5 SA spots to catch a stunning sunset
From the coast to the Flinders Ranges, the countryside to the outback, there are plenty of places around South Australia where you can celebrate the end of the day with a colourful sunset. Here are 5 of our favourite spots to watch the setting sun.
Mt Schank
Limestone Coast
It may look like a nondescript hill poking up from the fields just south of Mt Gambier, but Mt Schank is one of SA’s most remarkable natural features.
Walk to the top and find yourself on the rim of a volcanic crater, its scorched interior telling the tale of a fiery past. Erupting around 5000 years ago (one of Australia’s most recent volcanic eruptions), this dramatic event is recorded in the stories of the local Buandig people.
As the sun sets, turn to the west to see the surrounding farmlands and woodlands glow in greens and golds. Such a serene spectacle makes it hard to imagine the destructive mayhem that occurred here only a few thousand years ago.
Although there are steps and a trail leading to the crater rim, the sides of Mt Schank are fairly steep and there’s no lighting, so it’s best to carry a torch if you’re heading back down in the post-sunset gloom.
If you want to make a night (or two) of your stay, there are plenty of Limestone Coast accommodation options.
Balgowan
Yorke Peninsula
The tiny settlement of Balgowan is home to an impressive wall of coastal cliffs. Their vibrant orange colour becomes even more vivid in the setting sun, so the best place to enjoy the show is on the sandy beachfront.
Grab a picnic blanket, a glass of your favourite drop and a plate of SA delicacies, and bid the day farewell in this delightful coastal setting.
If you’re keen to spend the night, book a camping/caravan site at the cliff-top caravan park.
Kanku-Breakaways
Outback SA
Just over 30 kilometres from Coober Pedy is one of SA’s most stunning outback landscapes.
The ancient mesas of the Kanku-Breakaways are gradually being eroded, spilling a rich palette of ochre colours onto the desert floor. Even without a magical outback sunset, this is a fascinating place to visit, but when the sun lowers towards the horizon, the colours really pop.
The main access is north via the Stuart Hwy, followed by 11km of unsealed road. The site is on the land of the Antakirinja Matuntjara Yankunytjatjara people and you’ll need a permit to visit – which you can get from either the Coober Pedy Visitor Information Centre or Underground Books.
For more information visit Parks SA and, if you’re in for an overnighter, RAA members save at Coober Pedy’s Desert Cave Hotel.
Anywhere along the metro coastline
Adelaide’s coastline faces west, so unlike our eastern states’ compatriots, city folk are able to watch the sun set over the sea – after a day at the office.
Plop yourself down on the sands of Semaphore Beach, stroll out to the end of Grange Jetty, enjoy a picnic on the lawns of Glenelg’s Jimmy Melrose Park, or take it all in from a seaside bench-seat at Somerton Park.
Of course, it’s best to organise a smattering of clouds for the full dazzle.
Rawnsley Park Station/Accommodation and caravan park
Flinders Ranges
Rawnsley Park sits just south of what is arguably the most iconic attraction in the Flinders Ranges – Wilpena Pound.
The towering bluffs of the pound’s southern wall provide a dramatic backdrop, and Rawnsley Park’s guests are often treated to spectacular sunsets. Dawn or dusk, the sun’s rays enrich the earthen colours of the cliffs, and if the clouds are just right, you’re in for quite a show.
Check out the various Flinders Ranges accommodation options on offer.
