You could seriously drop a pin on a map of South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula and find a town with something interesting to see and do, but the towns on the coast have the added appeal of great fishing, plentiful birdlife and sea life that make visiting an aquarium obsolete.

We recently visited Stansbury again on the eastern side of the peninsula, and as per usual it lived up to everything you’d want in a beach holiday destination.

Fishing

A very comfortable jetty to fish from, the Stansbury jetty is relatively sheltered with cliffs at the shore end, and a breakwater on one side, for part of its 300 metre distance. There is a boat ramp next to it and a small colony of seals know just where to laze around in the water between the jetty and boat ramp for the best chance of a free feed.

Despite the seals presence, we still had great success in catching squid, although they were easier to come by at the far end of the jetty which everyone else also seemed to know. There were a few generous souls though at the time we were there, who were enjoying the catching more than the thought of cleaning them and were handing some of their catch out to a few lucky anglers on the jetty.

Caravan Park

The caravan park is at the end of Anzac Parade on the esplanade, and there are some terrific sites for vans right on the beachfront. The tidal beach means the water disappears out at times but when it’s in, there a likely chance you’ll be able to watch dolphins cruising by and plenty of pelicans and other birdlife. The park has good fish cleaning facilities and a terrific camp kitchen.

Coastal Walking Trails

There are walking trails you can take along the coast with a total distance of 6.3 kilometres, or you can break them up into smaller distances and still see a lot. Most of the stages are wheelchair accessible with wide paved pathways including along the foreshore.

As well as the sea views there are some colourful murals to see around town which were painted by local artist Anne Harris. They depict historical scenes of Stansbury as well as beach and local market scenes.

About town

If you make one of your first stops in town at the Visitor Information Centre, you can get some advice on what to see and do around town and pick up a brochure or two including one on a short walking tour to find some historical buildings.

There is a supermarket, butcher, seafood sales and other small businesses in town and make sure to stop in at the Dalrymple Bar and Restaurant for full sea views while you enjoy a drink or a meal. The dining room overlooks the ocean too and the meals are fantastic. As well as standard pub meals there is a tasty range of Asian inspired meals to choose from.

Make sure to stop in and visit Stansbury next time you’re on Yorke Peninsula.

Cheers

Glenys