The south western side and tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula is an area blessed with magnificent coastal views with steep hills rolling down to the sea. It has friendly country towns to visit with cafes, restaurants, breweries and distilleries and it’s also an area abundant with kangaroos.

The town of Normanville is perfectly placed to experience what the area has to offer, and using the Jetty Caravan Park as a base, visiting the local eateries and drinking holes, and immersing yourself in the natural beauty is easy.

The caravan park is on the beachfront, but sadly not many caravan sites have sea views as they once did, with cabins taking up prime seafront positions. You can get some nice sites though that back onto the Bungala River and they’re green and spacious.

The top reason to stay at this park is the proximity to the beach and some fabulous places to eat and drink, overlooking the small jetty which is still under repairs after being hit by storm damage earlier in the year. An impressive new building now houses Aqua Blue restaurant on one side and the Normanville Surf Life Saving Club on the other. Both establishments have expansive outdoor decks that give amazing views along Normanville and Carrickalinga beaches, and endless sea views.

Aqua Blue restaurant has more up market food and is a little fancier than the surf club, with food, wine and service impeccable. The restaurant is open every day from late morning to around 8pm or later (depending on customers). There’s also a takeaway kiosk downstairs for beachgoers to grab some food and drink and it’s open until sunset every day.

The Surf Lifesaving Club has a really extensive menu and is mostly run by volunteers, it has a busy and vibrant vibe and the food was plentiful and delicious. This venue is open on Fridays and Saturdays 11am to 9pm and Sundays 11am to 8pm.

The beaches are perfect for long walks and Normanville Beach is patrolled by surf lifesavers during summer. Above the beach, there’s a green foreshore park for families to enjoy.

Normanville is a very arty place with murals and sculptures in the town and by the beach, and it’s an easy walk from the caravan park back into the town which has a variety of shops, a hotel, bakery, supermarket and cafes.

From Normanville it’s only a short drive to visit other nearby towns including Myponga, around 18 kilometres away. Myponga has a reservoir with walking trails and loads of kangaroos to see in the wild. There’s also a brewery, and a funky café called Yore Myponga which sells bulk food that you can buy in your own refillable containers, there’s really good coffee and food and the art deco building which once housed a cheese factory, has an industrial meets retro feel and décor.

Another nearby locality is Carrickalinga, which has a couple of places you won’t want to miss, both located on Forktree Road. The first is Forktree Brewing, a brewery and restaurant with more terrific distant views of the coast and the second is Fleurieu Gin, a comfortable and spacious production plant, distillery, tasting room and outdoor area to enjoy. More stunning views await as well as a variety of gins to taste, antipasto platters, light meals and pizzas.

The venue is one you’ll be happy to spend a few hours at, with lawn games to play and you can try your luck at golf by purchasing a bucket of balls and teeing off into the paddock below.

From Normanville you can take another scenic drive to Rapid Bay around 24 kilometres further south. With an absolutely stunning white sand beach, ocean caves, jetty and campground right on the beachfront, it’s well worth the drive.

The campground has unpowered sites only, which can be booked online, and at the time of writing, they cost $25 per night. There are also BBQ areas and toilets and it is pet friendly.

For the adventurous, take a drive to Deep Creek National Park, another 12.5 kilometres south and you’ll see plenty of kangaroos, lots of natural bush and vegetation, and there are campgrounds and picnic areas to visit.

Campsites vary in prices and can be booked online, and access also varies with places suitable for 2WD or 4WD within the park.

The drive to Blowhole Beach in Deep Creek is strictly 4WD only, with extremely steep access, but the views are incredible. As you descend the steep and rocky road, you can see Kangaroo Island in the distance over the strait of water. There are more huge mobs of kangaroos in these hard to access areas, all taking in the magnificent views.

After deep creek you can take a drive to Cape Jervis around 12 kilometres away, and this town is the departure point for the Sealink Ferry that takes cars and passengers to Kangaroo Island a number of times daily. The crossing takes around 45 minutes and costs vary according to the type and size of vehicle you are taking. Adult fares cost around $100 return.

After a day of touring you can return to Normanville Beach and if you’re lucky perhaps catch a colourful sunset as the sun dips into the sea.

Enjoy

Glenys

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