The RDAEP region encompasses 235,000km² of land in the Far West of South Australia; comprising about 23% of the State.

This vast and unspoilt sector of South Australia is bound by Spencer Gulf in the east and has about 2,000 kilometres of coastline to the Western Australian border.

Eyre Peninsula is triangular in shape, bound at its corners by the larger population centres of Whyalla, Port Lincoln and Ceduna.

The region has eleven Local Government Authorities (LGAs) which are:

The region includes remote unincorporated areas serviced by the Outback Communities Authority, and the Maralinga Tjarutja Lands and Yalata Aboriginal Reserve.

Strategic Partners

The Outback Communities Authority, Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association and Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board are key RDAEP partners in planning the development of the region.

In 2021, the region had a population of 58,872  people, or about 3.5% of the South Australian population. Most of the population (62% or 35,656 people) live in the regional cities of Whyalla and Port Lincoln.

The region is very productive, generating Gross Regional Product in 2021 of $3.45 billion. The region produces 82% of South Australia’s seafood; 45% of the State’s iron and steel manufacturing; 40% of the State’s wheat crop; and 24% of SA’s barley crop.

The regional economy is extremely diverse, however the industry composition is changing. Based on employment generation, the main industries in 2021 were Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Construction, Education and Training, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Mining.  Tourism and Mining are the region’s fastest emerging industries and have significant potential for future growth.

Diversity is one of the region’s greatest attributes and underpins its comparative advantage and competitiveness. Industrial diversity is important for economic growth and sustainability because it gives the region resilience through not being reliant on a single industry or single product for its prosperity.

In recent years, quality product has emerged as a distinctive regional attribute. The Board has consequently adopted ‘Quality’ as the vision for the region.

The region has high quality mineral resources in magnetite, graphite, kaolin and zircon. The future development of these resources is important for pursuing a sustainable economy and the creation of employment opportunities.

For further information about our region, go to profile.id.com.au/rda-eyre-peninsula