Cape Spencer was the highlight of our day in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park and, for us, the best coast on the whole Yorke Peninsula. You park at the end of the road, walk out along the headland to the lighthouse, and the cliffs and the sea open up on every side.
What we like
- Cliffs and white water all round
- Wide, easy, accessible path
- Short walk from the car park
- Views of the beach below
What we don’t
- No shade on the headland
- Exposed to the wind
- Park entry fee to get in
About Cape Spencer LighthouseAbout
Cape Spencer is the headland at the south-western tip of the Yorke Peninsula, inside Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park on Nharangga Banggara, Narungga Country. The park calls the lookout Gulawulgawi Ngunda Nhagu. A squat white lighthouse stands at the end with a railed viewing platform around the base, and the path out from the car park is wide, firm and accessible; the park’s board puts it at about 15 minutes each way. There’s nothing extra to pay beyond the park’s $14.40 vehicle entry.
Quick facts
- AddressCape Spencer Lighthouse, Cape Spencer Road, Inneston, SA 5577, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
- Phone receptionPatchy
- FacilitiesParkingLookoutsWalking TrailsNo ToiletsNo Drinking WaterNo Shade
- Good to knowAccessible path, about 15 minPark entry, pay before you go inNo dogs in the park
- FeesIncluded in the $14.40 vehicle entry
- 9.2/10Overall rated
Getting There
From the park gate past Marion Bay, follow the sealed road past Stenhouse Bay and take the road out to Cape Spencer, the last stretch gravel, to the car park at the end. Any car gets there in the dry. Pay the park entry before you come in: the self-registration is card only and the internet is slow.
Out Along the HeadlandHeadland walk
The path leaves the car park past the sign and runs out along the spine of the headland through low coastal heath, wide pale gravel the whole way, with the sea on both sides and the lighthouse ahead. It’s easy walking and there are no steps, but there’s no shade on the headland and the wind comes straight off the ocean, so bring a hat and a layer. At the end, the lighthouse has a railed platform around it where you can stand and look out over the water.
Cliffs on One Side, Surf on the OtherCliffs and surf
This is what you come for. On one side, layered red-brown limestone cliffs drop straight into white water and turquoise swell; on the other, a beach curls round the bay below the cliffs with the surf rolling in. We stopped every few minutes on the way out and back, and it was the best stretch of coast we saw on the peninsula.
Things to Do NearbyThings to do
Cable Bay Campground and Stenhouse Bay Campground are the closest places to stay, and Dolphin Bay, further along the park road, is the calm sandy bay where we swam later the same day. Everything in the park is in our Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park guide.
Summary
A short, easy, accessible walk along a headland to a lighthouse, with limestone cliffs and white water on one side and a surf beach on the other. For us it’s the best view on the Yorke Peninsula, and it’s included in the park entry. Bring a hat and a layer, and give yourself longer than the 15 minutes on the board.
The best view on the Yorke Peninsula for the least effort.
A wide, easy path runs out along the spine of the headland to the lighthouse, with layered limestone cliffs dropping into white water on both sides and a beach curling round the bay below. The board says 15 minutes; give it an hour.
- Families
Yes. It’s included in the $14.40 park entry, it’s a short, easy walk, and the cliffs and the sea from the lighthouse are the best coast on the peninsula.
Recommended Gear for Cape Spencer
There’s no water or shade on the headland, so take a drink: an insulated bottle like the Kathmandu straw-lid bottle or the YETI Rambler 26 oz keeps it cold. Fill up from water containers in the car, since the park has no drinking water, and pack a gas stove like the Dune single burner for a cuppa at the car park afterwards.
