Whyalla - Whyalla visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Whyalla' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from South Australia.

Whyalla is the second largest city in South Australia and the regional centre on the Eyre Peninsula. The city is on the north-western shores the Spencer Gulf about 50km away by sea from Port Pirie on the other side of the gulf. The town was founded by Matthew Flinders in 1802, who then named it Hummock Hill after the small hill it sits on. In 1901 iron ore was discovered in nearby Iron Knob and the settlement began to grow. Whyalla rapidly outgrew the local water supply, and water was brought across from Port Pirie by barges. In 1914 the town was officially incorporated and at that time renamed from Hammock Hill to Whyalla

Prior to European settlement aboriginal tribes have lived in the area for approximately 40,000 years. The area was visited by semi nomadic tribes of Malkaripangala people, a subdivision of Barngarla aboriginal group culturally linked to the Lake Eyre and Lake Torrens tribes.

Whyalla Tourist Attractions

Whyalla claims over 300 days of sunshine each year. The town is set on a vast coastline with spectacular outback landscapes and stunning scenic views, rich in culture and heritage. Many of the attractions reflect the natural environment, with fishing, swimming, beach activities, water sports, sailing and boating being high on the list. Among the top attractions in the region are:

• Whyalla Marina and Foreshore - newly developed with beaches, restaurants and parks.
• Wilson Park - park with free, sheltered BBQ areas and views over the OneSteel Whyalla Steelworks and the more distant Port Bonython and Point Lowly areas.
• Maritime Museum and HMAS Whyalla - established in 1988, the museum 'collects, researches, preserves and exhibits artifacts on World War Two Naval History, BHP Shipbuilding, Early Maritime Heritage, Natural History of Northern Spencer Gulf and Aboriginal History'. It contains the HMAS Whyalla, constructed in 1941.
• Flinders and Freycinet Lookout - offers stunning views of the coastline, previously the lookout was a memorial to Matthew Flinders (1774-1814), Commander of HM Sloop Investigator, who surveyed and named Spencer Gulf.
• OneSteel Tour - tour of the steel works in Whyalla, please contact the Whyalla Visitor Center for further information.
• Whyalla Wetlands - conservation area set around artificial lakes attracting unusual bird life. Contains walks, BBQ areas, water recreation.
• Ada Ryan Gardens - most popular park in Whyalla, built on former cemetery, with well shaded lawns, gardens, kangaroos and various birdlife.
• Whyalla Conservation Park - 2020 hectare park 10km north of Whyalla, containing Wild Dog Hill, known for Aboriginal history and importance in the Dreaming stories of at least one group of people.
• Mt Laura Homestead Museum - contains exhibits about the early development of Whyalla, now managed by the National Trust.
• Iron Knob Mine Tour - tours round the Iron Duke mine some 76km from Whyalla.
• Murray Cod Tour - tour of a fully operational inland Freshwater Aquaculture venture in an educational setting.

Whyalla Tourist Information Office
PO Box 126, Whyalla, SA, 5600
Phone: +61 (08) 8645 7900
Toll Free: 1800 088 589
Fax: +61 (08) 8645 3620
Email: visitor.centre@whyalla.sa.gov.au
Web: www.whyalla.com

Car: Whyalla is 75km from Port Augusta (B100) and 380km from Adelaide (A1 and B100). It is 100km north of Cowell and 265km north of Port Lincoln (B100).