Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park

Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park

A portion of the Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park has been temporarily restricted to protect cuttlefish hatchlings and eggs and ensure public safety during the deployment of an air bubble curtain. Penalties apply for entering the restricted area Details

Park fees:
Free entry
308km from Adelaide
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Span­ning the North­ern Spencer Gulf waters from Port Pirie to Whyal­la and up to Port Augus­ta, between the Flinders Ranges and the great expanse of the Eyre Penin­su­la. The shel­tered waters of the Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park are best known for its inter­na­tion­al­ly recog­nised breed­ing area for the Giant Aus­tralian Cut­tle­fish. The park also includes wet­lands of nation­al impor­tance and is home to a vital nurs­ery area for a large range of fish and crus­taceans. Pro­vid­ing plen­ty of oppor­tu­ni­ties to enjoy the diverse marine life includ­ing cut­tle­fish, dol­phins, whales, migra­to­ry and res­i­dent shore­birds, water­birds and fish species.

Divers and snorkel­ers alike should­n’t miss the amaz­ing dis­play of the cut­tle­fish between May and August as the species change colour and pat­terns to try to impress their poten­tial mate.
Fish­ing is very pop­u­lar with­in the park and can be under­tak­en on jet­ties and most beach­es. These fer­tile seas also make fish­ing a pop­u­lar activ­i­ty, with King George whit­ing, garfish and prawns, as well as blue swim­mer crab the catch­es syn­ony­mous with the region.

How­ev­er fish­ing is pro­hib­it­ed in sanc­tu­ary zones. Sanc­tu­ary zones are the core con­ser­va­tion areas, cre­at­ed in key loca­tions such as Cut­tle­fish Coast and Yala­ta Har­bour. Sanc­tu­ary zones pro­tect all ani­mals and plants from harm, help­ing vis­i­tors to sea life naturally’.

Main image cred­it: Carl Charter