Ceduna

Ceduna is a large, rural, seaside town located along the Eyre Highway, on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.

Where is Ceduna?

Situated on the eastern side of The Nullarbor Plain, this area of The Great Australian Bight is known as the Far West Coast of SA.
Situated on stunning Murat Bay, just one of the so many beautiful shorelines in this region.

Travel to Ceduna?

Visitors to the area are usually travelling from:
• Port Lincoln to Ceduna: 406 kms (approximately 4 hours via Flinders Highway / B100), or 425.3 kms (approximately 4 and a half hours via Tod Highway / B90 and National Highway A1).
• Adelaide to Ceduna: 777.1 kms (approximately 8 hours via National Highway A1) or flying into Ceduna from Adelaide on a 60 – 90-minute flight (approximately).
• Eucla to Ceduna: 492.5 kms (approximately 5 hours via National Highway A1), often making their way over the Nullarbor Plain from Perth.
With approximately a quarter of a million (240’000+) vehicles passing through annually, it’s a traveller’s hub for either beginning or ending the great Nullarbor road trip.

What is Ceduna known for?

Ceduna is the main township on the eastern side of the Great Australian Bight. It’s considered the gateway to the Nullarbor and is a popular pitstop for those travelling by road.
As a pretty seaside town, the surrounding landscape is characterized by rugged coastal bays, sandy beaches, natural bush, and agricultural paddocks. This makes it an especially popular destination for surfers and all-round beach lovers, and as the Oyster Capital of Australia and the home of King George Whiting, it’s also a destination for oyster lovers and lovers of seafood with some of the best seafood you can eat in South Australia.

Nearby Locations

The smaller surrounding towns offer a delightful chance to kick back and enjoy some country peace and quiet.

Thevenard

More of an extension of the Ceduna Township now, Thevenard has a hotel, supermarket, and sporting complex along with some great sightseeing items in Pinky Point, the shipping wharf, salt, silos, and train just to name a few. Well worth a leisurely drive and stickybeak.

Then;

Turn left immediately after the roadside inspection building heading west out of town. Follow this road 14kms to the Denial Bay turn off, also on your left.

Heading west out of town are roads leading to Denial Bay and Penong, while towards the east and following Tod Highway will take you on a tour passed Laura Bay, Smoky Bay, Haslam en route to Streaky Bay.

Denial Bay

Turn left immediately after the roadside inspection building heading west out of town. Follow this road 14kms to the Denial Bay turn off, also on your left.

Follow this entrance road to the end where you will find the town jetty, a large parking area, toilets, a playground, and a half-court with a wall and a goal hoop.

A shady shelter shed with a free to use the gas barbecue and permanent metal tables with bench seating are located by the playground, and a further shelter shed is situated right on the beach with permanent wood tables and bench seats. There are bins along with can and bottle recycling deposits provided at the location.

Also, find a walking trail and historical items. See our detailed Ceduna Map for more.

Penong

Penong is often referred to as the town of windmills so it seems appropriate that you should find a museum there – you guessed it – full of windmills. They even boast the largest windmill in Australia, the one that’s named ‘Bruce’.

It’s home to the world-famous surf breaks at Point Sinclair known as ‘Cactus’, along with the also famous surfboard manufacturer, the brand ‘Gravelle’.

Penong also has a legendary little Aussie pub that the original Cactus surfers used to refer to as ‘The Fridge’ – Penong Hotel, along with a golf course, a skate park, and a great little rest spot with toilets and shade with a table and seating. All can be found on our Map of Ceduna.

The town also has a store, a roadhouse, and a caravan park.

Laura Bay

Perhaps more of a location than a township Laura Bay is a great sightseeing drive with beaches and sea view drives with views of the islands and you will also find some camping spots, and although there are no public buildings in the vicinity, it’s a nice relaxed sightseeing nature drive. More on Ceduna Map.

Smoky Bay

Another 15 minutes along the highway you’ll come to the Smoky Bay town entrance that is announced on the righthand side with a large parking area displaying the town sign.

Along the entrance road, you’ll find a golf course and walking trail to the right, directly opposite Aquaculture Park which is oyster growers central. As you reach the township see the sporting complex on your left, the road beyond this takes you passed a park with free barbeque set up and toilets, and at the end of that road in the town jetty complete with a safe swimming enclosure.

Smoky Bay has many other surprises also with playgrounds, one with another barbeque area, relaxed beaches and you may even spot some history items from the whaling history of the area.

For detailed self-drive sightseeing, information see our Ceduna Map page.

Haslam

Haslam offers another great little stop-in along this tour of bays, and near the foreshore, you’ll find unpowered sites for just $10 per night with amenities nearby.

What to do in Ceduna

The town name is apparently a corruption of the local Aboriginal Wirangu word Chedoona and is said to mean a place to sit down and rest. So, when in Rome? It’s a great place to allow a few days to rest, replenish supplies and take a good look around.
There are lots of things to do in the surrounding region and a chance to see many diverse industries, but we’ll just focus here on tourism interests and attractions. Here are the best things to do in the region:

Self-Drive Tours

A great way to explore is on a self-drive tour. This gives you complete freedom to be able to do things at your own pace and according to your own interests. You can explore places outside of the township, such as Decres Bay-Wittelbee Conservation Park, Laura Bay Conservation Park, and the famous pink waters of Lake MacDonnell further afield. A self-drive tour is not only free but made easy with our map of Ceduna. This enables you to go sightseeing and exploring with helpful information and local insights all at your fingertips. If you have some time to explore this map can guide you through your adventures to neighbouring towns and beaches. Find it all on our Ceduna Map.

Guided Tours

There are plenty of guided tours on offer, from scenic flights to fishing charters, and whale watching charters at Fowlers Bay further along the Nullarbor. No matter what you want to explore, you’ll find a tour to suit your interests. At the top of the list for oyster lovers and those interested in visiting a working oyster farm is one of the oyster tour options available in Smoky Bay. In Aquaculture Park you will find amongst the oyster growing community, Jeff and Colleen Holmes of SA Premium Oysters. Jeff and Colleen don’t just offer a unique experience, but they also provide avid oyster lovers with the opportunity to eat the freshest oysters available to you on the planet! Straight from the water to your lips.

Fishing

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to fishing on the Far West Coast of South Australia. You can go boat fishing in our many bays, jetty fishing in the towns, and even rock fishing and beach fishing further out. You’ll have the chance of catching Tommy ruffs, King George whiting, salmon, garfish, snook, and a range of sharks. For the serious fishing enthusiast, there’s bluefin tuna, mulloway, snapper, and more. It is also possible to get a hold of squid and seasonal blue swimmer crabs too. See the Department of Primary Industries and Regions website for limits.

Swimming

There are plenty of sheltered swimming spots for everyone to enjoy. The best places are near the Sailing Club and at Alexander’s Beach, located a few hundred metres on either side of the jetty. These popular swimming spots are easily reachable on foot from the town centre and can be found on our map of Ceduna.

Encounter Trail Ceduna

Walk / Cycle

You can easily explore the coastal scenery on foot. A stroll or cycle along the Encounter Trail from the local sailing club to Pinky Point in Thevenard is a must-do (see our map of Ceduna for specifics). The 4km trail is a great way to take in the scenic coastline, including the islands and Denial Bay. Pinky Point Lookout is especially beautiful at sunset if you want to time your walk with the golden hour of the setting sun.

You can also explore the beach, sand dunes, and serenity of Shelly Beach on the beautiful and secluded Bosanquet Bay. You can follow the scenic Shelly Beach Dune Walking Trails that weaves across 55 acres of coastal sand dunes.

Golf

You can play a round of golf on the longest golf course in the world at Ceduna at the Nullarbor Links Golf Course. The 18-hole par 72 golf course stretches from Ceduna to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, a distance of about 1365km. This is a very unique attraction for all golfing enthusiasts. The first (or last) hole is in Ceduna, so you can begin your epic golf tour here that can take up to four days to fully complete.
For a more modest golf experience, you can also try the smaller Ceduna Golf Course, in doing so you can still claim to have played a few holes on the world’s longest golf course.

Art and History

There are great opportunities to learn about the traditional custodians of the land and the history of the area. The Ceduna Arts and Cultural Centre is definitely worth a visit to peruse local aboriginal art. This is also a great place to buy a unique memento of your visit with unique artwork and souvenirs for sale.

A National Trust Museum is located in the town’s first school building. There is a range of displays with old photographs and memorabilia.

At Penong, you can also walk amongst the open-air Windmill Museum and visit the Penong Woolshed Museum. This will give you a fascinating insight into the agricultural and farming history of the area.

4WD adventure

For the serious (and well prepared) 4-wheel drivers, there’s the famous adventure trek that is Goog’s Track. Out North, the 360km Goog’s Track will take you to the Transcontinental Railway Line before turning east to the end of the track in Kingoonya. It’s a genuine adventure for the daring with over 300 sand dunes to navigate. Many make the pilgrimage each year but be warned – this isn’t a track for solo beginners!

Surfing

The world-famous Cactus Beach is just 90 km west of town, near Penong. If you’re into surfing, then chances are you’ve already heard of Cactus Beach. It’s considered one of the best places to surf in Australia. It’s home to two world-class left-hand breaks known by local surfers as Cactus and Castles, as well as, the right-hand break known as Caves. It’s strictly for dedicated surfers only, with serious breaks and a notorious prevalence of great white sharks too.

Festivals

If you happen to be in the region in October, you’ll have to time your visit with the annual Oysterfest. It’s a long weekend of music, dance, art, wine, and delicious seafood. The town goes all out for this weekend with fireworks, a street market, and a range of entertainment.

Find more things to do in our ever-growing Ceduna Directory.

Ceduna Caravan Park

Where to stay in Ceduna

You’ll certainly find the type of accommodation in Ceduna that you’re looking for at Shelly Beach Caravan Park. This is a highly sought-after caravan park that offers the widest variety of accommodation options. Additionally; Shelly Beach Caravan Park, also have immaculate amenities and facilities, dune walks, games room, and the list goes on. It delights the traveller who, with or without pets and/or children, would appreciate a quiet, secluded beach on Bosanquet Bay, separate to Murat Bay upon which the Ceduna township is situated. Yet it’s still only a 5-minute drive to the CBD for all your conveniences. Here’s a link to more specific information about this Ceduna caravan park.

Where to eat in Ceduna

Ceduna has become a popular foodie destination thanks to the delicious seafood and famous oysters. You can’t leave town without sampling some of the tasty oysters and King George Whiting.
Local menus for restaurants, diners, roadhouses, pubs, and takeaway can be found on our Ceduna Menus page. On top of that, you can search food options by what you want to eat. You can even view online menus for popular places like:

• Mozzies Truckstop & Diner

For Diner meals, fast food, and takeaway.

• Thevenard Hotel

For good ol’ country pub grub.

Plus more on our Menus page here.

You will even find a menu for Penong Hotel if you’re in the Penong area.

Shopping in Ceduna

You can find all the essential amenities, groceries, gifts, and souvenirs, no matter what you’re after, you’ll be able to find it amongst the Ceduna shops.

Supermarket:

If you’re looking to stock up with a bit of grocery shopping make sure you check out this week’s specials at Jim’s IGA in Thevenard. Some of these specials can be found on our website but you’ll also find many more in-store specials too.

Pharmacy:

The best place to fill your prescriptions is with Terry White Chemmart Ceduna who offers an EP Price Match – meaning you won’t get your scripts any cheaper during your time on the Eyre Peninsula – ask in store for more about this. They also stock perfumes, cosmetics, jewellery, giftware, and more!

Manchester:

Giftware and homewares can also be found at Ceduna Furniture. They stock blankets, cushions, mats, and anything else that a traveller might require.

Hardware:

Our hardware superstore, Ceduna Home Timber and Hardware, has everything that you would hope to find from quick fixes to tool replacements and beyond.

Ceduna Meat Service

Butcher:

For premium fresh local meat you needn’t look any further than the best-looking butcher shop this side of the ocean, Ceduna Meat Service. You can ask about their caravan freezer meat packs too that include a bit of everything and available in any size that will fit in your caravan freezer.

Autopro Ceduna

Auto Parts:

Chances are you’ll find everything you need for your vehicle with a large selection of parts and products to mend and care for your vehicle and travelling comfort.

Tourist Information:

There is a helpful Tourist Information Centre on the main street. You’ll find all the brochures, maps, and information about the area that you might need. They also have a range of souvenirs, as well as, fast internet, photocopying, and printing services.

While you’re in Ceduna:

Here are our helpful tools to help you get the most out of your time in Ceduna.
• Our network in a snapshot – find everything on our digital business card here Ceduna.Online
• Get updates LIVE to your mobile device during your stay by downloading Ceduna Online App
• Join the conversation on our Ceduna Online Facebook page.
• See what else we have on our website cedunaonline.com.au