Full-Day Self-Drive Tour: Southern Flinders and Spencer Gulf Loop
Start your morning in Port Pirie before heading east to Crystal Brook, a charming rural township known for its peaceful country streets and cafés, perfect for a coffee stop to begin the day. Continue north to Laura, famously home of Golden North Ice Cream. Enjoy a scoop in the town that’s proudly claimed the brand for generations (before it moves to Mt Barker), and explore Laura’s local shops and leafy main street.
From here, drive toward The Bluff Lookout, where sweeping views across the Spencer Gulf and the Southern Flinders Ranges provide one of the region’s most impressive photo moments. Then continue into the extraordinary, shaded landscape of Wirrabara Forest, once home to Australia’s first pine forest nursery. It’s an ideal stop for a relaxed picnic among tall gums and birdlife.
After lunch, choose your route west:
Port Germein Gorge – a spectacular, twisting passage carved through rugged range country, perfect for a scenic and accessible drive.
Bridle Track – for 4WD travellers only, offering more adventurous terrain across the Southern Flinders.
Both routes lead you to the coastal township of Port Germein, home to South Australia’s longest jetty. Take a stroll along the timber boards stretching far into the Gulf. Best in the late afternoon light.
Return to Port Pirie via the coastal road, completing a full day of exploration that blends small-town charm, forest landscapes, rugged gorges, and expansive sea views. A quintessential Southern Flinders road trip. Head back to your elegantly furnished serviced apartment at Thirty Nine Alexander, Port Pirie. Rest and get ready for tomorrow's adventure.