How to Make the Most of the Drive from Adelaide to Port Lincoln

Despite its wild beauty, most Australians have never driven the stretch of coast from Adelaide to Port Lincoln. One of South Australia’s most underrated journeys, every hour on this diverse road trip feels different from the last. This is how to make the most of the drive.

The Drive from Adelaide to Port Lincoln

By Friday evening, the Adelaide skyline is behind you and the highway opens up. Now it’s nothing but endless coastlines and a sense of freedom ahead of you.

The journey from Adelaide to Port Lincoln isn’t just a coastal drive, it’s a total shift in rhythm from everyday life. You start among chimneys and steelworks, drive past sea lions and end with waves breaking outside your window.

Taking about 7-8 hours and with a distance of about 650km from door to door, it’s not a short trip, but it is certainly one worth savouring if you have the time. Along the route, the small towns, hearty local meals, and unfolding horizons that change every hour will have you wondering why you’ve never done it before.

In this article, we take you from Adelaide to Port Lincoln in a slow and meaningful way. You’ll explore local manufacturing histories, stay in cosy accommodation, watch ancient landscapes unveil themselves and spot incredible wildlife.

This is the Adelaide to Port Lincoln road trip!

Friday: Adelaide to Port Pirie

Clock out at work, pack the car, and hit the road north.

It’s only around two and a half hours to Port Pirie; far enough to feel like you’ve escaped, but close enough to still make it before dinner. Here, you can get a fantastic meal, see a few of the local sites and stretch your legs with a walk before a day of driving tomorrow.

Port Pirie

Port Pirie is a working town and you’ll pick up its small-community spirit right away. Stop by and you’ll discover a few lovely surprises. Once a proud industrial hub, this coastal spot has softened with time. It’s a friendly and easygoing place framed by the Flinders Ranges on one side and Spencer Gulf on the other.

What to do in Port Pirie

• Stroll along the Solomontown Beach foreshore as the sun dips over the water.

• Visit the Port Pirie Regional Art Gallery or the National Trust Museum if you arrive before closing.

• Walk the John Pirie Bridge for wide-open gulf views.

Where to eat

Settle in at Angus & Co., where hearty steaks, burgers and casual comfort food hit the spot after a week of work.

Stay the night

Check into BreakFree Port Pirie, a reliable overnight base with comfortable rooms and a pool to unwind before the drive ahead.

Saturday: Port Pirie to Port Augusta

Don’t miss a thing this Saturday morning. Wake up early and follow the curve of the gulf towards Whyalla, South Australia’s steel city by the sea. The drive is just under two hours, but there’s plenty to see along the way.

As you leave Port Pirie, the landscape opens quickly with wide saltbush plains, flashes of red earth, and the distant outline of the Flinders Ranges to your right.

You’ll pass quiet farming towns, grain silos, and stretches of highway that seem to run straight into the horizon before the road dips towards Port Augusta.

Stop in Port Augusta

Known as the “Crossroads of Australia,” Port Augusta is where the desert meets the ocean. From here, people drive north into the true outback of South Australia towards the Red Centre.

But if you’re not planning on heading up that way, in Port Augusta, there are some unexpectedly great things you can do for a wonderful break from driving.

• Stretch your legs at the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden; a surprisingly lush display of desert blooms with a great café (for a well deserved coffee) and gulf views.

• Take a short detour up to the Matthew Flinders Red Cliffs Lookout for panoramic views over the Spencer Gulf.

Port Augusta to Whyalla

Leaving Port Augusta, the road hugs the upper edge of the Spencer Gulf before opening into long, straight stretches framed by saltbush and sea. This part of the drive is quietly beautiful and perhaps one of the most unique sections.

You’ll pass wind farms turning slowly against the skyline, glimpses of shimmering salt flats, and small roadside towns that seem to appear out of nowhere.

Keep an eye out for lookout points near Fitzgerald Bay or the turnoff to Point Lowly if you want to stretch your legs, because the coastal views across the gulf are some of the best on this route.

Arrive in Whyalla

By afternoon, you’ll roll into Whyalla, your home for the night. This sweet little town perfectly bridges industry and coastal beauty and offers plenty to do throughout the year.

What to do

• Visit the Whyalla Maritime Museum, home to the WWII corvette HMAS Whyalla.

• Take the Hummock Hill Lookout drive for the best sunset view in town.

• Between May and August, you might spot giant cuttlefish along the coastline near Point Lowly, one of the most unique marine spectacles in the world. If you’re particularly fascinated, you could grab some snorkelling equipment and explore for yourself.

• Otherwise, simply unwind at the foreshore precinct, where calm waters and a relaxed energy make for an easy afternoon.

Where to stay

Check in at Whyalla Playford Apartments; sleek, self-contained rooms right in the centre of town.

Sunday: Whyalla to Port Lincoln

From Whyalla, the road south traces the edge of the Eyre Peninsula, where the land begins to soften. You’ll pass quiet fishing towns like Cowell and Arno Bay, each with jetties stretching into turquoise shallows and general stores that feel untouched by time.

As you near Port Lincoln, the scenery shifts again; rolling farmland meets rugged coastline, and glimpses of the sea start to appear more often between the trees.

But before you get there, take your time; it’s the small coastal towns along the way that give the drive from Adelaide to Port Lincoln its unique feel.

On the road

• Stop at Cowell, a small fishing town known for its jade and oysters, both of which make great souvenirs.

• Pull over at Lucky Bay if you have time; the beach is pure white calm.

• Head to Port Gibbon, a short detour south of Cowell, with red cliffs, quiet beaches, and wide-open coastal views.

• Explore Tumby Bay for colourful seaside vibes, street murals a long jetty, and frequent dolphin sightings.

Arrive in Port Lincoln

This is where the coastal part of your journey really begins.

Port Lincoln is Australia’s seafood capital and gateway to the Eyre Peninsula’s wild southern coast. Well known for its fresh-caught tuna, oysters, and abalone, it’s also the jumping-off point for swimming with sea lions or diving with great white sharks, if you’re brave enough.

What to do

• Start your day with coffee at Boston Bean Coffee Co., a local favourite.

• Walk the Parnkalla Trail for sea views and dolphins just offshore.

• Visit Lincoln National Park for coastal hikes, sand dunes and turquoise coves that feel worlds away.

• Take a tour of the Port Lincoln Marina and its fishing fleet, the heartbeat of the local economy.

• And if you’re feeling adventurous, join a shark cage diving experience or swim with sea lions; both unforgettable, uniquely Port Lincoln adventures.

Where to eat

Finish your journey with dinner at Del Giorno’s, right on the waterfront, where fresh seafood and local wine give you that unmistakable feeling of being exactly where you’re meant to be.

Where to stay

Check into Limani Port Lincoln, a boutique waterfront hotel with panoramic views across Boston Bay. The light, coastal style and peaceful setting make it the perfect spot to unwind after the drive, and wake to the sound of the sea.

Monday: Back to Adelaide (or keep going)

If you have the luxury of another few days, after the drive from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, linger longer, or head further along the coast to Oyster Bay and beyond. This part of the world rewards slow mornings, second coffees and people who are seeking adventure.

Otherwise, the long drive home gives you time to replay the highlights: from steel to sea, and everything in between.

Keen to keep exploring? Learn more about Port Lincoln in this Ultimate Guide to Port Lincoln.