Beaches
Sheltered swimming coves and wild surf-washed bays.
The best beaches in Yorke Peninsula
Wrapped by three gulfs, the Yorke Peninsula has a beach for every mood: calm, child-friendly bays on the eastern coast, long surf beaches on the wild west, and turquoise coves tucked beneath the cliffs of Innes National Park.
Read our guide to beaches ↓Browse beaches by area
Map shows the 24 places on this page.
Marion Bay
View →Gateway town to Innes National Park and the surf.
A small holiday town at the foot of the peninsula, the launch pad for Innes National Park, surf breaks and the Ethel wreck.
Marion Bay Beach
View →Marion Bay's broad sheltered beach and boat ramp, the launching point for the bottom of Yorke and the closest town to Innes National Park.
Moonta Bay
View →Sandy seaside fringe of the copper town with a long jetty.
The relaxed beach suburb of Moonta, with a sweeping sandy bay, a long jetty and calm, family-friendly swimming.
Moonta Bay Jetty Free
View →A long Copper Coast jetty for fishing and strolling.
The long jetty at Moonta Bay is a Copper Coast institution, popular for squid, whiting and an evening walk.
Pine Point
View →Crabbing flats and a safe family beach.
A small holiday settlement on the gulf coast south of Ardrossan, once a busy little port, now loved for its safe beach, crabbing flats and easy boat ramp.
Point Turton
View →West-gulf town with a famous fishing jetty.
A small west-coast holiday town on Spencer Gulf, well known for its jetty fishing, caravan park and tavern.
Point Turton Jetty Free
View →A west-coast jetty for squid and whiting.
The jetty at Point Turton is a reliable spot for squid, whiting and a sunset over Hardwicke Bay.
Pondalowie Bay
View →Legendary surf break and crayfishing cove in Innes.
A renowned surf break and sheltered crayfishing bay within Innes National Park, ringed by dunes and a popular campground.
Port Clinton
View →A small town at the top of Gulf St Vincent famed for its vast tidal flats and prime blue swimmer crabbing.
Port Hughes
View →A relaxed Copper Coast holiday town with a long jetty, sheltered beaches and the cliff-top golf links at The Dunes.
Port Hughes Beach Free
View →A calm Copper Coast swimming beach.
A calm, shallow swimming beach at Port Hughes near Moonta, with a relaxed holiday foreshore.
Port Hughes Jetty
View →Top jetty for whiting, squid and crabs.
A favourite Copper Coast fishing jetty near Moonta Bay, reaching into clear water over seagrass and sand.
Port Julia
View →A ketch port asleep beside its heritage jetty.
A tiny former ketch port between Ardrossan and Port Vincent, with a heritage-listed 1913 jetty, an old goods shed and some of the east coast's quietest water.
Port Moorowie
View →A quiet south-coast hideaway of reefs and beach shacks.
A sleepy shack settlement on the Yorke Peninsula's south coast with sheltered swimming, reef walks, a boat ramp and a scenic stretch of the Walk the Yorke trail.
Port Rickaby
View →A quiet west-coast holiday village with a jetty, safe beach and a caravan park right on the foreshore.
Port Victoria
View →A historic west-coast town once known as the last of the windjammer ports, now a relaxed fishing and diving base.
Port Vincent
View →Yachting harbour with calm swimming and a marina.
A pretty east-coast holiday town built around a sheltered bay and marina, with safe swimming and a lively summer scene.
Shell Beach
View →A sheltered, shallow cove near Pondalowie famed for clear water and a beach made of tiny shells.
Shell Beach (Innes) Free
View →A crescent of crushed shell on the park coast.
A short walk leads to this pretty crescent beach made of fine crushed shell within Innes National Park.
Stansbury
View →Oyster town with sheltered bays and a long jetty.
A relaxed oyster-growing town on Gulf St Vincent with two sheltered bays, a jetty and a tidal swimming area.
Sultana Point
View →A tranquil residential point near Edithburgh with shallow flats famed for crabbing and prolific birdlife.
Sultana Point Beach Free
View →Wide tidal flats below Edithburgh.
A broad tidal beach south of Edithburgh, good for low-tide walks and birdwatching across the flats.
The Gap
View →Cliff-framed surf beach deep in Innes National Park.
A dramatic cliff-backed surf beach in Innes National Park, reached by a steep walk down from the lookout.
Tiddy Widdy Beach
View →A wide, shallow tidal flat near Ardrossan famous for blue swimmer crab raking and long, calm walks at low tide.
About beaches in Yorke Peninsula
Yorke Peninsula is ringed by some of South Australia's most varied coastline, and its beaches are the heart of any visit. On the calm eastern gulf you'll find shallow, child-friendly bays at places like Stansbury and Port Vincent, where the water warms early and blue swimmer crabs can be raked from the shallows at low tide.
Drive to the rugged western and southern coasts and the mood changes completely. Inside Innes National Park, surf rolls in off the Southern Ocean at famous breaks, while sheltered coves like Shell Beach offer turquoise swimming pools framed by limestone cliffs. Anglers chase Australian salmon from the sand at exposed surf beaches, and rock pools at low tide reveal a world of marine life.
Whether you want a safe paddle, a long shore-fishing session or empty stretches of white sand, the peninsula's beaches reward every kind of beachgoer. Pack reef shoes, sun protection and a tide chart, and you'll have your pick of bays all year round.
Beaches in Yorke Peninsula - frequently asked questions
What are the best beaches on the Yorke Peninsula?
Wrapped by three gulfs, Yorke Peninsula has a beach for every mood. The calm eastern gulf has sheltered, child-friendly bays at Stansbury and Port Vincent, the wild west coast has long surf beaches, and the turquoise coves beneath the cliffs of Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park - including Pondalowie Bay and Browns Beach - are the dramatic highlight at the southern tip.
Which Yorke Peninsula beaches are best for families and safe swimming?
The sheltered eastern coast is the gentlest, with shallow, slow-shelving water at places like Stansbury, Port Vincent and Edithburgh that warms early in the season. The Edithburgh Tidal Pool is a standout for young children - a historic walled pool dating to the 1880s, only around knee to waist deep, with steps for easy entry, plus lawns, picnic spots and barbecues alongside.
Where can I surf on the Yorke Peninsula?
The exposed west and south coasts catch the swell, with most of the best surf inside Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. Pondalowie Bay is the classic spot with consistent waves and a beach and reef break, Chinaman's is a powerful left-hand reef break for experienced surfers only, and Berry Bay near Corny Point is gentler for learners. The Yorkes surfing competition runs in the park each October long weekend.
Can you go crabbing on Yorke Peninsula beaches?
Yes - the sandy, seagrass shallows of the eastern gulf are prime blue swimmer crab country. You can rake them from the shallows or net them off the jetties at calm spots like Stansbury, Port Vincent and Ardrossan. Crabs move into the warm shallows from roughly spring to autumn, with the local rule of thumb being any month with an 'r' in it.
Do you need to pay or book to visit the beaches in Innes National Park, and can you bring a dog?
The beaches themselves are free, but Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park charges a vehicle entry fee (around $12 per vehicle per day) that you book and pay online, as cash is no longer taken at the park. Dogs are not permitted anywhere in the national park, so for beach walks with your dog stick to the many beaches outside it, where dogs are generally welcome off-leash provided they stay under effective control.