cities

Coffin Bay

Open on map More cities Spin a random place Ask WorldAI

Facts

Rank

—

Coordinates

—

Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage

Media

From Wikipedia578 words

WBP editorial3

Seasonal rhythm for maritime pursuits

Coffin Bay’s modest climate cloaks a surprisingly nuanced timetable for water‑based recreation. Early summer delivers steady sea breezes that fill the sails without overwhelming the novice, while the water temperature remains cool enough to keep the marine life active, meaning anglers can anticipate a steady bite of King George whiting and snapper. Autumn, by contrast, brings a subtle shift: the wind pattern eases, perfect for tranquil paddle‑boarding among the mangroves that fringe the inlet. The winter months, often dismissed for their chill, attract a dedicated cohort of sea‑kayakers chasing the migration of southern right whales that pass offshore, offering an intimate encounter not found in the busier months.

Food beyond the catch – farm‑to‑table on the peninsula

While the town’s reputation centres on its seafood, the surrounding wheat belt quietly supplies a robust agrarian backdrop that informs the local palate. Small‑scale producers near Coffin Bay harvest heirloom wheat varieties, which bakeries transform into artisanal loaves with a nutty crumb that pairs exceptionally with a glass of regional Shiraz. Seasonal markets often feature cold‑pressed oat oils and locally smoked cheeses that echo the salty breezes of the bay. Visitors who linger over a meal can trace the journey of each ingredient—from the golden fields beyond the dunes to the plate, revealing a culinary dialogue between land and sea that standard guidebooks overlook.

Navigating the national park beyond the crowds

Coffin Bay National Park stretches far beyond the well‑trodden coastal trails, and its interior offers a quieter perspective for the intrepid walker. Early morning hikes along the lesser‑known Point Chopford track reveal limestone cliffs punctuated by native mallee, where the echo of wind‑borne saltwater mingles with the subtropical fragrance of tea‑tree. Birdwatchers will note the seasonal appearance of the orange‑crowned warbler, a species that prefers the understory of the park’s scrubland rather than the shoreline. For those willing to venture inland with a sturdy four‑wheel drive, the park’s sand dunes provide a natural sandboarding arena, granting a playful contrast to the region’s otherwise serene reputation.

Introduction

For other uses, see Coffin Bay. Town in South AustraliaTown in South Australia, AustraliaCoffin Bay Mudhabaga (Nauo)TownView down Coffin Bay ChannelCoffin BayCoordinates: 34°37′28″S 135°28′11″E / 34.624406°S 135.469651°E / -34.624406; 135.469651CountryAustraliaStateSouth AustraliaRegionEyre WesternLGADistrict Council of Lower Eyre PeninsulaLocation 288 km (179 mi) W of Adelaide 36 km (22 mi) W of Port Lincoln Established1952 ("shack area")1957 (private town)2003 (locality)Government • State electorateFlinders • Federal divisionGreyPopulation • Total667 (UCL 2021)Time zoneUTC+9:30 (ACST) • Summer (DST)UTC+10:30 (ACST)Postcode5607CountyFlindersMean max temp21.3 °C (70.3 °F)Mean min temp11.3 °C (52.3 °F)Annual rainfall389.8 mm (15.35 in) Localities around Coffin Bay Coffin Bay (waterbody) Wangary Wangary Coffin Bay (waterbody)Ocean Coffin Bay WangaryUley Ocean OceanUley Uley Adjoining localities Coffin Bay (Nauo: Mudhabaga), originally Coffin's Bay, is a town at the southern extremity of the Eyre Peninsula, a wheat growing area of South Australia. The town is situated on the western side of the southern tip of Eyre Peninsula about 46 km from Port Lincoln. The population swells during holiday seasons to more than 4,000 people due to its proximity to the Coffin Bay National Park. It is a popular location for boating, sailing, swimming, water-skiing, skindiving and wind-surfing, as well as fishing (rock, surf, angling and boat). The town is named after the bay formed by the Coffin Bay Peninsula and the mainland, and lies on the southeastern shore of the bay. Oyster farming is conducted in the quiet waters of Coffin Bay.[citation needed] Coffin Bay is in the District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula local government area, the state electoral district of Flinders and the federal Division of Grey.

History

[edit] The indigenous inhabitants of the Coffin Bay area are the Nauo Aboriginal people, who have lived there for tens of thousands of years. Well before the official colonisation of South Australia in 1836, the way of life of the Nauo people had been disrupted by raids carried out by seal hunters, often to kidnap Nauo women. British naval explorer Matthew Flinders named the bay on 16 February 1802 in honour of his friend Sir Isaac Coffin, who was Resident Naval Commissioner at Sheerness, where HMS Investigator was fitted out. The same year, French explorer Nicolas Baudin provided the alternative French name of Baie Delambre. The bay remained uncharted until it was explored in March 1839 by Captain Frederick R. Lees (d. 1839), in command of the brig Nereus. Lees' thorough charts became a standard reference for mariners until the electronic era.[according to whom?] In November 1952, and again in October 1955, the state government surveyed a "shack area" on crown land from which allotments were available for leasing. In 1957, the private town of Coffin Bay was laid out by Stanley Germain Morgan on section 132 of the cadastral unit of the Hundred of Lake Wangary. In 1966, BHP opened the Coffin Bay Tramway, between Port Lincoln and a site 8 kilometres (5 mi) south-east of the town, to convey lime sands. The tramway was closed in 1989, and the track was removed in 2001.[citation needed] On 16 October 2003, boundaries created for the locality included the full extent of the Coffin Bay Peninsula and the land to the east, bounded in the north in part by the channel connecting to Kellidie Bay and by the Coffin Bay Road, and in the east by the eastern boundary of the Hundred of Lake Wangary. The locality, which was given the "long established name", includes the private town, the Coffin Bay Shack Site and the Coffin Bay National Park. The historic former Coffin Bay Whaling Site at Point Sir Isaac lies within the locality and is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.