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Fleurieu Peninsula SA Drive Now

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Fleurieu Peninsula & Kangaroo Island
Holiday Attractions
South Australia

GOOLWA BARRAGE

Built between 1935 and 1940, this impressive feat of engineering consists of a concrete structure which sits on hundreds of timber piles driven into the river bed. Complete with a lock for navigation, the Barrage forms a man-made barrier between the fresh waters of the River Murray and the salty ocean water.

MALLEEBAA WOOLSHED

Telephone (08) 8555 3638 Eighteen breeds of sheep are on display at Malleebaa, a few kilometres north of Goolwa. The display covers every facet of the wool industry, from sheep shearing demonstrations to woollen arts and crafts, handspun wool and woollen products.

NATIONAL TRUST MUSEUM Telephone (08) 8555 3908 This historical museum in the town's old blacksmith's shop (c1872), exhibits a collection of artefacts relating to the history of Goolwa. On exhibit are items salvaged from ships wrecked in the area, and a dining room and bedroom filled with memorabilia.

SIGNAL POINT INTERPRETIVE CENTRE

Telephone (08) 8555 3488 Beginning with the time before European settlement, Signal Point uses both the latest technology and traditional display methods to tell the story of the River Murray to help spread awareness of the river's role and importance. Artefacts, charts, paintings and models are displayed in the River Museum section. Other features include the "Oscar W," a restored 1908 paddlesteamer and the Bird Hide, which enables visitors to see the varied bird life of Goolwa's wetlands areas undetected.

STONE AND HAYWOOD STATIONARY ENGINE MUSEUM

Telephone (08) 8536 2053 In Belvidere, you can view a large collection of stationary engines. More than 500 working models, the earliest dating from 1898, have been collected from all over Australia. Also on display are vintage cars and buses. Damper and billy tea are provided for visitors.

NATIONAL TRUST MUSEUM

Telephone (08) 8536 2478 The collections of this museum are spread over two historic buildings - the old Police Station (c1858) and the Court House (c1867). On display are old photographs, paintings, washing machines, domestic and farm implements, dresses and other artefacts from the Victorian era. A feature of the Police Station is the walled courtyard with three cells.

THE BLUFF

A few kilometres west of Victor Harbor is the Bluff, also known as Rosetta Head. This 200 metre high granite outcrop has good walking trails and magnificent views of Encounter Bay, Victor Harbor and the surrounding countryside. A whaling station was once located at Encounter Bay, which proved a reasonably safe anchorage for ships.

THE COCKLE TRAIN

Telephone (08) 8231 1707 This is one of Australia's most beautiful scenic train rides. It travels past beautiful Southern Ocean beaches, sandhills and through historic towns along Australia's oldest public railway - the sixteen kilometres of track between Victor Harbor and Goolwa. The original track was laid in 1854, between Goolwa and Port Elliot; 10 years later it was extended to Victor Harbor. The train normally consists of an engine and carriages built early this century, and the running time is around 30 minutes.

GLACIER ROCK

Fourteen kilometres west of Victor Harbor, Glacier Rock is a 500 million year old (give or take a few years) boulder carved out by the glaciers that once covered the entire area of the South Coast.

GRANITE ISLAND

Telephone (08) 8552 1777 One of Victor Harbor's main visitor attractions, the island is linked to the mainland by a causeway. A horse tramway carries visitors to the island behind a placid Clydesdale. On the island, fairy penguins hide beneath rocks during the day, coming out at night to feed and frolic. A chairlift to the island summit provides great views.

GREENHILLS ADVENTURE PARK

Telephone (08) 8552 1222 On the outskirts of Victor Harbor, Greenhills Adventure Park covers ten hectares near the banks of the Hindmarsh River. Many kinds of recreational activity are available, including water slides, go-karts, a maze, half court tennis, par 3 golf, canoes and train rides. A special feature is the children's farmyard and wallaby enclosure. Kiosk and barbecue facilities are available.

MUSEUM OF HISTORICAL ART

Telephone (08) 8552 1564 The museum features a variety of historical paraphernalia including firearms, coins, paper money, badges, bottles and Aboriginal artefacts. Also on display are shells, rocks, minerals, moths and butterflies .

THE OLD CUSTOMS HOUSE AND STATION MASTER'S HOUSE

Telephone (08) 8552 4081 Built in 1866, this Georgian-style house was the former Harbour, Customs and Station Master's residence. Now on the State Heritage register, the museum features five rooms decorated with period furniture and a collection of memorabilia including books and photographs.

URIMBIRRA WILDLIFE PARK

Telephone (08) 8554 6554 On the northern outskirts of Victor Harbor, Urimbirra Wildlife Park has more than seventy species of Australian animals and birds in their natural settings. Paths winding through the park enable visitors to see the animals at close range. Special features are a nocturnal animal house and also crocodiles.

MOUNT THISBY

Near American River, Mount Thisby was originally called Prospect Hill by Captain finders, who used it to survey the island. Steps take visitors to its summit for startling views of Pelican Lagoon, American River, the nearby hills and the Southern Ocean at Pennington Bay.

PENNINGTON BAY

Near American River and one kilometre off the Kingscote to Penneshaw road, Pennington Bay has an excellent surf beach and offers beautiful coastal scenery. However extreme care should be taken by inexperienced surfers.

ANTECHAMBER BAY

Named by Matthew Flinders in 1802, Antechamber Bay is a long sweep of coast at the eastern tip of the island. Bounded at its southern end by Cape St Albans, the beach is superb while the tree-lined Chapman River is safe for swimming, canoeing, boating and has good fishing. There are excellent camping spots, barbecue facilities and picnic spots,with plenty of walking trails. Above the bay and just off the road, there are good views of the mainland over the beach.

HOPE COTTAGE FOLK MUSEUM

Telephone (08) 85522 308 This museum contains some rare artefacts from Kangaroo Island's past, including the reconstructed light from the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse. Its transport section tells the story of the island's maritime history. The collection is housed in a restored home built in 1859 by two brothers who'd struck it rich on the Victorian goldfields.

JUMBUCK SHEARING DEMONSTRATIONS.

Telephone (08) 8529 072 This 364 hectare farm, eighteen kilometres from Kingscote, provides visitors with the opportunity to learn the history of shearing and wool industry from farmers whose families have been on the land since 1883. Sheep shearing and sheep dog demonstrations are a special feature and rare shearing equipment is on display.

KINGSCOTE CEMETARY

This is the oldest in South Australia. The inscriptions on the headstones tell a poignant but fascinating story of early pioneer life.

PELICAN FEEDING

Every day at four o'clock, Kingscote's pelican population gathers on the foreshore to await the arrival of Milton Turner, a fourth generation islander and his assistant. They know Milton carries a supply of fish morsels they so covet. Rain or shine, the spectacle occurs every day on this, South Australia's island zoo without bars.

REEVES POINT

Just north of Kingscote, this is the site of South Australia's first official settlement in 1836. The Kingscote Pioneer Memorial commemorates South Australia's first settlers who arrived here on July 27, 1836 aboard the Duke of York. The colony's first fruit tree, a mulberry tree, was planted at Reeves Point, it still bears fruit and the locals use it to make jam. A cairn at Peeves Point also marks the site of South Australia's first Post Office.

ST. ALBAN'S CHURCH

Built in 1884, St. Alban's Church is the oldest public building on Kangaroo Island, It was used for council meetings and also as a school room. Its special features include beautiful stained glass windows and many memorials to the island's pioneer families.

PAUL'S PLACE

Telephone (08) 853 6232 Three kilometres south of Stokes Bay, Paul's Place has a collection of native and farm animals, all of which can be seen at close quarters and hand-fed. There are walk-in aviaries, horse rides and displays of Aboriginal artefacts, vintage cars, a Ligurian Bee colony and sheep shearing demonstrations. The property provides good views of the mainland and islands.

THE PARNDANA WILDLIFE PARK

Telephone (08) 8596 050 Four kilometres west of Parndana, this park has over fifty aviaries with a collection of native birds and numerous other birds found in Kangaroo Island's wilderness areas. Of special interest is the prized section of rare and protected birds that are native to the island. The park also has enclosures of animals.

CAPE WILLOUGHBY LIGHTHOUSE

Telephone (08) 8531 191 Twenty five kilometres south-east of Penneshaw on the eastern-most point of Kangaroo Island, the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse is the state's oldest. Built in 1852, the 27 metre tower is made of local limestone and sits on a cliff 73 metres above the sea. It has been converted to electricity.

CHRISTMAS COVE

Captain Matthew Flinders landed near here in 1802; a granite boulder on the beach bears a plaque commemorating the event. The granite boulders are glacial deposits left there millions of years ago and glacial striation marks can be seen on the rock faces at the northern end of the beach. For over 150 years this sheltered cove has been a haven for small boats. It was once a landing place for coastal ketches which brought goods in and took out produce.

FAIRY PENGUINS

These happy little creatures conduct a nightly promenade along Penneshaw foreshore as they return from their day's fishing at sea.

FOLK MUSEUM

Telephone (08) 8531 108 In the former Penneshaw School, this museum houses items explaining the district's history of nautical relics with remains salvaged from shipwrecks. The building, constructed in 1922, is the third on the site; the first being built in 1869 by the community.

FRENCHMAN'S ROCK

In 1803 French explorer Nicholas Baudin anchored here in search of fresh water. The crew who came ashore carved an inscription in the rock. In 1906 a dome was built over the rock to protect it, but to no avail. Twelve years later the deterioration was so great a replica was made to preserve the historic location. The original is now in the Mortlock Library, Adelaide.

NORTH COAST BEACHES

Stokes Bay is perfect for picnics, swimming and fishing. An unusual walk from the carpark takes you through a cliff of enormous limestone boulders and onto the sandy beach, protected on all land- ward sides. A large rock-enclosed pool, protected from the surf, makes a great spot for safe swimming.

The beach at Emu Bay is one of the most popular picnic spots on the island. Emu Bay was originally intended to be the main port of the island, but the water proved to be too shallow and exposed to strong wind. The bay's jetty was built around 1916 and until the early 1930s ships called frequently to take on island-grown grain and stock and to deliver merchandise. Snelling Beach is a fine beach at the mouth of Middle River. Its great for swimming, surf fishing and, at the other end of the beach, rock fishing. Good picnic spots can be found beside the river. Care should be taken when swimming in the river, as snags and weed can provide hidden dangers. Good views over the beach can be had from Constitution Hill.

VIVONNE BAY

This small settlement is located on a long sweep of clean sandy beach which is magnificent for fishing, walking and beachcombing. Several areas have been set aside with barbecue facilities and public conveniences.

VIVONNE BAY WILDLIFE RESERVE OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE

Telephone (08) 8594 232 Covering an area of 1700 hectares. the Vivonne Bay Wildlife Park is the largest private park on Kangaroo Island. There are more than forty kilometres of walking and vehicle tracks for visitors to explore the coastline and cliffs. The Outdoor Education programs provide information on the island's natural and settled history.

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