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42-487: Spencer Highway (route B89) is a highway along the east coast of Spencer Gulf in South Australia . It runs south from Augusta Highway through Port Pirie to Minlaton . This Australian road or road transport-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Spencer Gulf The largest towns on the gulf are Port Lincoln , Whyalla , Port Pirie , and Port Augusta . Smaller towns on

84-756: A cage with southern bluefin tuna, with a colony of Australian sea lions , or enter a shark cage to observe great white sharks offshore near the Neptune Islands . Ceduna lies to the east of the Nullarbor Plain , which is crossed by a stretch of the Eyre Highway running parallel to the Great Australian Bight . Oyster farm tours can be experienced at Smoky Bay , allowing visitors to see where oysters are grown. Recreational fishing for species such as King George whiting and blue swimmer crabs does not require

126-453: A licence, although size, bag, and boat limits may apply. On the west coast, tourists can snorkel with Australian sea lions and bottlenose dolphins in the sheltered waters of Baird Bay and observe southern right whales (and occasionally humpback whales) from the shore or by boat from Fowler's Bay from May to October. Murphy's Haystacks are a unique geographical feature located between Streaky Bay and Port Kenny . Artifacts from

168-466: A number of inshore and offshore islands. These include (from north to south): Due to its proximity to many identified mineral deposits in South Australia's Far North, Eyre Peninsula and Braemar regions, there are multiple new port and harbour developments proposed for the region. These include new or expanded facilities at (from north to south): In 2022, the government of South Australia announced

210-426: Is indigenous . The major industry is farming — cereal crops , sheep , and cattle in the drier north, and more water-intensive activities such as dairy farming and a growing wine industry in the south. Many coastal towns have commercial fishing fleets, the largest at Port Lincoln. The town has previously harbored a large tuna -fishing fleet, which is gradually transforming its practice to fish farming with

252-722: Is also known for its snapper and Yellowtail kingfish fishing. Great white sharks are sometimes seen in Spencer Gulf by fishermen, and shark cage diving and surface tours operate out of Port Lincoln . A relic population of tiger pipefish ( Filicampus tigris ), a subtropical species is range limited to Northern Spencer Gulf. Visiting southern right whales and humpback whales enter Spencer Gulf from June through to October, and can be seen as far north as Point Lowly and Port Augusta. New Zealand fur seals and Australian sea lions can be found in southern Spencer Gulf, with significant breeding colonies located at Dangerous Reef and in

294-531: Is bounded by the Spencer Gulf on the east, the Great Australian Bight on the west, and the Gawler Ranges to the north. Earlier called Eyre's Peninsula , it was named after explorer Edward John Eyre , who explored parts of the peninsula in 1839–41. The coastline was first charted by the expeditions of Matthew Flinders in 1801–02 and French explorer Nicolas Baudin around the same time. Flinders also named

336-484: Is located in west side of Spencer Gulf, north of Whyalla, was declared in 1980 'for fisheries management, protection of its mangrove-seagrass communities and associated fish nursery areas.' Goose Island Aquatic Reserve which is located at Goose Island on the east side of Spencer Gulf near Port Victoria was d eclared in 1971 to provide 'a conservation area where teaching institutions may conduct classes and scientific research on marine biology and ecology and to protect

378-586: Is over 1 million tonnes per annum. Iron ore is mined by Arrium in the Middleback Range near Iron Knob , inland from Whyalla . Some of the product is smelted to produce feedstock for the Whyalla Steelworks . Increasing volumes of iron ore are also being exported from Whyalla directly to customers in Asia. There is a commercial nephrite jade mine near Cowell , and jade souvenirs can be purchased in

420-687: Is promoted by Regional Development Australia Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula as the 'Seafood Frontier' due to the variety of seafood species in the region, both farmed and wild-caught. Key species are the southern bluefin tuna and yellowtail kingfish , which are farmed in Port Lincoln and Arno Bay , and Pacific oysters , which are grown in Coffin Bay, Cowell, Denial Bay, Smoky Bay, and Streaky Bay. Other seafood offerings include abalone , King George whiting , mussels , western king prawns and blue swimmer crabs . Many natural heritage attractions can be found in

462-616: Is scarce on the peninsula. Presently, water is pumped several hundred kilometres from the Murray River to the town of Whyalla through the Morgan-Whyalla pipeline . Underground water resources are suffering from gradually increasing salinity. The only reliable surface flows are from the Tod River and its main tributary, Pillaworta Creek, which are captured by the Tod Reservoir . The reservoir

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504-551: Is visible from the Lincoln Highway . Fishing charters are offered to depart from many coastal towns, including Whyalla, Cowell, Tumby Bay , and Port Lincoln. Major population centres on the peninsula are connected by a network of highways. The Eyre Highway (Route number A1) runs east–west across the north side of the peninsula, while the Flinders Highway (Route number B100) and Lincoln Highway (Route number A100) follow

546-557: Is within the extent of the following two South Australian government regions - the Eyre Western and the Far North . As at 2016, the following protected areas were located within the peninsula: The peninsula coastline is littered with shipwrecks from the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 1920s, seven people were killed during the construction of the Tod Reservoir , north of Port Lincoln. In January 2005, nine people were killed in

588-531: The Barngarla Aboriginal country. Ceduna is within Wirangu country. The peninsula was named after explorer Edward John Eyre on 7 November 1839 by George Gawler , the second Governor of South Australia . The peninsula's coastline boundary was defined in 1839 as "Spencer's Gulf in its whole length, to the southern ocean from Cape Catastrophe to the western point of Denial Bay ." Its northern boundary

630-952: The Coffin Bay Tramway from Coffin Bay to Port Lincoln. The BHP Whyalla Tramway operated from the iron ore mines in the Middleback Ranges to the smelter and port at Whyalla . The Whyalla railway line to Port Augusta are also connected to the national rail network. A car and passenger ferry links the Eyre peninsula at Lucky Bay to the Yorke Peninsula at Wallaroo. To facilitate prospective mines, new freight corridors and ports have been proposed to export minerals via Spencer Gulf. New port proposals are in place at Port Bonython , Lucky Bay , Cape Hardy and Sheep Hill ( Lipson Cove ). A proposal to export iron ore from Port Lincoln by Centrex Metals

672-529: The Northern Water Supply Project, which as of 2023, is considering a business case for establishing a large seawater desalination plant in the upper Spencer Gulf. If constructed, water will be supplied for use to the Olympic Dam and Carapateena copper mines in the state's far north. It is also intended to supply water for a prospective hydrogen export industry. An environmental impact statement for

714-891: The Peninsula's pioneer and, to a lesser extent, indigenous heritage can be seen at a network of museums operated by the National Trust of South Australia , which include the Mount Laura Homestead Museum in Whyalla, the Tumby Bay National Trust Museum and the Koppio Smithy Museum. The Whyalla Maritime Museum's nautical theme commemorates the former Whyalla shipyards . Its displays include the World War II corvette HMAS  Whyalla , which sits in dry-dock and

756-762: The Port Augusta crossing. This so-called extension of the gulf consists of a land depression and occasional watercourse known as the Pirie–Torrens corridor , and the inland waterbody Lake Torrens . The northern end of the gulf is spanned by the Joy Baluch AM Bridge between Port Augusta and Port Augusta West and further north by Yorkey Crossing . Informal names for subdivisions of the gulf waters are sometimes used. "Northern Spencer Gulf" refers to waters north of Wallaroo and Arno Bay , while "Southern Spencer Gulf" refers to waters south of that line, extending to

798-693: The Sir Joseph Banks Group. Occasional sightings occurring in Northern Spencer Gulf. Bottlenose dolphins can be seen in the gulf's waters year-round. Breeding colonies of little penguins exist on islands in Spencer Gulf. The northernmost colonies are located at Lipson Island and Wardang Island . In 2004, the Wardang Island colony's population was approximately 8,000 penguins. Cape Barren geese and several species of cormorants also breed on islands in Spencer Gulf. Spencer Gulf contains

840-484: The Spencer Gulf on the north-west. Many of South Australia's iconic marine species can be found on the shores and in the waters of Spencer Gulf. The rocky inshore reef along the coast near Port Bonython and Point Lowly is a breeding ground for the Northern Spencer Gulf population of Australian giant cuttlefish . They are a favorite food of local bottlenose dolphins , who have developed sophisticated techniques for safely eating these creatures. The Upper Spencer Gulf

882-547: The growth of sea cage aquaculture for tuna and yellowtail kingfish . Oyster farming was established in the 1980s and occurs in several sheltered bays, including Coffin Bay , Franklin Harbour (near Cowell in Spencer Gulf) and Smoky Bay off the west coast. Since 1919, gypsum has been mined at Lake MacDonnell , the largest deposit of gypsum in the southern hemisphere, and is shipped from Thevenard . As of 2022 , production

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924-452: The gulf include Tumby Bay , Port Neill , Arno Bay , Cowell , Port Germein , Port Broughton , Wallaroo , Port Hughes , Port Victoria , Port Rickaby , Point Turton , and Corny Point . The first recorded exploration of the gulf was that of Matthew Flinders in February 1802. Flinders navigated inland from the present location of Port Augusta to within 44–39 km (27–24 mi) of

966-513: The gulf is the Eyre Peninsula , while the eastern side is the Yorke Peninsula , which separates it from the smaller Gulf St Vincent . Its entrance was defined by Matthew Flinders in 1802 as a line from Cape Catastrophe on Eyre Peninsula to Cape Spencer on Yorke Peninsula. At the time of Flinders' exploration the gulf was noted to extend 298 km (185 mi) inland from a point near

1008-613: The gulf. On the west coast of the gulf, from north to south, they are Munyaroo Conservation Park , Franklin Harbor Conservation Park , Lipson Island Conservation Park , Tumby Island Conservation Park , Sir Joseph Banks Group Conservation Park , Lincoln National Park and Memory Cove Wilderness Protection Area . On the east coast of the gulf, from north to south, they are Winninowie Conservation Park , Bird Islands Conservation Park , Goose Island Conservation Park , Leven Beach Conservation Park and Innes National Park . At

1050-484: The habitat of the seal colony situated on White Rocks.' Whyalla - Cowleds Landing Aquatic Reserve which is located on the west side of Spencer Gulf, just south of Whyalla, was declared in 1980 to 'protect the mangrove-seagrass communities and associated fish nursery areas.' Yatala Harbour Upper Spencer Gulf Aquatic Reserve which is located in Yatala Harbour on the east side of Spencer Gulf, north of Port Pirie,

1092-432: The mining industry exclusively. The existing plant is located at Whyalla and is operated by Arrium , and plants are proposed for Point Lowly and Lipson Cove to serve BHP and Centrex Metals , respectively. The peninsula includes the local government areas of Ceduna , Cleve , Elliston , Franklin Harbour , Kimba , Lower Eyre Peninsula , Port Lincoln , Streaky Bay , Tumby Bay , Wudinna and Whyalla , as well as

1134-651: The mouth of the gulf, the Gambier Islands Conservation Park is located within the Gambier Islands group. Three Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been nominated by BirdLife International at locations in Spencer Gulf. The Spencer Gulf Important Bird Area lies along the north-eastern coast of the Gulf; it comprises a 460 square kilometres (180 square miles) strip of coastal land consisting mainly of intertidal mudflats , mangroves and salt marshes . It

1176-649: The mouth of the gulf. "Upper Spencer Gulf" includes the waters north of Port Pirie, and includes the three towns sometimes referred to as the Iron Triangle: Whyalla, Port Augusta and Port Pirie. Its boundary lacks precise definition. The land surrounding the gulf, consisting of the Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas , is the Eyre Yorke Block bioregion . This was originally wooded shrubland but has now mainly been cleared for agriculture. The arid Gawler bioregion extends to

1218-453: The nearby Yorke's Peninsula and Spencer's Gulph on the same voyage. The peninsula's economy is primarily agricultural, with growing aquaculture , mining, and tourism sectors. The main towns are Port Lincoln in the south, Whyalla and Port Augusta in the northeast, and Ceduna in the northwest. Port Lincoln ( Galinyala in Barngarla ), Whyalla and Port Augusta ( Goordnada ) are part of

1260-485: The peninsula's three national parks, numerous conservation parks, and along the peninsula's extensive coastline. Ecotourism operators offer visitors opportunities to experience many of the peninsula's iconic marine species either in or on the water. From Whyalla , visitors can snorkel or dive off Point Lowly to witness the mass breeding aggregation of giant Australian cuttlefish , which occurs there from May to August each year. From Port Lincoln, tourists can swim in

1302-408: The peninsula. Peaking at 777 kilometres in 1950, radiating out from the ports at Port Lincoln and Thevenard , today, only one 60-kilometre section remains open. It is operated by Aurizon . It has always been isolated from the main network . A proposal to link it with the rest of the network at Port Augusta was rejected in the 1920s and again in the 1950s. From 1966 until 1989, BHP operated

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1344-532: The project is anticipated mid-2024. As of 2016 , one reverse osmosis and one thermal seawater desalination plant draw water from Spencer Gulf. Several others are planned. All currently or will produce water primarily or exclusively for industrial use. They are: The Spencer Gulf region, its wildlife and its development are the subjects of a documentary film in production (as of 2020) entitled Cuttlefish Country . Spencer Gulf contains four aquatic reserves . Blanche Harbour-Douglas Bank Aquatic Reserve which

1386-471: The site of an unofficial settlement, due in part to its convenience as a base for whaling vessels – which had long operated in the Great Australian Bight . Prior to the selection of Adelaide , some consideration was given to Port Lincoln as the potential site of a capital city. The Gulf is 77 km (48 mi) wide at its mouth (from Cape Catastrophe to Cape Spencer) and 320 km (200 mi) long (from its mouth to Port Augusta). The western shore of

1428-446: The termination of the water body. The gulf was named Spencer's Gulph by Flinders on 20 March 1802, after George John Spencer , the 2nd Earl Spencer . The Baudin expedition visited the gulf after Flinders with Nicholas Baudin giving it the name Golfe Bonaparte and Louis de Freycinet using the name Golfe de la Melomanie on the expedition's published charts. By the 1830s, the natural harbour of Port Lincoln had become

1470-635: The town. The peninsula has many small inactive mines and quarries. It is considered prospective for a variety of minerals, including graphite , coal , and uranium , with many deposits being proven in recent years. The 2000s saw increased mineral exploration activity on the peninsula. In 2013, some of the more advanced mine development projects included: Ironclad Mining's Wilcherry Hill , Centrex Metals 's Fusion Magnetite Project and Iron Road Limited 's Central Eyre Iron Project . Existing rail, power, and water supply infrastructure shortfalls continue to hamper new project development. The Eyre Peninsula

1512-570: The west and east coasts, meeting at Port Lincoln in the south. The Tod Highway (Route number B90) bisects the peninsula, running south–north from Port Lincoln through the town of Lock to meet the Eyre Highway at Kyancutta . The Birdseye Highway (Route number B91) bisects the peninsula from Elliston on the west coast and Flinders Highway through Lock and Cleve to the Lincoln Highway near Cowell. The isolated Eyre Peninsula Railway serves

1554-622: The western portion of the City of Port Augusta . The area at the northern end of the peninsula is within the Pastoral Unincorporated Area of South Australia where municipal services are provided by the Outback Communities Authority to communities, including Iron Knob . The peninsula is within the boundaries of the federal division of Grey and the state electoral districts of Flinders and Giles . The peninsula

1596-406: Was approved but abandoned after strong public opposition. Port Bonython Fuels , a future fuel distribution hub, has been approved to be constructed at Port Bonython to aid the development of the mining industry. Once constructed and operational, fuel will be delivered to towns and mine sites by road tankers up to A-triple class. Sheep Hill/Port Spencer will be completed by 2023. Potable water

1638-512: Was built to augment the groundwater supply of Port Lincoln and was constructed in the early 1920s. It was taken offline in the early 2000s due to concerns over rising salinity and contamination from agricultural chemicals. SA Water has investigated potential locations for seawater desalination plants to address future water security problems. As of January 2014, no plants are proposed to be built for domestic or agricultural supply, though one currently exists and two have been proposed to serve

1680-653: Was declared in 1980 for 'the protection of its mangrove-seagrass communities and associated fish nursery areas.' Spencer Gulf contains five marine parks , each with its own outer boundary and internal zoning. Fishing is prohibited with Sanctuary Zones, and detailed maps and GPS coordinates for the parks are available from the Government of South Australia's Department of Environment, Water & Natural Resources. The marine parks within Spencer Gulf are (from north to south): A number of terrestrial reserves either adjoin Spencer Gulf at low water or are located on islands within

1722-399: Was described in 1978 as follows: "no official boundary [has] ever [been] proclaimed but the common sense choice would be to draw a straight line from Yorkey Crossing to the northernmost point of Denial Bay ." As at 30 June 2010, the peninsula had a population of 58,700 people. The peninsula is home to 3.6% of South Australia's population. An estimated 2,500 people, 4.4% of the population,

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1764-472: Was identified as an IBA by BirdLife International because of its importance for the conservation of waders , or shorebirds. The other two IBAs within Spencer Gulf are located in the Sir Joseph Banks Group and at Goose Island . Both sites contain breeding colonies of various island seabird species. Eyre Peninsula The Eyre Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in South Australia . It

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