Why you Need to Make Goolwa your Next Whistle Stop?

Today Goolwa is known as a top holiday location, a destination to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and wind back to take in what Goolwa has to offer. Historically, the town of Goolwa was a busy thriving river port that connects the Murray River to the open Southern Ocean, it was Australia’s first inland port constructed in 1853 to connect the town to Port Elliot and in years after to Victor Harbor. This allowed river boats to transfer goods to sea boats as the Murray Mouth made it difficult for boats to navigate through the dangerous waters.

The town still maintains its rich heritage with a century old original paddle steamer and a steam train journey on board the Cockle Train for visitors to enjoy. Many of the historic buildings built with sandstone from the 1850s still stand tall in this charming river town. Right in the heart of Goolwa is the Visitor Information Centre which is an ideal first stop for any visitor wanting to discover the rich history and local attractions the town has to offer.

There are an abundance of activities to explore for all age groups and on a typical day you can see families out and about, kayaking and canoeing along the river, surfing in the Southern Ocean, having a picnic, 4WD or horse riding along Goolwa Beach.

Top Places to Visit in Goolwa

Goolwa is a river Port full of history and located on the Murray River near the Murray Mouth in South Australia. The name was derived from the Aboriginal language meaning “elbow” in Ngarrindjeri because the town sits on the elbow of the Murray River. Today, Goolwa is known as a popular holiday destination that is an hour’s reach from Adelaide that comprises a large number of preserved buildings and the town was declared a State Heritage Area in 1987.

Top Things to do in Goolwa

Goolwa Motor Museum

The museum contains a collection of classic motor vehicles and memorabilia from Australia and all over the world. Many hours of car transport Sydney to Adelaide and between other major ports have accumulated to gather the 45 classic cars available for public viewing. Classic cars ranging from 1920 – 1970 are on display with some of these cars being very unique one of a kind. The museum is open Wednesdays to Saturdays and by appointment on Sundays and is a great way to entertain a wide range of ages. 45 Gardiner St, Goolwa.

Goolwa Beach

The beach is most popular surfing beach south of Adelaide and is a huge attraction during the summer months. Although Goolwa Beach is 1.78 kilometres in length, the entire beach area is made up of other beaches along the same strip that includes Surfers Beach and Middleton Beach with the entire length of the strip running 16.5 kilometres. Apart from sand and surf, the beach also offers horse enthusiasts the opportunity to horse ride along a section of the picturesque coastline.

Goolwa Barrage

Located near the Coorong National Park, the Goolwa Barrage is built across the water between the mainland and Hindmarsh Island to regulate the flow of the Murray River. Visitors may safely walk on the barrage to the lock and provides a perfect viewing platform for native birds. There is interesting reading material during the walk about the construction of the barrages and is fascinating to discover how it works and what it takes to keep the river healthy.

Goolwa Animal Farm

This family run farm in Goolwa is set on 12 acres that provides a fun day out with the family. There are an abundance of farm animals to engage with ranging from kangaroos, alpacas, emus, sugar gliders and more.  There are a range of activities to keep the young ones occupied including pony rides, trailer rides, educational tips and goat milking.