Vivonne Bay: Dunes, Beach and Coastal Experiences

Vivonne Bay combines impressive landscapes with a wide range of ways to spend your holiday: Little Sahara is a naturally formed dune field, Vivonne Bay Beach stretches along a long, curving shoreline, and Point Ellen shows the coast at its rocky best. There are also guided tours and regional food. If you are considering Vivonne Bay as a travel destination, you will find both peaceful moments on the beach and opportunities for active exploration here.

Dune landscape and distinctive natural heritage

Little Sahara is an inland dune field covering about 2.5 square kilometres. It lies approximately four kilometres from the coast; its highest dune reaches 70 metres above sea level. These measurements convey the scale of the landscape, while making clear that Little Sahara should not be confused with a coastal beach. If you are interested in dunes, you can make this distinctive type of landscape a focus of your stay.

The site’s designation as natural heritage is also part of its history: in 1979, Little Sahara was classified as a “Significant Australian Heritage Geological Monument”. A visit can therefore be appreciated not only as a landscape experience, but also as an opportunity to learn about geological features. The dunes and the beach represent different sides of Vivonne Bay: the inland dune field here, the open coastal landscape there.

Vivonne Bay Beach: plenty of beach and gentle waves

Vivonne Bay Beach is a six-kilometre-long, U-shaped beach with white sandy shores. The waves break gently, making the water suitable for wading up to hip depth. These specific features help you picture the beach experience: an extensive sandy coastline and water that invites you to wade.

You can picnic, sunbathe, fish and surf at the beach. This means Vivonne Bay Beach offers more than one way to spend time by the water. You can include the beach in your travel plans as a place to take a break outdoors or go fishing; surfing is also among the activities on offer. Vivonne Bay Campground is within walking distance of the long, curving sandy beach.

Point Ellen and the rocky coast

Point Ellen forms the western headland of Vivonne Bay. From there, you can look out over the Southern Ocean, where waves crash against the cliffs. The coastal scenery is different from the beach’s sandy shore: cliffs and surf shape the view from this headland.

Point Ellen also has hidden rock pools with clear, turquoise water that invites you to swim. If you would like to experience different coastal scenery during your stay, you can explore this spot as something distinct from the long sandy beach. The rock pools offer another kind of waterscape, separate from the waves of the open beach.

Guided tours and activities

Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action offers sandboards, toboggans, and single and double kayaks for hire in Vivonne Bay. From its base in Vivonne Bay, the operator also runs guided quad bike or ATV tours and fat bike tours. When choosing your travel experiences, it is useful to distinguish between equipment hire and guided tours: you can consider the activities on offer and choose those that suit your interests.

A sunset safari tour with Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action visits Vivonne Bay and includes guaranteed close-up encounters with kangaroos. If you are particularly interested in wildlife encounters, you can consider this tour as a distinct part of your trip. It complements the scenery with a guided experience.

Local food as part of your stay

Vivonne Bay General Store and Bottle Shop serves the KI Whiting Burger, as well as other food and coffee, in its dining areas. More food and coffee are also available.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house in Vivonne Bay, first consider which aspect of the destination matters most to you: long sandy beaches, dune landscapes, rocky coastline or guided activities. This can help you decide whether Vivonne Bay suits the kind of holiday you are planning.

Discover more places

You can also discover these places: Muston, Parndana, Wisanger, Pelican Lagoon, Stokes Bay, Cygnet River, Emu Bay, D'Estrees Bay.

For the broader travel overview: Kangaroo Island Council.