Dutch Explorer Pieter Nuyts was the first European reported to have actually have sighted the waters of Streaky Bay in 1627 although if he named the area it has been lost with the passage of time. It was not until 1802, however, that the great Navigator Mathew Flinders saw the waters of Streaky Bay for himself during his epic circumnavigation of the Australian continent. In view of the streaked appearance of the sea Flinder's named this area Streaky Bay.

It is interesting to note that Flinder's mistakenly believed that the streaked appearance of the sea may well have been due to the out flowing of a river into the sea. In fact the banded appearance is due to oils given off by kelp growing within the bay.

Flinder's mistaken belief that a river flowed into the bay prompted later Australian explorers such as Mitchell and Edward John Eyre to speculate that a great river flowed from the Great Dividing Range to the South West across fully half of the Australian continent, before finally entering the sea in the vicinity of Streaky Bay. Eyre's later explorations of the Eyre Peninsula in 1839-40 proved this to be wrong.

Today Streaky Bay is a small picturesque town of approximately 1000 people. The town itself serves the local wheat farming community and a significant fishing industry specialising in Crayfish (Lobsters), Abalone and shark. During school holidays it is a favoured holiday destination for South Australian families. For the traveller Streaky Bay offers a wide range of facilities to cover all budgets. Within the town centre are two main shopping streets, both just metres from the Streaky Bay Foreshore and Jetty.

Running parallel to the foreshore is Alfred Terrace. Located on Alfred Terrace is the Streaky Bay Roadhouse and tourist information Centre Opening hours are 6.30 am to 9.00 pm . The Roadhouse sells fuel has take away food and eat in facilities. Beck's Food town supermarket is also located on Alfred Terrace and has EFTPOS available. Beck Brothers also have a number of holiday units located on the beachfront. Labatt House is also situated on the waterfront and provides Backpacker Accommodation.

For the traveller with an interest in things mechanical you can visit the Streaky Bay Restored Engine Centre which is open on Tuesdays and Fridays between 2-00 pm and 4-00 pm. The Streaky Bay Hotel is also located on the corner of Alfred Terrace and Bay Road. The Hotel is impossible to miss given its colonial style of architecture and sweeping views to the Streaky Bay Jetty. Within the Streaky Bay Hotel are 24 Motel units, 13 Hotel Rooms, and a self contained flat. EFTPOS is also available.

Located a couple of hundred metres to the west of the Hotel is the Streaky Bay Foreshore Tourist Caravan Park. Within the Caravan Park are 162 powered sites, a camp kitchen, and 26 cabins. Two Laundromats are also available and adjacent to the Caravan Park is the local APEX children's playground. Located within the Caravan Park are coin operated barbecues, a kiosk and takeaway food facility. Pensioners are given concessional rates. Dogs are permitted on a leash. Streaky Bay caravan Park is located on the foreshore and can be accessed via Wells Street which runs off Bay Road.

Located on Bay Road are a number of businesses within view of the local jetty. On Bay Road you will find a Chemplus Pharmacy which also sells camera supplies, a Newsagency, Crowder's Tyre Service, a Post Office with online Banking and the ANZ Bank. Streaky Bay's IGA supermarket is also located here and is open 8-30 am to 6-00 pm Monday to Friday. Saturday hours are 8-30 am to 4-30 pm and on Sundays the IGA supermarket is closed. EFTPOS is available at the IGA supermarket. Colleen's Kitchen is also located on Bay Road and offers very good take away food, a pleasant dining area, and friendly service. Colleen's Hot Chicken Rolls with almond and mayonnaise dressings are definitely recommended. I know it sounds unusual but just have a go at eating it. Eyre Craft Centre is also located on the corner of Bay Road and Wells Street.

Seven nights a week the Stateliner Premier Bus Company operates a service between Streaky Bay and Adelaide. This service departs from the front of Colleen's Kitchen after 8 pm in the evening. Coast Link Bus services also operate between Ceduna, Streaky Bay and Port Lincoln 3 times a week. It is possible to travel to Port Lincoln and return within the day but from the traveller's point of view it is best to stay in Port Lincoln for a day or so to allow sufficient time for sight seeing. 

Located on the foreshore at the north eastern end of Streaky Bay is the local hospital. The hospital has the services of an on call doctor and nearby on Burke Street is the local Doctor's and Dentist's surgery for your more routine consultations.

THINGS TO DO:
Streaky Bay and the adjacent coastline offer the traveller a wealth of things to do. Streaky Bay itself has a jetty which offers fine fishing, and local crabs when they are in season. Along the coast are dotted fine sandy swimming beaches, rock pools, and many rock and surf fishing sites. Boat Ramps are also located near Streaky Bay to enable the keen angler to fish the middle of the Bay itself. For a short 2 or 3 hour excursion I would recommend you make a journey along the Westall Way Tourist Drive. This tourist drive is  made along a well maintained dirt road that takes in the coastal scenery of areas known to locals as High Cliff, The Granites, Smooth Pool, Yanerbie Sand hills and Speeds Point. These areas provide quite amazing scenery and definitely are a must see for the serious seascape photographer.
55 kilometres south of Streaky Bay is Point Labatt where you can observe Australia's only mainland colony of Sea lions. It might be an idea to take your Binoculars if you are heading here. Approximately 40 kilometres south of Streaky Bay are Murphy's Haystacks. The term "Haystacks" is something of a misnomer. These haystacks have nothing to do with farming and  are in fact very fine examples of weathered granite inselberg structures. As such they definitely are a must see for the serious landscape photographer. As you can see from the Murphy's Haystack Gallery these inselbergs are exemplified by finely sculpted pink granite forms that are often encrusted with lichen growths.   From a photographic point of view perhaps it is best to photograph Murphy's Haystacks  in the  early  morning or late afternoon light. Of course, this may just be my own personal preference! 

Located near to the entrance of Murphy's Haystacks is a picnic area with toilet facilities.  Entry to Murphy's Haystacks is made by a donation of $2-00 which is placed in an honesty box.  Please don't begrudge this money as it is used to maintain the facilities and improve the area. To drive to Murphy's Haystacks you will need to head south from Streaky Bay  down the Flinder's Highway towards Port Lincoln. After approximately 40 kilometres you then turn right onto a sealed road which leads to Calca and Murphy's Haystacks.  A  kilometre or so on the right is the entry point to Murphy's Haystacks.  If the sealed road turns into a dirt road go back because you have gone too far!

Along the way to Murphy's Haystacks it may be a good idea for the traveller to view Eyre's waterhole which is located about 4 kilometres south of Streaky Bay.  Originally this site was the waterhole which Edward John Eyre  used as his first watering point in his explorations and crossing of the Nullarbor Plain further to the west. In something of an irony,  today's travellers frequently use this waterhole as a pleasant picnic spot - one  in which it is easy to contemplate the difficulties that Eyre encountered in passing through this remote coastline.

Twenty kilometres to the North East of Streaky Bay is Felchillo Oasis. Felchillo Oasis can be accessed from the main Streaky Bay to Ceduna road. At Perlubie Beach there is a turnoff that heads inland for 10 kilometres where you will finally arrive at the Oasis. This destination is well signposted so just keep an eye out for it.  Felchillo Oasis is a pleasant place for the family to stop and have a break. Felchillo Oasis is part of a broad acre farm of some 4,500 acres and  within the area you will find a fauna park that has quite a few species of birds, many of which are housed in an aviary. Also found at Felchillo Oasis are an Alpaca, Horse, Camels, Wombats, Donkeys, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits Pigs and Dogs. I would imagine these sights would appeal to young children. Within Felchillo Oasis is a Quandong Orchard.  Quandongs are a native fruit of arid Australian regions and ripen between October and December each year. From a health point of view the vitamin C content of Quandongs are many times higher than that for  Oranges on a weight for weight basis.  Quandongs also  make very fine jams and chutneys, and if these are available we recommend you try some and then buy some! From the traveller's point of view Felchillo Oasis also offers cabin accommodation, a self contained cottage, and both powered and unpowered caravan and camping sites.

TRAVELLERS TIPS:
If you are heading to or from the Nullarbor,  Streaky Bay is a destination well worth visiting. To travel via Streaky Bay will only add 30 to 40 kilometres extra distance to your journey. If you are heading west to Perth you should make a detour to Streaky Bay from Poochera. Alternatively if you have just crossed the Nullarbor head south to Streaky Bay from Ceduna. As the locals say, spend a day in Streaky Bay!

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Murphy's Hay stacks

  A good time
 Down Under!