From the legendary breaks at Pondalowie to the whiting jetties of the gulf coast, the bottom of Yorke is paradise for surfers and fishers.
Surfers have a name for the wild south-western corner of the peninsula: the bottom of Yorke. Here Southern Ocean swells wrap onto reefs and beaches inside and around Innes National Park, producing waves with a reputation that travels well beyond South Australia.
The breaks
Pondalowie Bay is the headline act, a horseshoe of sand inside the park with quality left and right reef breaks and a backdrop of towering dunes. Nearby Chinamans and The Gap reward the experienced, while Daly Head to the north is a powerful reef break for those who know what they are doing. Beginners and longboarders gravitate to the mellower beach break at Berry Bay.
Drop a line
When the surf is flat, the fishing more than makes up for it. The gulf-side jetties at Edithburgh, Port Hughes, Point Turton, Stansbury and Ardrossan are famous for King George whiting, squid and garfish, while Ardrossan's sand flats draw crabbers raking for blue swimmers. Off the west-coast rocks, salmon and snapper run close to shore.
Tread lightly
Much of the best coast sits inside Innes National Park, so check conditions, carry your own water and respect closures and wildlife. Many breaks have rough four-wheel-drive access and no facilities, which is exactly why they stay uncrowded.
Pack a board and a rod, and the bottom of Yorke will keep you busy from dawn surf to sunset cast.
