Beachport on South Australia’s Limestone Coast

By Signe Cane September 25, 2014
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Historically home to the first whaling station in South Australia, today Beachport offers a number of scenic walking and driving routes

BEACHPORT IS A picturesque seaside town on the Limestone Coast, located on an isthmus with sea hugging it from both sides. Historically home to the first whaling station in South Australia, today Beachport offers a number of scenic walking and driving routes with views of its impressive coastline.

Venture into Beachport Conservation Park for an escape to secluded beaches and a spot of bird watching. A short drive north will take you to Woakwine Cutting, said to be Australia’s biggest one-man engineering feat. Not to be missed is a swim in the Pool of Siloam, which is fed by underwater saltwater springs, making the water seven times saltier than the ocean and providing fantastic buoyancy.

Activities

Walking: For a leisurely stroll with views of picturesque beaches and the rugged coastline, check out one of the popular walking tracks. The Lighthouse Walk will take you to a lookout over the old lighthouse on Penguin Island, built in 1878. Wendy’s Walk winds through natural bushland with views of the town and the bay, before taking you to the shore of the ocean and back.  See www.wattlerange.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=672

Fishing: The Beachport Jetty is the second longest in SA, measuring 772m. With free entry, it’s a popular spot for recreational fishing, known as a place for catching prized fish. If you’re up for a scenic drive, head to the Salmon Hole lagoon or Snapper Point beach.

Birdwatching: Head to Beachport Conservation Park with your binoculars ready to catch a glimpse of its 200 species of birdlife. Look out for a chance to spot the rare orange-bellied parrot in the coastal saltmarshes and beach dunes, or glimpse the hooded plovers which nest along the beach

The essentials

Location: Four hours’ drive from Adelaide; one hour from Mount Gambier.

Accommodation: There are hotels, inns and holiday houses available; or get a camping permit for the pretty Beachport Conservation Park’s Three Mile Bend area.

Food/drink: There are cafes and restaurants in Beachport.

Points of interest: Beachport Jetty; Pool of Siloam; the picturesque Bowman Scenic Drive; Woakwine Cutting.

Maps: Available from the visitor information centre.

More info: www.wattlerange.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=318