South Australia » Far South East

Travelling east from Adelaide, there are two main routes to Melbourne, one along the inland Dukes Highway which is the quickest route, and the more scenic route along the coastal Princess Highway. A pleasant detour along the way would be along the historic Murray River, which used to transport goods on it paddle steamers. From here you can either continue north to Mildura before following the Calder Highway to Melbourne or the Balranald Highway to Canberra, or just return along your original coastal route.

Heading south from Adelaide you will get to Murray Bridge, which is the largest river town in South Australia. This town leads north into the other towns along the Murray River as well as south to the Dukes and Pacific Highway. Once you hit the coast the first thing you will come across is the beautiful lagoon of the Coorong National Park heading all along the coast to Kinston SE. Kingston SE is a large rock lobster fishing port and its fascination with lobsters is evident throughout the town. There is even a lively Lobsterfest held in January.

Slightly further south is another small fishing port called Robe, which is the one of the oldest settlements in South Australia. You can go swimming off of Long Beach and visit the museum in the Customs House to find out the history of the area. There are also the Chinamen’s Wells which tell of a time when the government began charging tax per head on the Chinese gold miners. There are plenty of places to stay in Robe, as it is a very popular holiday destination.

Further south is another lobster fishing port of Beachport. The pretty port has good surfing and also offers windsurfing on Lake George and swimming in the Pool of Salmone. There are also a couple of museums that are worth visiting. Just before you reach Mt. Gambier you will come across Millicent near the beautiful Canunda National Park. Nearby are also the wonderful Tantanoola Caves. The final place you will get to is Port Macdonnell, another lobster fishing port. There is a maritime museum where you can find out about the history of the area. There are also some great walks in the area around Mt Schank, as well as cave diving and snorkelling in Piccaninnie Ponds.

If you head along the Dukes Highway the last town that you will come across is Bordertown, a reasonably large town set amongst the beautiful country landscape that surrounds it. Although it takes longer from here you can head south to join the Princess Highway. On the way is Naracoorte, which is one of the oldest towns in the state, as well as Penola and the surrounding Coonawarra wine growing region.

Hostels
Lemon Gum B&B (Guesthouse)
ADDRESS: PO Box 2810, Mount Gambier
TOWN / CITY, COUNTRY: Mount Gambier, South Australia - Australia
DESCRIPTION: Lemon Gum B&B is situated just minutes from Mount Gambier on 5 acres, with an orchard consisting of apples, quinces, pears, nectarines, figs, mulberries, apricots, plums, and almonds. Take a stroll through the orchard and taste fruit picked right off the branch...Feed the cows by hand or take a picnic under the trees in our paddocks. Wake to the sound of the magpie's warble

Lakeside Manor YHA (Hostel)
ADDRESS: 22 Main Road, Robe
TOWN / CITY, COUNTRY: Robe, South Australia - Australia
DESCRIPTION: Access the delights and wonders of the Limestone Coast Region from this newly opened Backpackers Lodge. Located in Robe, Lakeside Manor is a stunning 1880’s built heritage listed mansion within a short stroll to shops and beaches.Stay in spacious, comfortable and clean dorms with all linen provided. Watch a DVD on the huge flat screen TV. Enjoy the Aussie tradition of a BBQ in the sprawl

Mt Gambier
Mt Gambier is a large town built on the extinct volcano (Mt Gambier). The most famous lake in Mt. Gambier is Blue Lake, which is often grey, although changes to blue in November (for some reason). There are also a number of other lakes in the area with several walking tracks around them, as well as picnic tables and wildlife parks.

A popular activity is cave diving within the Engelbrecht Cave, where there are also tours down to the water table. In the evening you should definitely go to the Umpherston Sinkhole, which are beautiful floodlit gardens popular amongst possums.

There are plenty of camping grounds in the area, as well as several hotels offering accommodation and meals. It is a beautiful place to stay and has wonderful scenery and places to visit. You can get to Mt Gambier from Adelaide on the Premier Stateliner service, as well as from Melbourne on the V/Line.

Naracoorte
Naracoorte is home to some beautiful limestone caves which you can explore, set within the wonderful Naracoorte Caves Conservation Park. The town was named in 1869 after the merging of two towns, Kincraig and Narracoorte. Naracoorte has a thriving rural economy, friendly community and is home to great wineries.

In the evening you can watch the bats emerge from the Bat Cave, which is an amazing sight. You can also find out great information about the wool industry in the Sheep’s Back Museum. There are also some great walking tracks through the town centre and along the Naracoorte creek.

There are some amazing fossils in the Victoria Fossil Cave, which you can tour around with a ranger. There are also ranger tours for the Alexandra Cave and the Blanche Cave, although there is a self-guided tour around the Wet Cave.

There is a huge wetland region just south of Naracoorte at the Bool Lagoon Game Reserve and the Hacks Lagoon Conservation Park.