9 Best Photography Spots on the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia

The Fleurieu Peninsula is one of the most underrated coastlines of Australia. It has everything you could want from an adventure – dramatic cliffs, rolling grassy hills, pristine beaches and cavernous sea caves. It’s only an hours drive from the city of Adelaide and serves as the gateway to famous Kangaroo Island (via 45min ferry ride). I spent a few summer days exploring the natural scenery, by car and on foot. The landscape is incredibly unique and unexpected from Australia – it reminded me of parts of New Zealand and Iceland. The Fleurieu Peninsula is also known for gourmet food and wine, but on my visit I was focusing on the natural beauty of the region – which thankfully there’s plenty of!

I think that it’ll become really popular in a few years time – you’ll have to visit before it gets too crowded! To make it easier to find the most beautiful spots, here is my list of the 11 best photography spots on the Fleurieu Peninsula!

1. HMAS Hobart Memorial Lookout

The HMAS Hobart lookout is one of the first locations to stop at on the drive from Adelaide. The road is lined with norfolk pines and the beach is simply beautiful. The navy boat HMAS Hobart was purposefully sunk offshore, or ‘scuttled’, to create a marine reserve – a great place for diving!

2. Second Valley

This is the premiere location of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It embodies all the natural features of the region into a series of breathtaking undulating headlands. From Second Valley beach there’s a hike with amazing views of the ocean. Down at the beach there are also interesting rock formations, and near the carpark is a small jetty worth checking out. I can safely say that this was my favourite part of the South Australia roadtrip! Check out my post about Second Valley.

3. Rapid Bay

Right next to Second Valley is the expanse of Rapid Bay. The stony coloured beach is framed by steep cliffs on either side. To the north is a series of sea caves and in the hills are some federation cottages. I was shocked at how many different features there are to photograph – it’s a very diverse spot. Check out my post about what to do in Rapid Bay.

4. Cape Jervis

This town is the gateway to Kangaroo Island. Most people come here to take the ferry, but it has some things worth checking out too. The Cape Jervis lighthouse is a highlight, standing proud and tall over the Southern Ocean. It has an interesting design that mirrors another in South Australia – Cape Robe Lighthouse.

5. Starfish Hill Wind Farm

This windfarm has a total of 22 turbines on two hills. It’s quite an experience to see them up close – they are HUGE in person, and the blades move disconcertingly quickly. The farm provides electricity for 18,000 households, which amounts to 2% of South Australian residents. The dirt road access is located on Yoho Road, near Cape Jervis.

6. Ingalalla Falls

This is the only location on the list away from the coastline. Access is by a dirt road and a short five minute walk from the carpark. I would recommend going during or right after rainfall, otherwise there may be a disappointing amount of water. South Australia is the driest state in Australia after all!

7. Deep Creek Conservation Park

This is one of the most popular camping areas in the region. There are plenty of coastal trails to hike, one of which is connected to the famous Heysen Trail. There’s also something alien to be found hidden along the trails, a Futuro House! It’s a rare type of prefabricated pod home from the 60s. I wish I could live in one! The dramatic coastline here has undulating hills and steep cliffs, so I recommend it for flying drones.

8. Heysen Trail

This 60 day hike covers 1200km from Cape Jervis to the Flinders Rangers in the outback. Here in the Fleurieu Peninsula the track goes along the eastern coast, offering plenty of photogenic coastal outlooks. At the moment I don’t have two months to spare for a hike, but I think it’s a tempting adventure I’ll be saving for later in life. For now though it’s possible to visit short stretches of the hike.

9. Petrel Cove

This rocky headland has a deadly secret. The beach may look nice but it’s actually incredibly dangerous. Multiple people have drowned in the past few years because of hidden rips. There are some interesting rock formations and the view from the top of the headland is great. I didn’t see any petrels which was disappointing but overall it’s worth a quick pit stop. Just don’t go swimming.

Wildlife

We saw plenty of wildlife, especially birds. Birds of prey and other seabirds can be found along the coast. Dolphins, whales, wallabies and kangaroos will also make appearances if you’re lucky! I would recommend bringing a wildlife telephoto lens if you have one.

Be careful of snakes while hiking – I saw one (and quickly fled the scene!).

Getting Here and Accommodation

The Fleurieu Peninsula is only 1.5-2 hours drive from Adelaide. All the locations here are less than 45min from each other. I would recommend spending at least 3 days to explore everything here. I actually drove from Sydney in my new Suzuki Swift – it’s 15 hours, 1500km drive one way…

We stayed at the Cape Jervis. Use this link to find accommodation in the area.

Bonus Locations

Some other places I didn’t get time to visit this trip were Sellicks Beach, Southport Beach and Port Willunga. If you visit them please let me know!

All Locations on Google Maps