Cowell and Lucky Bay are neighbouring towns on the Eyre Peninsula.
Cowell is a small coastal town on Lake Franklin, which is a sea lake off the Spencer Gulf. The town is about 100km south by road from Whyalla.
Nearby Lucky Bay, which is the western terminus for the Sea SA ferry service across the Spencer Gulf. Apart from the ferry terminus, there are only beach houses and beach in Lucky Bay. The ferry service landing there operates the 60 km (32 nm) to Wallaroo on nearby Yorke Peninsula. The nearest facilities are in Cowell around 15 km away, there is not even so much as a general store in Lucky Bay.
Like many of the Spencer Gulf towns, the Cowell area was first sighted by Matthew Flinders, but Flinders didn't enter Lake Franklin, possibly believing it to be a lagoon cut off from the gulf.
Cowell is on the Lincoln Highway, the main route to Port Lincoln. Lucky Bay is a 15 km diversion off the highway on a quality road totally disproportionate to the size of the town, constructed to be a main highway when the ferry is running.
The Premier Stateliner daily service between Port Lincoln and Adelaide via Port Augusta and Whyalla stops in the town.
SeaSA operate a 7 day per week service using a newly constructed vehicle and passenger carrying ferry. The Aurora runs between Wallaroo and Lucky Bay. It is an approximately 2 hr trip (depending on conditions) of 60 km (32 nm) one way.
The Aurora V is a 56 m newly constructed vessel. It carries a maximum of 80 cars (or equivalent in trucks, buses, trailers, caravans, motorbikes) and a maximum of 300 passengers.
Passengers may travel with their vehicles or as walk on passengers. The operators only allow one item of luggage per passenger unless contained in a vehicle. Published charges for carrying in excess of 1 baggage item (not contained within an accompanying vehicle) are $60 per item. Bookings are available online.
- Lucky Bay has a long beach with white sand and sea grass. There is no particular point any more suited to swimming than any other. The calm waters are suited to kayaking and boating also.
- Cowell has a tidal pool for swimming, just in from the harbor and pier, with a central swimming pontoon. You can also swim in the harbor, just over the sandbar. Perhaps not as nice a swimming location as some of its coastal neighbours, and like other tidal pools it is probably best at high tide (being a bit muddy at the low tide).
Couple of coffee shop/take-away stores in the main street.
In Cowell:
In Lucky Bay you will be looking for beach house rental. Check the usual rental house web sites, or check with local real estate agents.
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