Yorketown
The commercial heart of southern Yorke Peninsula, surrounded by a constellation of shimmering pink and white salt lakes.
A salt-lake town at the heart of the south
Yorketown sits at the centre of the southern Yorke Peninsula, ringed by more than 200 salt lakes that glow pink and white through the seasons. A practical service town with hotels, shops and a supermarket, it makes a handy base for exploring Edithburgh, Marion Bay and the lower Yorke beaches. The salt lakes that surround it once underpinned the local economy, with salt harvested in great quantity through the early twentieth century before the industry wound down in the 1950s.
A working country town with stories to tell
First settled in 1872, the town was known in its earliest days as Weaners Flat, after the paddocks where graziers separated their lambs from the ewes. That farming and salt-harvesting heritage still shapes its character. The Yorketown Historical Society's heritage walk takes in the Old Courthouse, home to a collection of more than 1,000 photographs of pioneering days, while murals around town trace the district's rural life.
What there is to do
Photographers come for the lakes, which can turn rosy pink under the right conditions thanks to a natural algae. Beyond town you can detour to Warooka, the quiet coast at Port Moorowie, or play a round at the local golf course. It is an easy stop for supplies before heading further south.
Visiting Yorketown - frequently asked questions
What is Yorketown known for?
Yorketown is best known as the hub of the southern Yorke Peninsula and for the more than 200 salt lakes that ring the town. These lakes were harvested for salt for decades and some still turn a striking pink colour, drawing photographers and nature lovers today.
How far is Yorketown from Adelaide?
Yorketown is roughly 225 kilometres from Adelaide, which works out to around a two and a half to three hour drive once you allow for a stop or two. The usual route follows the highways across the top of Gulf St Vincent and down through the peninsula.
What is there to do in Yorketown?
Visitors can follow the Historical Society's heritage walk past the Old Courthouse and its large photographic collection, take in the town murals, and play a round at the local golf course. The town also works well as a base for day trips to Edithburgh, Warooka, Port Moorowie and the southern beaches.
When is the best time to visit Yorketown?
Spring and autumn bring mild, settled weather that suits exploring the salt lakes and nearby coast in comfort. The lakes are most likely to show their pink tones in warmer, drier conditions, so the warmer months can be especially rewarding for photographers.
Why do the salt lakes around Yorketown turn pink?
The pink colour comes from natural algae that thrive in the highly saline water and produce a reddish pigment under warm, dry conditions. The shade can shift from deep pink to almost white as conditions change through the seasons, so no two visits look quite the same.
Things to do in Yorketown
4 places in this category
No places in this category here yet.
Explore nearby destinations
Image credits
- YorketownYorkeHotel.JPG by Mattinbgn , CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons