Things to do in Port Vincent

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Posted 2016-01-03 by Karen Ross ⇒ follow

I knew nothing about Port Vincent when I was invited there a little while ago, but I love an opportunity to walk and eat in a new place so I seized the opportunity with glee.

Port Vincent is about 2 hours drive from Adelaide. It's a delightful seaside town on the Yorke Peninsula with a beautiful sheltered bay where you can swim, fish, snorkel, sail or paddle a kayak.

I like to begin a task with the end in sight, so before I started exploring the town I researched somewhere to eat.

The Ventnor Hotel is right on the main street, with splendid views over the bay. Counter meals are served between 12-2pm and 6-8pm every day. The hotel dining room has olden days photos everywhere so I knew I could check them out if I grew tired of looking at the beautiful view while waiting for my meal.

Having planned a nice place to eat, I took myself off to the Information Centre on Marine Parade where I found a brochure about local walking trails. I didn't find the instructions and maps easy to follow but it did give me a starting point for my walk.

The Info Centre people advised me to take drinking water with me as there is none available along the walking paths.

I started the walk near the site of the old wharf. Up until around 1920, steamers and ketches brought mail, passengers, general cargo, grain and livestock from Adelaide to the Port Vincent Wharf twice each week. The old wharf replaced an earlier jetty. You can read a bit of history at the site.

Across the road from the wharf is a nice old cemetery with many stories to tell.

And just past the cemetery the walking trail begins.

I saw the site of an historic well used by the local Narungga people, lots of birds, a lookout and a sign about 'The Erratics', boulders which, apparently, came originally from Victor Harbor across the gulf with the help of a big glacier millions of years ago.

There were yellow posts with 'Walk the Yorke' signs along the path. There were two trails to follow, I took the 'North Walking Trail' and came to a lookout with a view over the little town and further to lovely coastal views.

Near the edge of the cliff, there were steps leading down to the beach. If the tide was out, you could walk most of the way back along the beach. If not, there is a track just above beach level. I walked along the beach.

I walked about 6kms, along asphalt roads, bush, a clifftop and the beach.

Once back in town I knew I could justify indulging in a refreshing beverage and a two-course meal, possibly involving local seafood.

I checked out the kiosk, which has a deck looking out over the beach and an advert for delicious, fresh, King George Whiting in a beer batter. I made a mental note to visit the kiosk at some stage, but his time, I chose to eat at the Ventnor Hotel.

Seafood is abundant in Port Vincent and the Ventnor Hotel has lots of it on the menu along with other tempting choices. Mains start at $22 up to around $30 for an MSA Black Angus Scotch Fillet Steak. You can choose your own salad at the salad bar and wash it all down with a good Aussie red or white wine from one of the local regions, including Currency Creek, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale or Padthaway (prices range from around $23 to just over $40 a bottle). Alternatively you can order beer on tap or a boutique bottle.

I started with a dozen fresh, plump oysters. One of them even had a 'pearl' inside. And then a fillet of King George Whiting, lightly crumbed. I was extremely pleased with my choice. A glass of chilled white wine matched perfectly, so I had another one.

If you go to Port Vincent I recommend staying overnight so that you can have breakfast at Chill Out. Chris makes the very best coffee ever and the food is also excellent. There's a quirky little garden restaurant out the back and a supply of newspapers and recent magazines to browse through while your eggs are cooking.