The city of Port Lincoln was originally inhabited by the Parnkalla group of people before the white settlers came in. the first European settler was Matthew Flinders who arrived on the harbour in 1802. He named the harbour as Port Lincoln based on his native spot, Lincolnshire in England. The city was initially considered as an alternative site for State Capital but the lack of water was a major drawback. In March 1839, the first settlers arrived on the harbour. Gradually the Port Lincoln city started growing as more farmers settled around the Eyre Peninsula and this ensured the growth of the region.
Port Lincoln enjoys a Mediterranean type of climate and is slightly warmer than Adelaide during winter and cooler in summer months. During the summer months of December to February the average temperatures range up to 25�C and in winters the temperatures range up to 16�C or lesser. The maximum amount of rainfall of about 50 to 70mm occurs in the winter months and in spring.
The Port Lincoln city has a vibrating cultural life which is depicted in the cultural festivals of the city. Every year the Port Lincoln city organises The Tunarama Festival which marks the beginning of the fishing season. Another popular festival of Port Lincoln is The Mediterraneo Festival which celebrates the similarity of this region with the Mediterranean and the surrounding nations. These festivals are major crowd-pullers which are gradually gaining worldwide popularity.
Port Lincoln is an attractive tourist destination site and also a major stop-over place for most of them. There are many scenic beaches in Port Lincoln and whales are quite common on the coastline areas. A whole variety of native plants can be found on the land. Some of the popular sites nearby Port Lincoln include:
- Port Lincoln Court House
- Rose-wall Memorial Shell Museum
- Mill Cottage Museum
- Railway Museum
- Axel Stenross Maritime Museum
- Boston Bay Wines
- Old Mill Lookout
- Glen Forest Animal and Tourist Park
- Memory Cove
- Mikkira Station
- Koppio Smithys Museum
- Roseview Emu Farm and Rose Gardens
Port Lincoln offers every kind of accommodation option be it hotels, backpackers, motels, apartments, cabins and caravans. Few of the popular accommodations of Port Lincoln include:
- First Landing Motel
- Hotel Boston
- Great Northern Hotel
- Pier Hotel
- Port Lincoln Cabin Park