Shipwreck Trail, Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula
Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
The southern coast of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia is a rugged coastline and has been the cause of many ship wrecks over the years. The rocky coastline, combined with the wild winds and raging seas surging up from the Southern Ocean and all the way from Antarctica, is a potent mixture.
At various places along the coast there are lookouts over the sites of various ship wrecks, like the one where I took these photos at Stenhouse Bay. In fact, there is a well established Shipwreck Trail visitors can follow along this coast. One of the signs is shown below. Some of the wrecks are open to divers as well.
The Investigator Straight is the body of water between the southern coast of Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island to the south. It is named after the ship Investigator, captained by Matthew Flinders, an explorer in Australia’s early history. A staggering 26 ships have been wrecked in this small body of water between 1849 to 1982 with the loss of 70 lives.
Shipwreck Trail, Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Stenhouse Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula
Innes National Park Visitor Centre, Yorke Peninsula
On the second day of our recent holiday on Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, we drove to the Innes National Park Visitor Centre. All visitors and campers in this national park are required to buy an entry ticket before going into the park, either from the centre staff, or from the self-serve kiosk outside.
We briefly had a look around in the centre before heading off into the park for the rest of the day.
You can find out more information about the park and the area here. This site includes links to species lists of flora and birds, as well as details of camping sites, entry fees, suggested activities and more.
Rhino Head from Innes National Park Visitor Centre, Yorke Peninsula
In the carpark of Innes National Park Visitor Centre, Yorke Peninsula
Captivating correas
Correas growing in the dunes at Marion Bay, South Australia
Whenever I go out birding, or when we are travelling out in the country and my wife is with me, I keep one eye on the birds and the other on the vegetation. Being a little cross-eyed like that probably means I miss a few plants or birds and sometimes nearly step on venomous snakes. Joking aside, I once had a red-bellied black snake crawl over my boot while checking out a birding spot. I swear that my feet didn’t touch the ground for at lest five metres!
On our recent visit to Yorke Peninsula here in South Australia we were on the lookout for flowering plants of any description and especially these delightful bell shaped correas shown in the photos. We were not disappointed and saw plenty. The photos on this post are all in a small area on the sand dunes at Penguin Point near Marion Bay.
Correas growing in the dunes at Marion Bay, South Australia
Correas growing in the dunes at Marion Bay, South Australia
Correas growing in the dunes at Marion Bay, South Australia
Coastal vegetation in the dunes at Marion Bay, South Australia
Ospreys at Marion Bay
Osprey, Marion Bay, South Australia
I have tried many times to photograph birds in flight with limited success. On the second day of our recent short holiday on Yorke Peninsula we were having lunch at Penguin Point near Marion Bay. The wind was blowing a gale so we sat in the car to eat.
As we ate two Ospreys began soaring low overhead on the wind. They came over low enough and often enough for me to get a few reasonable shots of them. This was one bird I wasn’t expecting to see on this trip, and to get a half decent photo or two was a real bonus.
Sometimes you get lucky.
Osprey, Marion Bay, South Australia
Penguin Point, Marion Bay, Yorke Peninsula
Penguin Point, Marion Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Penguin Point is a well visited tourist destination in the small holiday town on Marion Bay at the southern tip of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. Just to the south east of the town – perhaps a 5 – 10 minute walk from most places in the town – there is a car park with board walks through the sand dunes leading out to Penguin Point. From the headland one has excellent views over Marion Bay to the north and towards Rhino Head to the south west (see photos below).
While I’ve never seen a penguin here it is entirely possible that Little Penguins do visit this area, and may even nest in the region. I didn’t record many birds on this most recent visit because the wind was near gale force by lunch time and they were all keeping low in the coastal bushes. I did manage several good shots of an Osprey soaring overhead on the wind as well as a Rock Parrot walking along the path in front of me.
Rhino Head near Marion Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Penguin Point, Marion Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia