Wallaroo is a coastal town on the western side of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia and is a popular tourist destination. Along with Kadina and Moonta, Wallaroo forms the Copper Coast, formerly known as the Copper Triangle.

Understand

The name Wallaroo comes the Aboriginal word 'Wadlu Waru' meaning wallaby urine. The early settlers tried to copy the aboriginals by calling it Walla Waroo, however they found this too big to stamp on the wool bales, so they shortened it to Wallaroo.

Wallaroo has a deep sea port, at which the Viterra grain terminal is located and ships dock to fill up with grain. When there's no ship in port, the jetty is a favourite location for fishing.

Wallaroo is also home to the Spencer Gulf Prawn fleet, and has a multi-million dollar marina - Copper Cove Marina.

• Copper Coast Visitor Information Centre, Kadina (The Farm Shed Museum & Tourism Centre), 50 Moonta Road, Kadina, SA 5554, toll-free: 1800 654 991, fax: +61 8 8821 4633, thefarmshed@coppercoast.sa.gov.au. M-F 9AM - 5PM; Sa & Su 10AM - 4PM. 

Get in

By ferry

Sea SA Car & Passenger Ferries has temporarily suspended all services between Wallaroo on the Yorke Peninsula and Lucky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula while a new ferry is constructed. Sea SA plans to resume daily services in early 2011, on the arrival of the new ferry Aurora.

• Sea SA Car & Passenger Ferries, admin@seasa.com.au. Crossing the Spencer Gulf in just over 2 hours between Wallaroo on the Yorke Peninsula and Lucky Bay (near Cowell) on the Eyre Peninsula. Services scheduled to commence in 2011. The 56 m Aurora ferry will carry 85 cars and 300 passengers. 

Do

Wallaroo is a popular fishing destination, with many fishing charter tour operators using it as a base.

Eat

• Coopers Alehouse at Wallaroo (Wallaroo Marina Hotel), 11 Heritage Drive, Wallaroo (On the southern side of the marina complex), ☏ +61 8 8823 2488, wallaroomarinahotel@bigpond.com. The hotel and the two adjacent five story accommodation towers are part of the Copper Cove Marina development. Panoramic vistas of the marina, North Beach and Spencer Gulf. 

Sleep

Budget

• Cornucopia Hotel, 49 Owen Tce, Wallaroo, ☏ +61 8 8823 3457, cornucopia@eftel.net.au. Newly furnished accommodation, with single rooms, twin rooms, double rooms with queen sized beds and family rooms that sleep up to 6 people. 3 bedroom house available. Caters for bus groups, family and social groups and independent travellers. 

Contact

Cellular (mobile) telephone network reception may not be available in many areas especially those distant from cellular network repeater towers normally located along the major highways and near larger townships. Hilly terrain will also effect reception. In an emergency seek higher ground. Some networks provide a poor coverage in regional and rural areas. It is generally considered that the best reception is available from either Telstra or Optus when in areas such as Yorke Peninsula.

For emergency services including police, fire services and ambulance call 000 from any telephone and ask the operator to connect you. Such calls are placed without charge to the calling party.