Seafood & Aquaculture Trail Brochures - Port Lincoln: Ron investigates this Eyre Peninsula trail in the West Coast region of South Australia
Drive along the road to Point Lowly near Whyalla and soak up the constant procession of sweeping views. You can admire the top of Spencer Gulf and the Flinders Ranges rolling away to the north.
In the waters below, the annual migration of the Giant Australian Cuttlefish takes place from May to August. Thousands gather to lay their eggs in the protected limestone ledges just below the surface.
It's a magical trick of nature but the Gulf is also home to an expanding man made phenomena. The entrepreneurs of Eyre Peninsula continue to farm the fruits of the sea like the yellowtail kingfish fattened in pens in Fitzgerald Bay since the late 90s.
On the way down the Peninsula, the kingfish give way to oyster leases as we make our way across Franklin Harbour at Cowell. It's a massive expanse of water comprising five thousand hectares. The mangroves provide the perfect buffer for the oyster spat which are fattened up in baskets hung on the long line system first developed by ex cereal farmer Geoff Turner and a couple of his mates several years ago.
"These oysters go all over Australia and overseas," said Geoff. "We're developing markets in Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai. We can't grow enough oysters to meet the world's demand."
South Australia produces 70-million oysters annually - 20-million of them right here. Which means Geoff Turner's aquarium and showroom is a constant hive of activity.
Further south Boston Bay and its collection of tuna boats is a 'must-see' part of the Eyre Peninsula's Seafood and Aquaculture Trail. Join Peter Dennis' Triple Bay Charter operation and he'll take you out to the tuna pens several kilometres from Port Lincoln.
"There are about 100 to 130 tuna pens out here," he explains. "We can get very close to them. The fish are surface feeders so you can see them swimming in the pens.
"When they are fattened up and ready to go to the market each of them could fetch around a thousand to two thousand dollars."
Head back to Port Lincoln Marina and Graham Daniel's little electric boat Tesla will take you through the rows of multi-million dollar craft upon which much of Port Lincoln's enormous wealth is based. Eyre Peninsula now produces about 65 percent of the State's seafood and the aquaculture industry generates sales of about 300-million dollars a year and employs about 1800 people.
And with new and bigger markets has come inevitable change.
"The industry has changed completely from the poling era to the farming era," explained Graham. "It's a completely different fishery. That fishery was very much a Wild West fishery full of colourful characters."
You can take in all the comings and goings of this multi-million dollar industry from the Marina Hotel and Apartments at Lincoln Cove. They are a great base from which to head out on Eyre Peninsula's Seafood and Aquaculture Trail. For bookings contact 8682 6141.
Copies of the Seafood and Aquaculture Trail guide are available at the Port Lincoln Visitor Centre. Staff will set you right on the many aquaculture tours you can take throughout the peninsula. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Marina Hotel & Apartments
Lincoln Cove
Port Lincoln
Standard room rate $140 per night
Ph 8682 6141Seafood & Aquaculture Trail Brochure
Port Lincoln Visitor Centre
3 Adelaide Place
Port Lincoln
Open daily Ph 1300 798 378Published 24th Sept 2006
