Hindmarsh Island
Hindmarsh Island is an inland river island located in the lower Murray River near the town of Goolwa, South Australia.
The island is a tourist destination, which has increased in popularity since the opening of the Hindmarsh Island bridge in 2001. Hindmarsh Island is south east of the Adelaide city centre, around a 1-hour and 15 minute drive.
History
Prior to European colonisation, the island was occupied by Ngarrindjeri peoples, who know it as Kumarangk.1830: The first European to set foot on Hindmarsh Island was Captain Charles Sturt. Sturt used the Island as a viewing point and from there he sighted the Murray Mouth.
1831: Captain Collet Barker surveyed the Murray Mouth but was killed by Indigenous Australians after swimming across the mouth.
1837: The island was named by Captain John William Dundas Blenkinsop after South Australia's first Governor, Sir John Hindmarsh.
1849: Dr. John Rankine was granted an occupational licence to become the island's first grazier. His nephew James Rankine was an early and longtime settler.
1853: Charles Price purchased section 20 on the island.
1856: A flour mill was constructed.
1857: A signal mast was erected at Barker Knoll to convey safe passage condition messages to vessels wishing to pass through the mouth.
1858: A public ferry began operations between Goolwa and the island. In the same year the first inter colonial telegraph line passed through the island to link Adelaide with Melbourne.
1861: The cemetery was surveyed.
1880s: Alberto and Selberto Forest were planted.
1868: Hereford cattle and Shropshire sheep arrived in South Australia, when Charles Price introduced them onto the island.
1900: A cheese factory was established by Percy Heggaton.
1914: An experimental barrage was constructed to link Hindmarsh Island with Mundoo Island.
1935: Construction of the permanent barrages took place with the aim of maintaining a consistent water level around the river Port of Goolwa and keeping salt water away from the northern shore, improving agricultural opportunities.
1965: Mains electricity arrived on the island
1970: Little penguins were present on Hindmarsh Island. Today, the colony is extinct.
1985: Approximately including the island was listed as a "wetland of international importance" under the Ramsar convention under the name of Coorong and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Wetland.
2001: Approximately a third of the island, the Wyndgate property, was added to the Coorong National Park. The Hindmarsh Island Bridge from the mainland is opened.
2005: Coorong Quays Hindmarsh Island boasts the title of the largest freshwater marina in the Southern Hemisphere.
Present: Hindmarsh Island today has fresh water on its northern shore and salt water on the southern shores, the waters being separated by a series of barrages.
The Hindmarsh Island Bridge
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Building Company: Built Environs
Construction Commenced: October 1999
Construction Finished: March 2001
The Hindmarsh Island Bridge linking the island to Goolwa was officially opened on 4 March 2001. The bridge became a focus of national controversy when a group of local Indigenous people and some landowners objected to its construction. It was alleged that the Ngarrindjeri objectors fabricated the cultural significance of the island in order to help fight the development. 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.
In 2001 a Federal Court Judge, Mr Justice John von Doussa, found in Chapman v Luminis Pty Ltd that "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". Justice von Doussa found that the nine Ngarrindjeri women who testified about their beliefs were "credible witnesses who genuinely hold the beliefs and recollections expressed by them".
Geography
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Salt Lakes Total: 49
Terrain: grassland, wooded forest, salt lakes and mangroves
Islands surrounding Hindmarsh Island
Mundoo Island is a medium-sized island off the east coast of the island. Mundoo Island is a privately owned cattle station. The road acts also as a barrage to prevent the river water flowing through Murray Mouth into the ocean.Area:
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Rat Island/Grindstone Island is a small private owned island off the easternmost point of the island. It covers of land.
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Varcoe Island is an extremely small island, with a population of 0.
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Bird Island/Gull Island is small-sized island which has a population of 0. It is off the southernmost point of the island.
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Goose Island is a small private island 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 apart. Goose island has sparse vegetation.
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Goat Island is a small private island off the north eastern area of the island. Goat island has a population of 1, making it the smallest island by population. Goat island has more vegetation on it than Goose Island, because the ground is damper.
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Limestone Island/Goose Island is a small island, which is located in the Game Reserve. It is located off the northern coast line of the island. It has a population of 0, and it was named Limestone Island because there is limestone rock formations on the island. The island is rarely set foot on by humans, and it has been known to flood in the middle of winter, making the island fully submerged in water. Limestone Island can be viewed very easily from Goolwa north because it is only away.
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Climate
Akin to Adelaide, Hindmarsh Island experiences a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers, and mild cool winters.Places of interest
Hindmarsh Island Caravan Park
Hindmarsh Island Caravan Park is a caravan park located on the northern side of Hindmarsh Island on natural land. The land consists of camping grounds, forests and grasslands. It was developed in the late 1970s and opened in the early 1980s.Area:
Perimeter: 1.29 km
Hindmarsh Island Monument
Hindmarsh Island Monument is a monument dedicated to Sturt and Barker on the island, it was erected in 1930.Height:
Hindmarsh Island Airstrip
The Hindmarsh Island Airstrip was developed in the 2008, for emergency aircraft landings like the Flying Doctor Service and private Cessnas. The runway is hardened dirt.Length:
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Hindmarsh Island Lookout/Down Hill Track
The Hindmarsh Island Lookout was developed in the late 1990s for a viewing point to Goolwa for the Public. It has also been used as a downhill track for mountain bike users. It was built on a hill, above sea level.Area:
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Lonely Island
Lonely Island is the only island within an island within an island in the southern hemisphere. It is located in the centre of a dried up salt lake that fills with water only during winter.Area: 1
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Hindmarsh Island Weather Receiver
Hindmarsh Island Weather Receiver is a weather receiver located adjacent to the Hindmarsh Island Marina. It provides the Bureau of Meteorology with Hindmarsh Island's weather. Surrounded by a steel fence, it is out of bounds to the general public. The weather receiver was built in 2006.Height:
Hindmarsh Island River Murray Mouth Lookout
Hindmarsh Island River Murray Mouth Lookout is a lookout on the south-west area of the Island.Area:
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Lake Cloud
Lake Cloud is the largest salt lake on the island. It is located on the eastern part of the Island.Area:
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Narnu Farm
Narnu Farm is a family friendly holiday destination & tourist attraction located on Hindmarsh Island. The farm is full of animals and offers accommodation.Karinga Park Homestead
Karinga Park Homestead is a homestead, that offers accommodation and a getaway experience. It covers of land, and which a majority of that space is a part of Alberto Forest.Telstra Telephone Tower
The Telstra Telephone Tower is an active Telstra telephone signal tower that gives Telstra phone coverage for the population on Hindmarsh Island. 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.Constructed: 2006
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Company: Telstra
Site Type: 3G 850
Hertz: 850Mhz
Hindmarsh Island mangroves
Hindmarsh Island mangroves is Hindmarsh Island's only mangrove. It is located at southern part of the island, approximately 1.2 km north of the Mundoo Channel. It has an area of 7.5 hectares and has a perimeter of 943 m.Hindmarsh Island boat ramps
Captain Sturt Parade Boat Ramp: 35°30'6.76"S 138°48'50.37"EValmai Tce Boat Ramp: 35°30'9.15"S 138°49'53.25"E
Randell Road Boat Ramp: 35°30'16.58"S 138°47'19.59"E
Monument Road Boat Ramp: 35°30'7.19"S 138°49'45.20"E
Marina Boat Ramp: 35°30'48.79"S 138°48'4.40"E
Sugars Ave Boat Ramp: 35°32'52.94"S 138°52'36.63"E
Mundoo Channel Drive Boat Ramp: 35°32'33.09"S 138°52'54.11"E