A holiday resort, fishing port and service town for the neighbouring cereal growing farmlands. It is situated on a scenic coastline and is the only safe deepwater harbour between Port Lincoln and King George Sound in WA.

Where is it?: Eyre Peninsula. 727 km north west of Adelaide; 303 km north north west of Port Lincoln.

The Granites

The Granites: The features that most commonly draw tourists are along the immense stretch of coastline surrounding the bay. The Bay itself is relatively protected and quiet stretches of beach can be found along most of its length. However, where the coastline is exposed to the swells of the Southern Ocean, cliffs are exposed, along with sheltered areas that harbour large rockpools, such as Smooth Pool and The Granites.

Murphy���s Haystacks

Murphy���s Haystacks: possibly the area's most interesting geological features on the peninsula, these naturally sculptured pink granite formations have been dated at 1590 million years old. The most southerly outcrop in the Gawler Ranges granite belt, Murphys Haystracks is located approximately 40km south of Streaky Bay. The term "Haystacks" is something of a misnomer. These haystacks have nothing to do with farming and are in fact very fine examples of weathered granite inselberg structures including boulders and pillars. Upon entering the viewing area a unique and magnificent Tafoni structure can be seen towering above the walkway.

Elsewhere within the viewing area a variety of wave forms and flared rock structures can be seen. These are indicative of ancient physical and chemical weathering processes occuring when soil levels were several metres higher than now. These inselbergs are exemplified by finely sculpted pink granite forms that are often encrusted with lichen growths. Located near to the entrance of Murphys Haystacks is a picnic area with toilet facilities.

High Cliff, Corvisart Bay

Westall Way

A short coastal drive, Westall Way is one of the Eyre Peninsula's best kept secrets, a showcase for an amazing variety of landforms and seascapes. Dotted along Westall Way are rugged limestone cliffs, granite boulders covered in golden lichen, secluded granite pools and quite striking seascapes with foaming white breakers. In stark contrast are the huge white Yanerbie sand dunes. At Point Labatt, visitors are treated to a bird's eye view of Australia's only mainland sea-lion colony built high above the colony on the edge of the cliffs.

Point Labatt Conservation Park

Point Labatt Conservation Park
Point Labatt is on the Westall Way coastal drive. Here a viewing platform has been erected on the cliffs directly above Australia's only mainland sea-lion colony. Interpretive signs explain about these sea creatures. The reefs at the foot of the cliffs provide a resting place for the sea-lions, which have often spent several weeks at sea catching fish. Point Labatt has exposed headlands, sheltered bays and is known for bird life including the Osprey and the Whitebellied Sea-eagle.

Point Labatt cliffs

About Streaky Bay
Fishing: hundreds of anglers flocking to the area to sample the renowned whiting. King George whiting, Snapper and Blue Swimmer Crabs are the most commonly targeted species, with many more available. Other activities include hiking, surfing, snorkelling and scuba diving, with guided charters being available.

Heritage features: Old School House Museum; Montgomery Terrace Hospital Cottage (1864); Cooeyana Well Historic Reserve Aboriginal waterhole (3 km south-east).

Origin of name: derives its name from the bay on which it stands, which was named by Matthew Flinders in 1802. The name is a reference to the streaky effect of the water caused by the seaweed in the bay that Flinders observed. When the town was proclaimed in 1872, it was renamed Flinders. Consistent use of the original name by locals led to it being retained.

Brief history: Dutchman Pieter Nuyts reached as far east as Streaky Bay before turning westward and heading to the Dutch East Indies in 1627. Matthew Flinders and French explorer Nicolas Baudin followed in 1802, separately mapping the peninsula and naming its features (a mix of French and English names were adopted - most features had been given two or three different names within the space of a few months, with most of these names never being ever used). Explorer Edward John Eyre passed through on his overland trek to King George Sound in 1839. His journey is recalled in Eyre's Water Hole which is located about 3 km from Streaky Bay on the road to Port Kenny. Pastoralists arrived in the area in 1854 but the poor soil, lack of rainfall and mallee scrub made farming difficult. The majority of settlers where whalers and oyster farmers. The town was officially proclaimed in 1872.