#streaky bay

[unteriors]

Redding Road, Streaky Bay, South Australia.

[redrcs]

Streaky Bay sunset

Cliff succulents at sunset

On my travels

[charlesandmartine]

Wednesday 4th February 2026

We were so sorry to leave our little chalet by the beach. I went for a walk along the shore at sunrise. The tide was slowly draining away and I scrunched along a long causeway composed of small and minute shells; the inspiration no doubt for the name of the place, Shelly Bay. The strong offshore breeze of last night had gone completely, leaving the air completely still, the sea with a mirror finish and the little boat ploughing up and down laying nets sending it's low chugs across the entire bay, from shore to shore. The sea birds images doubling their numbers. The sandbanks peeping through the disappearing waters seeming like an Archipelago of miniature islands by proportion. This was such a special and perfect place with so few people here, we didn't want to give it up; we could live here! But we only booked two nights, and we had a journey ahead of us.

I think this chapter ought to be entitled 'Jetty's what I have seen'. On leaving the best place in the universe, we popped into Ceduna to top up the supplies and also view the jetty. For the sake of clarity, we shall call this one Jetty 1. This one is 380 metres long, pretty impressive and particularly good for fishing from.

After filling up with petrol, we set off for our first stop of the day, Smoky Bay, just a few miles south of Ceduna, and from where my oysters last night were farmed. We shall call this one Jetty 2. The jetty was originally 381 metres in length and was completed in 1912. Great for catching squid and King George whiting. In fact while we were there a man with a fishing rod said his wife had sent him out to catch squid. It would be a brave man to return without any. Having the advantage over Ceduna jetty by 1 metre, it was reduced by 88 metres in 1969, due to maintenance costs. The settlement at Smoky Bay was extremely fetching, and very empty. We had luncheon there and I think I counted 12 people in all. On our stroll to the end of the jetty we saw quite a sizeable Ray fish in the shallow waters close to shore.

Our next stop along our route to Elliston, further down the Eyre Peninsula, was Streaky Bay, and Jetty 3. This one, completed in the late 1880s is 340 metres in length, which is now in second place. Streaky Bay is another quiet little place, but in line with its Jetty, was an older town with some very fine colonial style buildings.

Now, these towns were surveyed by Matthew Flinders on his circumnavigation of Australia. He must have had breakfast on his mind as he sailed down the peninsula, first naming Smoky, then Streaky. Clearly bacon was up there in his thoughts, so imagine our confusion when we reached the next Jetty, number 4, and it is Venus Bay. I'm struggling to make a connection. However, it is a fine, but shorter jetty. Flinders came ashore here in 1801, and a town was built in the 1850s and originally called Parkin. A vessel called Venus was soon trading wool, wheat and carrying passengers and it is thought this might be the inspiration for the name change to Venus in the 1940s. I am assured the length for the jetty is just 100 metres. As we drove out of Venus, and gathering speed back to the Flinders Highway, a kangaroo hopped across the road before us, qualifying as the first kangaroo of the trip, and very nearly the first kangaroo casualty.

We continued our journey to Elliston, our destination for the next two nights, and on our way in, we spotted Jetty 5. This jetty is clearly the show-off romping in at 427 metres, clearly the winner of the day, and completed in 1900. Feelings are mixed regarding Elliston. Falling far short of our previous accommodation. Things may improve on closer inspection tomorrow. We find ourselves in a Motel format on a far from busy crossroad, opposite the shop named the Friendly Grocer. Only time will tell just how friendly he is!

ps. There are 75 jettys in the region. I can't be expected to examine them all!

pps. Temperatures soared to 39 degrees as the sea breezes dropped.

ppps. Martine and I met 21 years ago today

Our chalet. We miss it already

Jetty 1

Smoky Bay, Jetty 2

Ray Fish

Streaky Bay

Jetty 3

Venus Bay, Jetty 4

[epiceyre]

Perlubie Beach

https://youtu.be/MkwLyLByfZg

[epiceyre]

Streaky Bay to Gawler Ranges

https://youtu.be/LqU_4-fugqo

[rhonddaandallaneuro]

[scatteringashesblog-blog]

Streaky Bay Woman Spearheads Memorial Garden Project

Streaky Bay Woman Spearheads Memorial Garden Project

Death is very unpredictable and often tragic, especially in the case of children and the unborn. Childhood deaths bring a different type of emotion and pain when you realize they will not live to do the things they enjoy. Creating memorials is not only a way to honour those children, but it is also an avenue for strength and healing. Nyssa Bell, a resident of Streaky Bay, wants to do just that.

An…

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