Information updated September 2023
Quick Guide
Location – Located on the northwest coast of Yorke Peninsula, 15 kilometres north of Balgowan.
Cost – $20 per vehicle per night (discounts for longer stays available).
Campsites – Caravans, motorhomes, camper trailers, and tents
Facilities – Pit toilet, beach access, picnic area by the shore.
Comprehensive information is at the bottom of the post.
Our Visit
Dwayne and I decided to spend a week camped by the beach. We were hoping to catch fish, swim, kayak and chill out. The Gap looked like the perfect place. The first couple of days the weather was fine, and we did paddle the kayaks, but the water was still too cold for us to swim in (we have gone a bit soft by spending too much time in the tropics). When the weather became colder and windy, we spent more time just relaxing. We also walked, cooked over the campfire and watched the wildlife.
During the first couple of days, we tried fishing from a kayak for the very first time. I wasn’t comfortable with it at all, but perhaps I was more nervous than I needed to be. I felt that we could tip the kayak very easily. It was windy and choppy, and because the water was cold, I did not relish falling in. It was probably not the best conditions for our maiden voyage, but there were no mishaps. I had a fishing rod set up for garfish and Dwayne’s rod was set for whiting. We also had a crab net and a squid jig on a reel.
We ended up only catching one squid, which was disappointing. However, it did give us a yummy feed of crumbed calamari. As mentioned, the weather changed shortly after that and, although Dwayne tried a couple more times, we didn’t end up catching anything else.
Moonta
We drove into Moonta a few times for ice and groceries. Plus we enjoyed a schnitzel at the Royal Hotel on the one day it rained continually. We walked the Moonta Jetty, and although at the time nothing much was being caught, there was ample evidence of past catch – squid ink coloured the jetty. Moonta is not far from the campground and has almost everything you will need. Fuel stations, ice, supermarket, fishing store, butcher, pharmacy, bars and restaurants etc. (But there is not a laundromat).
Balgowan
The drive to Balgowan from The Gap takes you past a couple of other campgrounds – Bamboos and Tiparra Rocks. It is an off-road, gravel track that is sandy in places. We stopped a few times to walk over the dunes to the beach, where we took in some spectacular views. Apart from a small caravan park and a kiosk, there is not much at Balgowan. However, we did see a little piece of history. There is an interpretive sign explaining the colourful history of the Balgowan Jetty 1881 – 1981.
Enjoy the beach
The rest of the time we spent walking along the coast exploring the rock pools and long sandy stretches of beach. We saw sights such as a small sailing dinghy washed ashore, a dead Port Jackson shark and shark eggs, and colossal seaweed mounds that look like long-dead mammoths. We also went for a drive along the coast .
Walk Yorke Peninsula
This stretch of coastline is part of the ‘Walk the Yorke’ trail. There are more than 500 kilometres of coastal trails for walking and cycling on the Yorke Peninsula. There are 16 walks starting from Port Wakefield; Balgowan to Moonta is the last of them. Click here for more information and here for a map.
More information
Currency – Australian dollar – AUD – written here as $
About The Gap
The Gap campground is situated on the east side of the sand dunes and does provide a little protection from westerly winds. A short walk across the dunes takes you directly onto the beach. We saw many lizards and birds.
Location – On the coast between Balgowan and Moonta. Putting The Gap Yorke Peninsula into Google Maps will direct you there.
Access – Suitable for conventional vehicles
Cost – Permits are $20 per vehicle / per night, or $100 per week (5-7 nights), or $300 per month (28 nights) Rate payers get discounts.
Bookings – You cannot book particular sites, but you must get a permit. Fines of $150 apply if you don’t have a permit. Click here for more information.
Campsites – Campsites are suitable for caravans, motorhomes, camper trailers, and tents. Bush camping only, no powered sites.
Facilities – Pit toilet, beach access and a picnic area near the shore. Limited rainwater.
Dogs – Permitted, but must be under effective control at all times.
Fires – Permitted outside of fire season only. Bring your own firewood. (Gas/fuel stoves preferred).
Water – No, you will need to bring your own water.
Generators – Permitted but discouraged. NEVER use the generator on days of a local fire ban.
Wifi/phone reception – Weak intermittent reception. Telstra was better than Optus.
Things to do – Fish, swim, walk, kayak/canoe, birdwatching.
Things to do nearby – Visit Balgowan and Moonta. Moonta has an interesting history as a copper mining town. Things to do include museums, Splash Town water park, Heritage Trail, and the Old Sweet Shop.
Other information – Balgowan has a small caravan park, Moonta has supermarkets, fuel stations, bars, restaurants, bottle shops, a fishing store, a butcher and more.
Our thoughts
Pros – Slightly protected by the low sand dunes during blows, and easy access to the beach.
Cons – Not much shade (BYO) and no jetty to fish from.
Our verdict – Gorgeous place to explore.
Other types of accommodation?
We typically book our accommodation through booking.com. Indeed, we like the convenience of booking online, and we are usually able to pay for our accommodation on arrival at the hotel/resort or room. Additionally, booking.com advertises many different accommodation styles on the Yorke Peninsula, so you are sure to find the perfect place.
iVisa
iVisa makes getting a visa super easy. You can even get passport and visa photos done!
Photo Credit
Stop 25 at The Gap near Balgowan Geoffrey Rhodes / Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
Moonta Bay Jetty by Chris Fithall / Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
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