What Is The Seafood Capital Of Australia?

For lovers of sun and sea, Port Lincoln is a must-visit. The Eyre Peninsula sits between The Great Australian Bight on the west and the Spencer Gulf on the east, making Port Lincoln the perfect spot for fishing.

The seafood capital of Australia is Port Lincoln, a town in Boston Bay. It houses the largest commercial fishing fleet in the country. Well known for its oysters in Coffin Bay and Bluefin Tuna, Kingfish, Trevally, King George Whiting, and garfish are among the popular catches in Port Lincoln.

What Is The Best Time To Visit Port Lincoln?

While you can visit Port Lincoln all year round, the best time is during summer because it is beach weather. Tunarama is an annual festival that happens in late January every year, and it is when Port Lincoln is at its busiest. It is a 3-day event involving Tuna Toss, Keg Roll, Watermelon Eating and many more. The events are free to join and there is an event for kids and adults.

However, if you are aiming to have oysters, the famous Coffin Bay oysters are in their prime when the water is cooler. Oysters are always available if you are fishing them straight from the sea, so you do not have to worry about missing them if you are visiting the region.

How Many Days Do You Need In Port Lincoln?

You need 2 nights in Port Lincoln as a minimum, but 4 nights if you are intending to enjoy the special events. There are camping sites in Port Lincoln. A regular powered campsite at Port Lincoln Tourist Park costs around $55 a night, and larger ones cost $60 for caravans or large families. The tourist park has boat ramps, a fish cleaning table with the usual laundry, a kitchen and a dump point. The Parnkalla Walking Trail is close by, and children have access to the playground

Visit Lincoln National Park and Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area while you are there. It is a 12-minute drive, and you can try to spot a whale from May to October at the Thorny Passage Marine Park inside the national park. There are plenty of campgrounds for caravan, 4 wheel drives and tents to suit everyone’s needs.

A day entry is $12 per person per entry, which includes the camp stay. You will have to book a site and pay for the entry before arriving. Lincoln Park offers facilities like toilets and picnic tables but there is no clean water or power available. In the park, you can go bushwalking, bird watching and swimming.

You need half a day if you are planning to take part in the Oyster Farm Tour in coffin bay. For $50 per person, it is an unforgettable sea-to-plate experience. You have to wear waders to walk to the semi-submerged pavilion on the oyster farm. There, you will see how oysters grow in Coffin cay, and how to shuck an oyster. The tour is 1.5 hours, so you might have to consider bringing younger children with you.

Is It Worth Going To Port Lincoln?

Most people drive from Adelaide to Port Lincoln – it is a 7-hour drive and there are many stops and campgrounds you can visit along the way. It is worth going to Port Lincoln because there was where Matthew Flinders arrived in 1802. The city is named after his native county of Lincolnshire, and Port Lincoln is well known for its contribution of seafood in Australia.

Aside from Tunarama and Coffin Bay, indulge in the freshest seafood at The Fresh Fish Place, where the magic of fish processing happens. You can learn about how your seafood arrives on a boat at the store as the Behind The Scenes Factory Tour shows you around.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $17 for children above 3, a family of 2 adults and 2 children will cost $90. But you can buy a lunch package ticket for a little more, as it involves tasting fresh seafood and a nice fish, chips and salad after. If you have an esky or fridge in your car, the shop sells fresh and frozen seafood at a reasonable price.

If you are staying longer and need to find some more activities, check out the Port Lincoln Visitor Centre. The friendly locals can tell you how to reach Whaler’s Way if you have the appropriate vehicle. For history buffs, there are 3 museums to visit. The Axel Stenross Maritime Museum for the fishing industry, Mill Cottage Museum shows you the early days of European settlement and Port Lincoln Railway Museum for train enthusiasts.

For surfers, head to Mullalong Beach within Coffin Bay National Park, it still costs $12 per person to enter the park. You will need a 4-wheel drive to reach the beach, and the surfing spots are for experienced surfers as there are no Surf Life Saving Australia for this beach. It is an exposed reef break is surrounded by bedrock.

You can camp in Coffin Bay National Park as well, but like Lincoln National Park, there is no fresh water available. There are also hiking trails for birdwatchers and wildlife. For beginners, Shelly Beach near Port Lincoln has a smaller beach break that is good for learning.

What Is Port Lincoln Known For?

Port Lincoln is a spot to go for history buffs and seafood lovers. It is the Southern Bluefin Tuna that allows the city to grow into the biggest commercial fishery in Australia, and there are fishers who still catch tuna by poling. You can fish from jetties, beaches or rocks around Boston Bay, depending on the month. You can get whiting, garfish, gummy sharks, etc. But late summer and autumn are best for tuna and kingfish, these you have to charter a boat.

Once in a while, a special treat appears. You can head to Port Lincoln Hotel to check out the King Oysters. You might have to pre-order the 1kg monster, as it comes from Coffin Bay. These oysters take up to 6 years to grow, so they are a special treat if you can stomach them.

There are a lot of farms in the area because of the pristine waters that are protected from elements and predators. There are not only tuna farms and oyster farms around Port Lincoln, there are also abalone, kingfish and mussel farms to sustain the demands of seafood in Australia and the world. The major attractions here are history and marine life.

Port Lincoln is a special city in South Australia that you should include on your road trip. While it has its own airport that allows you to fly in, you will still need a vehicle to get around the region. Even though you can spend most of your time in Port Lincoln town, driving around and exploring the beaches and local parks is more fun.