Ceduna to Fowlers Bay Self-drive Tour ‣ Ceduna Online

Fowlers Bay is a quiet little fishing town off the Eyre Highway in South Australia. It’s located just 142km west of Ceduna on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain, making it a nice day trip from Ceduna. The town is most well-known for its abundant waters full of fish and other marine life, including Southern Right Whales in winter.

Whether you’re after a quiet place to fish off the jetty or hoping to catch a glimpse of the impressive whales in the Great Australian Bight, Fowlers Bay is a nice place to head from Ceduna. There are also some great stops on the way, including surf spots and museums. You can easily make a nice self-drive tour from Ceduna to Fowlers Bay, stopping off at some of these places.

NOTE: This itinerary is designed to be used along with our map of Ceduna where you can view all locations and roads and informational cards and videos to assist and enhance your adventure.

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Itinerary for Ceduna to Fowlers Bay self-drive tour

Stop 1: Rocky Point and Point Bell

Just west of Ceduna on the coast, you can find both Rocky Point and Point Bell. There is an incredibly long stretch of active sand dunes between these two protruding headlands between Ceduna and Denial Bay. It’s a great place to stop in the early morning if you’re a keen fisherman or surfer.

There are reef breaks at both points and beach breaks along the sand for surfers to explore, while the beach also provided access for fishing lines to some of the rip holes nearby.

Alternately, you may exclude this leg of the journey and travel directly to Penong from Ceduna along the Eyre Highway and begin at Stop 2.

Stop 2: Lake MacDonnell

For another great photo op, you can turn left down Point Sinclair Road at the end of Penong town which heads down to the coast. Just 14km down this road you’ll find the now-famous Lake MacDonnell. This salt lake is a former salt mine site on the largest gypsum deposit in Australia.

The incredibly high salinity levels combined with algae and bacteria in the water produce a brilliant pink colour. This sight now attracts travellers and keen photographers who love to capture the unique pink colour of the lake. It’s worth noting that the lake is at its brightest pink when it’s dry. You should also know that it’s a public road, so it’s best to find somewhere safe to pullover if you want to take photos.

Stop 3: Penong Windmill Museum

As you continue along the Eyre Highway west of Ceduna, you’ll pass through the small town of Penong. One of the most popular attractions on the Far West Coast can be found here, which is the Penong Windmill Museum.

Located right in the centre, the open-air museum showcases 20 windmills from around the country to demonstrate the importance of these inventions for the agricultural history of the area. One of these windmills is actually considered the largest in Australia, named Bruce, which attracts travellers from all around the country.

Stop 4: Big Wombat at Scotdesco

After Lake MacDonnell, you can continue down the Eyre Highway towards Fowlers Bay. Just 40km east from there, you’ll come across the 25, 000-acre Scotdesco Aboriginal Community. It’s open to the public and offers accommodation, conference facilities, cultural experiences, and a photo op of the Big Wombat.

In 1992, the Scott family purchased the farm, and their descendants still reside and manage it today. The Big Wombat was built by local artists and has become a popular tourist stop.

Stop 5: Fowlers Bay

Fowlers Bay is a peaceful little fishing town off the Eyre Highway. It’s popular for fishing and surfing and is a quieter alternative for an overnight stop if you’re looking for somewhere along the Far West Coast. There is a caravan park in town which also has a small kiosk for basic supplies and essentials, including fish bait. You can try fishing off the beach, jetty or head out on a fishing charter.

For surfers, you can head to Shelly Beach east of town for gentle waves or to Scott Point west of town for more advanced breaks.

Fowlers Bay is also one of the most popular places for departures of whale watching tours during winter. Southern Right Whales are only found off the coast of the Great Australian Bight in the cooler months and are one of the coast’s major attractions. There are telescopes on the Esplanade in Fowlers Bay for anyone to try their luck. However, the best way to get close to these impressive mammals is to join a whale watching tour from town.

Return to Ceduna

Return to the Ceduna the same way, with a stop in Penong for refreshments if you want.

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