Category: South Australia

Pinnaroo is as bustling town 242 kilometres east of Adelaide and five kilometres from the Victorian border. Farming is the main industry throughout the region’s rolling landscapes. Pinnaroo is the gateway to the unique landscape of the Mallee and nearby Karte Conservation Park is a good spot to see the Mallee at its best. The Scorpion Springs Conservation Park is located on the edge of Pinnaroo. For an insight into the history of the area, visit the Mallee Tourist and Heritage Centre, which features four fascinating historical collections. The area opened up around 1890, however Pinnaroo township was not settled until early 1900. The railway line was completed and opened in 1906. The town has modern facilities for health, welfare, sporting and public services and is located on the shortest route from Adelaide to Sydney or Adelaide to Canberra.

Small Township situated in fertile rural area 25 kilometres south west of Mount Gambier. Kongorong was derived from the local native Boandik Language. Numerous sinkholes and caves are located in the area. It also has a primary school.

The site of the biggest picnic race meeting in the southern hemisphere, Oakbank is an attractive Adelaide Hills town housing two historical breweries – one now selling cordials and soft drinks to the public and the other home to the Oakbank Weaver, where hand woven textiles and tapestries are produced on eight large looms. Each Easter, the racecourse brings thousands to the town to see the Great Eastern Steeplechase. The Oakbank Heritage Walk takes in all the historic sights, including a 130-year-old oak tree that is listed on the National Trust’s Register of Significant Trees. There’s also a nine-hole golf course, said to be one of the best of its kind in the country.

Eudunda was named after a spring that the Aboriginal residents called Jundundakawi and was first settled by Europeans in 1870. The Eudundacowie still flows and rehabilitation of the original spring indicates a renewal of interest in the history of the local area. The locals are proud to claim Eudunda as the birthplace of Colin Thiele, author and educator, who is recognised as one of Australia’s most versatile writers. He has published more than 100 books in many fields. Some of his novels include Storm Boy, Blue Fin, The Fire in the Stone, Sun on the Stubble and Uncle Gustav’s Ghosts. It is from the latter that Eudunda has chosen to use the interpretation of Uncle Gustav as their logo. Uncle Gustav and his dog are not only characters of fiction, they also are indicative of the pioneers who opened up this area with their wives and families and of course their faithful companions nearby to help in their daily chores. To those pioneer families who settled in the district and made this their home, the locals pay tribute in the Family Heritage Gallery. They created their heritage. They invite you to take a few hours to walk around the town, spend some time looking at the many gardens, the trees and the bird life. Visit some of the shops and try their traditional wares, the bakery that has stood on the same site for more than 100 years and the butcher that still prepares meats and smallgoods as they have for more than 80 years. Call in for a meal at one of two hotels or historical Community Club, which have been offering hospitality for 130 years. Visit the craft shop where you can pick up a locally made memento of your day in Eudunda. At 11 Bruce Street you can see what the 1920s and onward had to offer in radio and electrical equipment. Just three doors down the street, find more than 1,000 archival items including photographs, books, newspapers and memorabilia dating back to 1870 – all pertaining to Eudunda. The locals are proud of Eudunda which has, over the past 130 years, developed a character of its very own, where the architecture of its houses span every period of those years and most have withstood the renovator’s hammer.

Cowell has a reputation as one of South Australia’s best fishing destinations. Its harbour – Franklin Harbour – offers an array of sea fare including whiting, snapper, garfish, squid and crabs. Cowell boasts one of the largest jade deposits in the world and is also well known for its beautiful and secluded beaches. Oyster farming is now a thriving industry in the community. The first recorded sighting of Franklin Harbour was by Captain Matthew Flinders in 1802. It was named after Sir John Franklin, explorer and Governor of Tasmania. Cowell was named in 1880 after Sir John Cowell, an English Army Engineer. The town initially served as an important seaport for the area. Now it relies mainly on the surrounding rural area and aquaculture. Nephrite Jade was discovered in the nearby Minbrie Ranges in 1965, the oldest and one of the largest deposits in the world.

Historic Goolwa stands at the mouth of the Murray River on Lake Alexandrina and derives its name from an aboriginal word meaning elbow. Every type of water sport is available in Goolwa, and if you don’t own a boat you can always hire one. Hindmarsh Island and the Coorong provide kilometres of unspoiled wetlands and at the end of the day you can enjoy award winning local wines. It’s an ideal destination, just over an hours drive from Adelaide through breathtaking countryside. The nearby Murray Mouth is renowned for its mulloway fishing, while surf fishing from Goolwa Beach is usually rewarding for the angler. The lakes are a haven for boating enthusiasts. With both fresh and salt water, Goolwa is a Mecca for the keen fisherman and the Murray Mouth is not only a great place to fish but also a remarkable feature of the landscape. The first part of Goolwa was surveyed in 1840. With the introduction of paddle steamers to the river in 1853, Goolwa became the first major shipping port in the state, with produce from the interior being barged down the Murray system for loading onto overseas vessels. The subsequent silting-up of the Murray Mouth led to the port becoming inaccessible to the larger ships. As a result, the first railway line in South Australia was opened between Goolwa and Port Elliot in 1854, the latter then becoming the overseas port. Early in the 1880s the Morgan railway took away most of the trade by directing it through Adelaide, and by 1890 shipping was virtually finished at Goolwa. Today Goolwa is a popular, fast-growing tourist resort offering quiet, relaxing all-year-round recreation with its historic buildings greatly enriching the town’s interest.

Victor Harbor is all about the sun, surf, sand, stunning views and intimate wildlife encounters. It’s here that you’ll find the Little Penguins of Granite Island, Southern Right Whales blowing into Encounter Bay, and some of South Australia’s best surf at beaches like Petrel Cove, Chiton Rocks and the Dump. Granite Island can be reached via a 600 metres causeway. Take a Clydesdale-drawn tram or walk across and absorb the stunning sea views. Victor Harbor features outstanding early colonial architecture, good pubs, cafes and restaurants. Visit the South Australian Whale Centre or climb aboard the Cockle Train for a steam rail experience along the cliff tops to Port Elliot and Goolwa. Find your own fun at Greenhills Adventure Park, the Dunes Mini Golf Course and Urimbirra Wildlife Park. Generations of South Australians have made Victor Harbor their summer holiday destination – and it’s easy to see why.

The area around Swan Reach is renowned for its towering cliffs, including Big Bend – which boasts the tallest cliffs along the entire length of the Murray River. Rich in fossils, flora and fauna, Big Bend is believed to be up to 20 million years old. Swan Reach boasts an excellent hotel with river views and a nine hole golf course. The town also has a 24 hour ferry, general store and boat ramp. The Aboriginal name for this area is Kongorong, which refers to the large number of black swans that live in the area. White settlement was established in 1899 when Swan Reach Station owner Paul Hasse subdivided a portion of his land. Perched on the banks of the Murray, the first half of the twentieth century saw the river fight a constant battle with flood, culminating in the massive washouts of 1917, 1931 and 1956. The most devastating was in 1956, when most of the businesses in the main street were washed away. More than 200 historic photographs from the flood can be seen in the Swan Reach Museum, located in the original school building, circa 1917.