gambier region, the sinkhole, made of Limestone, is a photographers dream. It was turned into a garden in 1886 and is now home to beautiful greenery, flowers and wildlife.

Little Dip Conservation Park– Located just outside of Robe, this conservation park offers some of the best views of the coastline and some awesome 4WD tracks. It’s also the perfect spot for camping, wombat spotting and nature walks.

Have you ever been to Beachport before? If you have, where are your favourite places to visit? I’d love to know!