Murphy’s Haystacks & Talia Caves: Stone, Sea and Quiet Camps
Murphy’s Haystacks delivered everything we love about travelling off the main road: a quiet camp, dramatic scenery, and a little local flavour to top it all off.
We pulled into the small donation camp beside the granite outcrops and, to our surprise, found the whole place completely empty. No vans humming, no neighbours settling in, just us, the haystacks, and the slow burn of sunset across the paddocks. It felt like we’d landed in the middle of an ancient gathering, the boulders rising from the farmland like a group of silent giants waiting out the centuries.
We wandered between them as the light softened, their rounded shapes glowing warm gold before sinking into deeper shades of copper. Inselbergs like these form over millions of years, long after the softer rock around them has eroded away, and standing beside them, you can feel that age. Their pitted surfaces and curved edges look sculpted, almost deliberate, as if nature took its time with each contour. With no one else around, we could take it all in without rushing — just us and the strange beauty of stones that have seen far more than we ever will.
The next morning, we toasted thick slices of bread and slathered them with Haystack honey from the little honesty stall in the camp.
Not far down the road sits Talia Caves, and they’re a different kind of show altogether. Woolshed Cave sits just above the crashing waves, its sweeping, wave-like ceiling carved by wind and sea over countless seasons. Inside, the light shifts constantly, bouncing off the honey-coloured rock in soft, striped patterns. Step outside, and the coastline opens up, rockpools scattered across the flat shelf, each one holding tiny sea creatures going about their day. The ocean here doesn’t muck around, and it’s easy to spend an hour wandering, watching the water surge and settle.
Seeing the haystacks at sunrise and the caves under a bright sky made the whole area feel layered. Ancient inland stone paired with raw, coastal power. Two very different places, tied together by the way they stop you in your tracks.
If you’re travelling across the Eyre Peninsula, this corner is worth slowing down for—quiet, strange, sculptural, and just a touch wild.
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Murphy’s Haystacks & Talia Caves
Two striking natural landmarks on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula: ancient granite inselbergs rising from open farmland, and dramatic coastal caves carved by the Southern Ocean. Both are easy stops that offer plenty of wow with very little effort.
How to Get There
Murphy’s Haystacks sits about 40 km south of Streaky Bay, just off Flinders Highway. Talia Caves are a short drive further south along the same route. All access is on sealed roads until the final short gravel sections.
What to See, Tours and Activities
What we did:
Stayed at the Murphy’s Haystacks donation camp.
Explored the granite inselbergs at sunset and sunrise.
Sampled Haystack honey from the honesty stall.
Visited Woolshed Cave and the surrounding Talia coastline.
Wandered the rock platforms and tidal pools.
Other highlights nearby:
The Tub — a large crater-like formation near Talia Caves.
Streaky Bay township and jetty.
Point Labatt for sea lion viewing.
Smooth Pool swimming and rockpools (seasonal conditions).
Elliston coastal clifftops.
When to Visit
Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures and calmer winds. Summer brings bright, clear skies but harsher heat along the open coast. Winter can be dramatic, with big swells at the caves and moody sunsets over the haystacks.
Final Thoughts
Murphy’s Haystacks and Talia Caves sit within half an hour of each other, yet they feel worlds apart. One shaped by inland weather over millions of years, the other carved daily by the ocean. Together, they make this stretch of the Eyre Peninsula something special.
What’s Nearby
From here, the road leads north to Streaky Bay or south toward Elliston and the long sweep of the west coast. Plenty of viewpoints, clifftops, and small towns lie between. Definitely a region made for slow travel.
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Fast Facts
Location: Eyre Peninsula, SA
Distance: 40 km south of Streaky Bay
Traditional Owners: Wirangu, Nauo and Kokatha Peoples
Access: Sealed highway with short gravel access roads
Facilities: Donation camp at Murphy’s Haystacks, basic parking areas at Talia Caves
Walking Track: Short walks around the haystacks and cave access paths
Dog Friendly: Allowed at Murphy’s Haystacks; not recommended on exposed coastal platforms
Best Time to Visit: Spring–autumn for stable weather
Things That Could Kill You (Probably Won’t)
A semi-serious guide to surviving Australia. Mostly common sense, occasionally luck.
Sneaky Waves: The Southern Ocean doesn’t do gentle.
Granite Surface: Excellent grip for boots, terrible for bare toes.
Honey Addiction: One taste of the Haystack honesty-stall honey and you’ll wish you brought a bucket.
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