Flinders Chase National Park

Flinders Chase National Park

One of the advantages of our trip being delayed for three years, was the opening of the Flinders Chase National Park after the fires. We were looking forward to the chance to explore this area, and packed a picnic lunch knowing that food options were non-existent

First stop was Seal Bay Conservation Park, home to a sea lion population. We booked ourselves on the first tour of the day, and rugged up as it was windy and looked like showers. The tour took us along a pathway and down to the beach, giving us the opportunity to get close to the sea lions and watch the pups exploring the water line, resting mothers with their young and a very aggressive bull who had woken up in a bad mood. We learnt a lot about the life of a sea lion and how they spend their time, mainly fishing and sleeping.

We picked up a coffee from Vivonne Bay general store and took it down to the beach which was largely deserted, just a few groups enjoying the pristine bay. Another perfect coffee spot.

It was a bit of a drive into the Flinders Chase National Park. I had paid for the entry fee online the night before, so it was a quick stop at the Park Office to pick up a map.

By now the skies had cleared, and we had a glorious view along the coastline as we drove out to Remarkable Rocks. Perched above the sea, the rocks were striking in colour and shape. We wandered through the surreal landscape enjoying the stunning views.

Next stop was Admirals Arch at Cape du Couedic. As we followed the path down to the Arch we spotted long nosed fur seals in the rockpools. We found a bench for lunch at the edge of the boardwalk, nicely protected from the wind and with views out to Casuarina Island.

We continued on the Cape Du Couedic hike, spotting more seals and learning more about the lighthouse and the local history.

On our way back, we detoured via Murrays Lagoon in Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area. The largest lagoon on Kangaroo Island, the wetlands are renowned for their abundant birdlife. We saw lots of black swans but few other birds. Our final stop was D’Estrees Bay but the beauty of the clear waters was marred by the abundance of seaweed along the shoreline.