Unofficial guide · verify with Parks SA

Lincoln National ParkUnofficial operator’s manual

Taylor’s Landing & east coast

Guide updated · verify Parks SA

Eastern Jussieu Peninsula: boat ramp, allocated campsites, secluded beaches and Investigator Trail junctions toward Pillie and MacLaren Point.

  • Best for: Boating/fishing parties who checked Thorny Passage sanctuary rules, east-coast camping, Investigator sections
  • Time: Half to full day, or overnight at Taylor’s Landing
  • Sealed-road access to Taylor’s Landing campground from the main park roads. 4WD continues to MacLaren Point and Carcase Rock. Last town: Port Lincoln.

Verify conditions on Parks SA → · Park alerts

Sheltered cove with clear water and a yacht, Lincoln National Park near Port Lincoln

Taylor’s Landing & east coast — Sheltered cove

Ghoongta · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

East coast logistics

Taylor’s Landing is the park boat ramp. Parks SA: launch here or use Port Lincoln ramps if you go offshore. Campground has five allocated sites, toilets, non-potable water and picnic facilities. Book before arrival.

This is the east coast of the Jussieu Peninsula — secluded beaches and Investigator Trail junctions — not the Sleaford dune face and not Memory Cove’s locked gate.

A honest overnight is a booked Taylor’s site plus a sealed-road walk or a boat plan you actually packed water for. Do not add MacLaren 4WD and a 10-hour Investigator section because the ramp looked quiet.

Investigator sections that meet here

Official Parks SA trek: Cape Donington to Pillie Lake / Taylor’s Landing — 30.7 km / 10 hours. Checkpoints 15–20, 3, 2. That is a trek. Water is not guaranteed.

MacLaren Point to Taylor’s Landing: 8.5 km / 3 hours. Spectacular coastal views from cliff tops to a secluded beach near Taylor’s. 4WD start at MacLaren.

Taylor’s Landing to Pillie Lake: 12 km / 4 hours inland mallee. Third-party “full circuit 80–90 km” figures are not Parks SA — do not quote them as official.

Five sites, sealed road

Parks SA lists Taylor’s Landing as suitable for caravans, camper vans, camper trailers and tents. Five allocated sites. Generators 9am–9pm where permitted. Wood collection banned. Fire danger season rules apply.

Nearby Carcase Rock and MacLaren Point North are 4WD, fewer or no toilets, self-contained. Do not treat those as overflow for a sedan.

Fishing and the marine park

Excellent fishing spots exist around the park, but Thorny Passage Marine Park borders Lincoln and Memory Cove. The Sleaford Bay Sanctuary Zone (between Wreck Beach and Wanna Lookout) allows shore-based recreational fishing only; other fishing is prohibited.

Taylor’s Landing is on the east coast, not inside that named south-coast sanctuary — still check the marine-park map before you drop a line. PIRSA runs recreational fishing rules. We do not publish bag limits. Tides and crumbling cliffs still apply.

Water, rips, signal

Non-potable camp water is not drinking water. Fill in Port Lincoln. Strong currents and rips can make swimming dangerous. Stay off slippery rocks.

Coverage can be patchy. 000 needs reception. Emergency+ and Avenza. A PLB is a realistic note for Investigator sections, not a park requirement.

Highlights at a glance

  • Boat ramp at Taylor’s Landing
  • Campground: toilets, non-potable water, picnic facilities, five allocated sites
  • Investigator Trail — Cape Donington to Pillie/Taylor’s 30.7 km / 10 hr (official section)
  • MacLaren Point to Taylor’s Landing 8.5 km / 3 hr (4WD start at MacLaren)

Practical tips

  • Book Taylor’s Landing early in peak holidays — five allocated sites.
  • Carry drinking water and a tide table if you boat or beach-walk.
  • 4WD only beyond sealed campgrounds toward MacLaren / Carcase Rock.
  • Check Thorny Passage sanctuary maps before fishing.
  • Do not quote unofficial Investigator full-circuit kilometres as Parks SA.
  • Pay vehicle entry before you arrive. Camping is a separate booking.

Facilities & services

  • Boat ramp
  • Toilets
  • Non-potable water (not drinking water)
  • Picnic facilities
  • Five allocated campsites (book Parks SA)

Confirm toilets, parking and open facilities on the day via official sources and on-site signage.

Walks nearby

Grades, times and open/closed status change — open each guide and verify on Parks SA before you go.

Investigator Trail

hard

Long-distance network named for HMS Investigator / Flinders 1802. Parks SA publishes three treks: Cape Donington–Pillie/Taylor’s 30.7 km / 10 hr; park entrance–Cape Donington 36 km / 12 hr; Pillie–entrance via Sleaford Mere 26.3 km / 9 hr. Full-circuit 80–90 km figures are third-party — do not treat them as official.

Grade
Long-distance sections · treks
Time
10 hr · 12 hr · 9 hr for the three published treks
Distance
Official sections: 30.7 km · 36 km · 26.3 km (not an official full-circuit figure)

View guide →

Donington Loop

moderate

Parks SA: explore Donington Peninsula — offshore islands, granite outcrops and sandy beaches. Populations of Australian sea-lions and long-nosed fur-seals inhabit Donington Island near the lighthouse. Start at the lighthouse (checkpoint 15) or September Beach campground (checkpoint 16).

Grade
Moderate hike · 2 hr
Time
~2 hr
Distance
6.2 km

View guide →

All trails

Itineraries that use this area

Clear granite-edged water and sheoaks on the Lincoln National Park coast, South Australia

Full day from Port Lincoln

Full-day Cape Donington

Donington Loop (6.2 km / ~2 hr) plus September Beach time. Optional 1 km lighthouse–beach link. Vehicle entry paid. Camping only if you booked September Beach.

Sand, limestone cliffs and Southern Ocean at Wanna, Lincoln National Park South Australia

Overnight in-park + 4WD dune day

Overnight camp and dune coast

Book a campground on parks.sa.gov.au (September, Surfleet, Taylor’s Landing, or a listed 4WD site). Next day: Sleaford–Wanna red-marker track and/or lookouts. Western Sleaford entrance blocked (snapshot 13 Sep 2026) — main entrance only.

Map

Orientation only — confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.

Interactive map — pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads and road status before you drive.

Open in Google MapsGet directions

FAQ — Taylor’s Landing

Tap a question to expand the answer.

Is Taylor’s Landing 4WD-only?

The campground is listed with sealed-road access suitable for caravans, camper vans, camper trailers and tents. Nearby MacLaren Point and Carcase Rock campgrounds are 4WD. VERIFY live.

Can I fish from the boat ramp in a sanctuary zone?

Taylor’s Landing is on the east coast; the named Sleaford Bay Sanctuary Zone is on the southern ocean side (Wreck Beach to Wanna Lookout). Still check the marine-park map before you drop a line. Official: environment.sa.gov.au Thorny Passage.

How long is the Investigator section from Donington to Taylor’s?

Parks SA: Cape Donington to Pillie Lake / Taylor’s Landing — 30.7 km, about 10 hours. A trek. Not a family beach hour. Water not guaranteed.

Is there drinking water?

Parks SA: no drinking water supplied in the park. Taylor’s lists non-potable water. Fill in Port Lincoln.

Explore next

Pick the next park face — do not stack Memory Cove, Wanna dunes and Stamford Hill because the first hour felt easy.

Stays & tours near Taylor’s Landing

Optional next steps after you plan this area. Kit searches live on the gear hub. Park fees and official Parks SA bookings are never affiliated.

Nearby stays

Port Lincoln · Coffin Bay · Tumby Bay

All Booking.com links open in a new tab and may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Official Parks SA camping and Memory Cove bookings are never affiliated.

Guided tours

Optional — useful for Port Lincoln / Eyre Peninsula logistics, not a substitute for Parks SA rules

A tour does not replace checking Parks SA alerts, CFS fire ratings, or your own reverse clock.

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