Hindmarsh Island

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Hindmarsh Island
Hindmarsh Island is located in South Australia
Hindmarsh Island
Location Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
Area 45.5 km2 (17.6 sq mi)
Highest elevation 25 m (82 ft)
Population 1233

Hindmarsh Island (Aboriginal: Narinyeri) 35°31′S 138°52′E﻿ / ﻿35.517°S 138.867°E﻿ / -35.517; 138.867Coordinates: 35°31′S 138°52′E﻿ / ﻿35.517°S 138.867°E﻿ / -35.517; 138.867 is an island in the lower Murray River near the town of Goolwa, South Australia. Located on the Fleurieu Peninsula, it is a popular tourist destination, which has increased in popularity since the Hindmarsh Island bridge was opened in 2001. Hindmarsh Island is 100.1 kilometres south east of the Adelaide metropolitan area, around a 1 hour and 30 minute drive.





Captain Charles Sturt, first European to set foot on Hindmarsh Island


1849: Doctor Rankine was granted an occupational licence to become the island's first grazier.

1853: Charles Price purchased section 20 (80 acres)on the island.

1856: A flour mill was constructed.



1861: The cemetery was surveyed.

1900: A cheese factory was built.




1965: Mains electricity arrived on the island

1970: Little Penguins were present on Hindmarsh Island. Today, the colony is extinct. [1]

1977: Alberto Forest was planted

1985: Approximately 1,405 square kilometres of area around the island was designated as a Ramsar wetland site of international importance to promote the conservation and sustainable use of wetland areas.

2001: Approximately a third of the island, the 10.81 km² Wyndgate property, was added to the Coorong National Park.

2005: Hindmarsh Island Marina boasts the title of the largest freshwater marina in the Southern Hemisphere. [2]


The Hindmarsh Island Bridge[edit]

Length: 319 meters

Height: 19 meters

Width: 11 meters

Clearance Height: 14 meters

Building Company: Built Environs

Construction Commenced: October 1999 Construction Finished: March 2001

View of the Hindmarsh Island Bridge from the Goolwa wharf.


A later Royal Commission decided that the Secret Women's Business was made up. Construction was blocked by the Keating Government but given the go-ahead by the Howard Government in 1996 (for more information, see Hindmarsh Island bridge controversy).

Five years after the Royal Commission findings, the Ngarrindjeri who had stated the bridge desecrated sites sacred to women were vindicated. The Reasons for Decision by Federal Court Judge, Mr Justice John von Doussa,[Chapman v Luminis Pty Ltd (No 5)[2001] FCA 1106 (21 August 2001)] explain, "the evidence received by the Court on this topic is significantly different to that which was before the Royal Commission. Upon the evidence before this Court I am not satisfied that the restricted women's knowledge was fabricated or that it was not part of genuine Aboriginal tradition' (paragraph 12). Further Justice von Doussa found the nine Ngarrindjeri women who testified about their beliefs to be 'credible witnesses who genuinely hold the beliefs and recollections expressed by them' (paragraph 317).


2010 Satellite Map of Hindmarsh Island (Google Earth)

Area: 45.5 km²

Coastline: 43.7 km (not including marina)

Highest Elevation: 25 meters (35°30'30.28"S 138°49'21.83"E)

Salt Lakes Total: 49

Terrain: Grassland, Wooded Forest, Salt Lakes and Mangroves

Islands surrounding Hindmarsh Island[edit]

Mundoo Island (35°33'4.35"S 138°55'0.86"E) is a medium sized island off the west coast of the island. Mundoo Island is a privately owned cattle station, and has a population of 23, and it is accessible though a road that goes over the River Murray. The road acts also as a barrage to prevent the river water flowing though Murray Mouth into the ocean. Mundoo Island is manly inhabited by farmers, that live of the land. Mundoo Island was named after one of the crew members last name, during the voyage of Charles Stuart in 1830.

Area: 13.4 km²

Perimeter: 27.3 km

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 103 m

Rat Island/Grindstone Island (35°31'12.59"S 138°57'34.83"E) is a small private owned island 320 meters off the westernmost point of the island. It covers 32 acres of land.

Area: 29 Acres

Perimeter: 1.8 km

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 344 m


Area: 913 m²

Perimeter: 117 m

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 380 m

Bird Island/Gull Island (35°33'13.44"S 138°53'42.28"E) is small-sized island which has a population of 0, it's 100 meters off the southernmost point of the island.

Area: 113 Acres

Perimeter: 2.7 km

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 97 m

Goose Island (35°30'3.98"S 138°56'9.47"E) is a small private island 420 meters off the north western area of the island. It has a population of 2, and very close to the coastline of Clayton Bay. Right next to Goose Island is Goat Island, which are 240 meters apart. Goose island doesn't have very much vegetation or greenery.

Area: 71 Acres

Perimeter: 2.5 km

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 413 m

Goat Island (35°30'17.14"S 138°56'35.78"E) is a small private island 340 meters off the north western area of the island. Goat island has a population of 1, making it the smallest island by population in the Fleurieu Peninsula. Goat island has more vegetation on it than Goose Island, because the ground is more damp and moist.

Area: 100 Acres

Perimeter: 3.3 km

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 296 m


Area: 37 Acres

Perimeter: 1755 m

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 961 m

Pelican Island (35°28'48.79"S 138°50'13.35"E) is an extremely small island, this island only exsits in summer/spirng when the water level is lower. This island is used buy pelican's as a resting place for long flights.

Area: 61 m²

Perimeter: 31.2 m

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 2.4 km

Seagull Island (35°28'44.96"S 138°50'17.52"E) is the smallest island in South Australia. Like Pelican Island, Seagull island only exists in the summer and spring. Seagull Island is used for small birds like sea gulls to catch small tadpoles and critters in the low depth water surrounding them. The island is 2.3 kilometres away from Hindmarsh Islands coastline.

Area: 13.8 m²

Perimeter: 15.6 m

Distance from Hindmarsh Island: 2.3 km


Highest Temperature: 45.1 Degrees (28 January 2009)

Lowest Temperature: -0.1 Degrees (24 July 2008)

Maximum Rainfall Record: 65 millimetres (June, 2010)

Minimum Rainfall Record: 17 millimetres (February, 2009)

Wind Speed Record: 92 km/h

Hindmarsh Island Locations[edit]

Hindmarsh Island Caravan Park[edit]

Hindmarsh Island Caravan Park ( 35°30'13.17"S 138°48'53.30"E) is located on the northern side of Hindmarsh Island, on an of natural land. The land consists of camping grounds, forests, grasslands. It was developed in the late 1970s and opened in the early 1980s.

Area: 22.2 acres

Perimeter: 1.29 km

Hindmarsh Island Monument[edit]

Hindmarsh Island Monument


Height: 3.4 meters

Area: 302 m²

Perimeter: 83.6 meters

Hindmarsh Island Airport[edit]

The Hindmarsh Island Airport ( 35°30'19.92"S 138°51'2.48"E) was developed in the 2008, for emergency aircraft landings like the Doctor Service and the Private Cessna's, the runway is hardened dirt.

Length: 500 meters

Width: 12 meters

Hindmarsh Island Lookout/Down Hill Track[edit]


Area: 1.9 acres

Perimeter: 430 m

Lonely Island[edit]


Area: 1.21 acres

Perimeter: 265 m

Hindmarsh Island Weather Receiver[edit]

Hindmarsh Island Weather Receiver

Hindmarsh Island Weather Receiver (35°31'10.20"S 138°49'4.17"E) is a weather receiver located next to the Hindmarsh Island Marina. It is out of bounds to the general public, and surrounded by a steel fence.

Area: 57 m²

Perimeter: 26 m

Height: 7 m

Hindmarsh Island River Murray Mouth Lookout[edit]

Hindmarsh Island River Murray Mouth Lookout (35°32'58.23"S 138°52'58.03"E) is a lookout on the south-west area of the Island. It shows the Murray Mouth where the river meets the ocean.

Area: 181 m²

Perimeter: 58 m

Lake Cloud[edit]

Lake Cloud (35°31'12.51"S 138°56'11.54"E) is the largest salt lake on the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is located on the western part of the Island.

Area: 19 acres

Length: 410 m

Lowest Point: -2 m (below sea level)

Narnu Farm[edit]

Narnu Farm (35°30'18.17"S 138°49'50.40"E) is a family friendly holiday destination & tourist attraction located on Hindmarsh Island, the farm full of animals & an accommodation experience.

Karinga Park Homestead[edit]

Karinga Park Homestead (35°30'14.40"S 138°49'10.56"E) is a homestead, that offers accommodation and a getaway experience. It covers 20 acres of land, and which a majority of that space is a part of Alberto Forest.

Telstra Telephone Tower[edit]

Hindmarsh Island Telephone Tower

The Telstra Telephone Tower (35°30'32.10"S,138°49'0.57"E) is an active Telstra Telephone Signal Tower that gives phone Telstra coverage for the population on Hindmarsh Island. It was built in 2006, and stands 42 m tall. The telephone tower is located in Alberto Forest, it increases on the hill towards the centre; this hill is the tallest point on Hindmarsh Island, which is why the Telephone Tower was built there.

Hindmarsh Island Mangroves[edit]

Hindmarsh Island Mangroves (35°32'9.81"S 138°53'17.17"E) is Hindmarsh Island's only Mangrove, it has an area of 7.5 Hectares and has a perimeter of 943 m.

Hindmarsh Island Boat Ramps[edit]

Captain Stuart Parade Boat Ramp: 35°30'6.76"S 138°48'50.37"E







Narinyeri Tribe[edit]


Clayton Regulator[edit]

Clayton Regulator (35°29'58.47"S 138°55'18.90"E) was a temporary sand water prevention barrage, that was constructed in 2008, during the drought to prevent water flowing out of the Murray River. It was de-constructed in late 2010.

Hindmarsh Island Forests[edit]

The Hindmarsh Island Forest covers up to 11% of the island. The forest is spread out over different parts of the Island. On the west side of the Island there is a West Forest (Alberto Forest)and on the east side of the Island there East Forest (Selberto Forest).

Alberto Forest Canopy

Alberto Forest[edit]


Perimeter: 6.89 km

Area: 1.48 km²

Selberto Forest[edit]

Selberto Forest (35°30'28.00"S, 138°54'28.43"E) is located on the east side of the island, the Forest mainly collides with residents property's, it was originally planted in the late 1980s to provide sound and wind protection for the residents. The trees in Selberto Forest are the mostly Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis). The Selberto Forest trees range from 10m - 30m tall.

Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis)

Perimeter: 10.1 km

Area: 5.2 km²


List of animals that live on Hindmarsh Island

Blue Tongue Lizards

The Blue Tongue Lizard (Tiliqua adelaidens) is a large lizard with a blue tongue. These skinks feed on a wide variety of insects, land snails, flowers, fruits and berries. The lizards often hide below the pine needles in the forest or between rocks.

Australian White Ibis

The Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis moluccus), is a white bird with a black beak. This species is widespread across much of Island. However it is very common along the coastline and in the forest. They often seek shade as much as they can. They are sometimes found as individual birds, but they are most often reported as a group.

Purple Swamphen

The Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) is a native bird to Australia. It has a blue, green and purple body with red beak. These birds are commonly found along the coast of the island near reeds and ponds.

European Rabbits

The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is a European Rabbit that was introduced to the island in the 1950s. They can vary in colour, sometimes gray, white or even black. They can blend into there surroundings very well, they are mostly found in the forest. They are very shy animals and tend to sprint away when approached by a human.

Red Bellied Black Snake


Australian Magpies

The Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen) is a medium sized black and white bird native to Australia. It is found all over the Island, making it the most common bird viewed on Hindmarsh Island.

Australian Masked Owl

The Australian Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) is an owl that is only found around the coastline of Australia. It makes a distinctive sound, when it is positioned in a high tree mostly during the night. The trees on Hindmarsh Island are a popular place for the bird to go because it loves hollowed out trees to live in.

Australian Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae)
Wagyu Bulls in Alberto Forest, 2013

The Bull was introduced to Hindmarsh Island in the 1960s. Some of the Bulls were brought in to forests and into farm areas (like Mundoo Island). Bulls in the forest are normally seen sitting in the shade or eating grass amongst the trees. People are warned not to interfere with the Bulls in the forest, because they could become aggressive. Bulls are widespreed across the island.

Little Penguins

The Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) is the smallest species of penguin. The penguins used to be found along the south coast of the Island, until the 1970s when people where inhabiting the island, the Penguins struggled for survival and eventually became extinct in the late 1970s.



Further reading[edit]

  • Hemming, Steven J. (1997). Not the slightest shred of evidence: A reply to Philip Clarke’s response to “Secret Women’s Business.” Journal of Australian Studies, 5 (3) pp. 130–145.