Mallee Drift - exhale and relax

Welcome to Mallee Drift, a relaxed three-bedroom beach shack just two hours from Adelaide, five minutes from Ardrossan, and only 50 metres from the beach. It’s the perfect spot to slow down, breathe in the sea air, and enjoy the simple pleasures of the coast.

Out the front you’ll find a large deck, ideal for morning coffees, long lunches, or evening drinks while the sun goes down. Inside, the comfortable lounge room is a great place to kick back after a day at the beach, while the spacious enclosed back deck area gives families plenty of room to spread out, play, and relax. Whether you're travelling with one family or two, there’s plenty of space for everyone to settle in and feel at home.
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Mallee Drift itself is a classic 1960s beach shack, full of the easygoing charm that makes Yorke Peninsula holidays so special. Located in the peaceful coastal settlement of James Well, it offers the kind of laid-back atmosphere that’s getting harder to find these days.

The shack was recently purchased by Ryan and Amanda, who have lovingly refreshed it with a splash of paint, plenty of elbow grease, and a whole lot of care. Their goal was simple: keep the relaxed character of a traditional beach shack while making it comfortable and welcoming for guests.

One of the first things you’ll notice when you arrive at James Well is the quiet. Even though there are plenty of permanent residents around, everyone values the peaceful pace of life here. It’s the sort of place where mornings are slow, afternoons stretch out, and evenings are filled with the sound of the ocean rather than traffic. We’re sure you’ll come to appreciate that same sense of calm during your stay.

Mallee Drift has 3 bedrooms and can sleep up to 9 people;
Bedroom 1 has a double sized bed,
Bedroom 2 has two twin singles, and
Bedroom 3 has a single bunk as well as a single/double bunk.

​All linen and bath towels are provided but please bring beach towels with you.
All bedrooms have ceiling fans and there is air conditioning in the lounge room.

Coffee – we have a plunger and there is some coffee in the cupboard. There is longlife milk in the fridge.

BBQ – The bbq igniter doesn’t seem to work on the plate side, so you will need to use the lighter provided.

Deep fryer – If you are going to use this, can you please use it out in the back area.

Mosquitos and flies – We have plenty of fly repellent, mosquito coils and candles in the cupboard in the back area.

First Aid Kit – Located in the kitchen cupboard and there is a small medicine container with some basic pain meds.

Second fridge – Just outside the kitchen is an extra fridge if you need it. We don't keep it on so it may take a little while to get nice and cold.

Games, DVDs, books – The collection is growing as we continue to bring more down from Adelaide but there are plenty of games for all ages - from poker, Risk, Ticket to Ride, Cards and Uno. We inherited the book collection so if you haven’t finished the book you were reading, take it home with you and bring it back on your next visit.

TV and Streaming Services – All of the streaming services are accessible but please make sure you sign out before you leave.

Crabbing – Raking for crabs is an art but there are plenty out there and you can spot where they are quite easily when the tide is out.

Best Time – Low tide is ideal for walking out, particularly when water is calm and clear for better visibility.

Gear – A crab rake, a floating bucket or tub (for storing catch), and sturdy, closed-toe footwear to protect against sharp shells and nippers. Rakes and float are near the shed.

Technique – Look for slight mounds or disturbed sand, then drag the rake across the area. When a crab grabs the rake, flip it over and quickly move it to your bucket.

Regulations – Ensure you have a valid measuring tool and follow South Australian size/bag limits, returning undersized or female crabs with eggs immediately.

Giant fan – If there is no breeze in the back deck area, feel free to use the industrial fan. Even on the lowest level you are sure to be blown away by its efficiency (yep, we said that).​

Water is life.
Mallee Drift relies entirely on rainwater for its water supply, so we ask all guests to be mindful of how much water they use during their stay. Like the rest of James Well, we depend on the rain to fill our tanks, which means everyone here is very conscious of collecting and conserving water. It’s one of the biggest adjustments we’ve had to make ourselves after moving from city living to shack life.

​VERY IMPORTANT: 80 litres per guest, per day is plenty of water and we ask that you keep to this so there is enough water for future guests. Once the allocation has been exceeded by 100L, guests will charged $6 for every 100L.

To help us make our water last, we kindly ask that showers be kept to around three minutes where possible.

To make this a bit more fun (and to help keep track of time), we’ve created a “Shower Songs” playlist. All the songs are between 2:45 and 3:00 minutes long, so they’re the perfect timer.

Before you hop in the shower:
Scan the QR code in the bathroom.
Choose your favourite song.
See if you can finish washing up before the song ends!
It’s a light-hearted way to help conserve water - and a good reminder that we probably don’t need to solve the world’s problems while we’re in the shower.
Thanks for helping us look after our rainwater supply so everyone can enjoy Mallee Drift.

GOOD NEWS! We had the water tested and it is safe to drink, so no need for boxes of water or extra plastic bottles.

Recycling
During your stay, we ask that you collect any 10c recycling items in the dark green wheelie bin. The community collects the refunded money and uses it for a variety of community projects. Please place any wine bottles in the yellow recycling bin.

Please make yourselves at home — at our home.