Victor Harbor
Victor Harbor is a bustling coastal town at the bottom of the Fleurieu Peninsula, a popular holiday destination for South Australians and visitors alike. Adjacent the town waterfront is Granite Island, a 62-hectare conservation area that is home to an abundance of wildlife. The island is known for its Little Blue Penguin colony which you can see on a guided tour at dusk as they return from a day of fishing out at sea. Granite Island is accessible by a 630-metre causeway which hosts a historic horse-drawn tramway that has been in use since 1894, and still operates daily. Victor Harbor is also a great area for spotting southern right whales from the land between May and October. Their unique affinity for coastal inshore waters means they can often be spotted as close as 100m off the shore, providing a great view of their 18-metre, rotund bodies.
Victor Harbor is also home to the Steamway Heritage Railway, Australia's oldest steel railway, which you can cruise along on board the Cockle Train. The 30-minute journey takes you to the nearby town of Goolwa, gateway to the Coorong and the Murray River Mouth - where the mighty river meets the Southern Ocean.
If you're looking for a low-key end to your day in Victor Harbor, take a picnic blanket and some fish and chips to the lookout at The Bluff to watch the sunset and the vibrant stars appear.
Coorong Adventure Cruise with Spirit of the Coorong
Explore the Coorong on this 6 hour Discovery Cruise departing from the Port of Goolwa. Travel along the historic wharf and towards the Goolwa Barrage before experiencing the waterways of the Coorong through the lock chamber. Watch fur-seals lay in the sun as you follow the last few kilometers of the Murray River, a river which stretches over 2,500km long. Cruise past the Murray Mouth and the opening to the Southern Ocean and head into the Coorong, also named 'Storm Boy country', as it was the setting of the 1964 novel Storm Boy written by Colin Thiele.
Pass by the quaint fishing village of the Coorong Shacks before departing the vessel for an optional guided walk through the dunes, Indigenous Midden site and along the bush-tucker trail which leads to the 90-Mile Beach and Southern Ocean. Here a Ngarrindjeri Indigenous Guide will conduct a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony. Learn the 'Coorong Shuffle', cultural interpretation and understand which it means to dig for Pipi's/Kuti.
Back on the boat and while enjoying your lunch, you will cruise past Storm Boy filming sites and beautiful scenery deep in the Coorong.
Later, another guided walk with an expert Indigenous Guide will reveal how Ngarrindjeri people lived and flourished in the Coorong for thousands of years.
Coorong Discovery Cruise with Spirit of the Coorong
Explore the Coorong on this 3.5 hour Discovery Cruise departing from the Port of Goolwa. Travel along the historic wharf and towards the Goolwa Barrage before experiencing the waterways of the Coorong through the lock chamber. Watch fur-seals lay in the sun as you follow the last few kilometers of the Murray River, a river which stretches over 2,500km long. Cruise past the Murray Mouth and the opening to the Southern Ocean and head into the Coorong, also named 'Storm Boy country', as it was the setting of the 1964 novel Storm Boy written by Colin Thiele.
Pass by the quaint fishing village of the Coorong Shacks before departing the vessel for an optional guided walk through the dunes, Indigenous Midden site and along the bush-tucker trail which leads to the 90-Mile Beach and Southern Ocean. Learn the 'Coorong Shuffle', cultural interpretation and understand which it means to dig for Pipi's. Continue to cruise past Storm Boy filming sites and beautiful scenery while enjoying an afternoon tea as you meander back to Goolwa.
Murray Mouth Cruise with Spirit of the Coorong
Cruise downstream from the Port of Goolwa and alongside the historic wharf towards the barrage which separates Lake Alexandrina from the waterways of the Coorong. Spot some lazy fur-seals after travelling through the lock chamber, and explore the last few kilometres of the 2,500km long Murray River before it spills into the Southern Ocean.
On this tour you will experience beautiful scenery, bird-life and seals, all the while listening to expert commentary on this 90-minute Spirit of the Coorong cruise.
Sea the Fleurieu with The Big Duck Boat Tours
Departing from Victor Harbor, enjoy a 1 hour coach along the Wild South Coast Way to Wirrina Cove where you will board a custom RIB vessel for a 3 hour boat tour. Explore the incredible Fleurieu Peninsula with towering cliff-faces, rolling hills, with caves and hidden coves. Throughout this expedition, you'll encounter dolphins, fur seals, sea lions and seabirds as you boat past Second Valley, Rapid Bay, Cape Jervis and Deep Creek Conservation Park before finally disembarking in Victor Harbor near Granite Island. This tour only operates between October to April and may be reversed depending on the day which it is booked.
Southern Ocean Adventure with The Big Duck Boat Tours
Depart on a 90 minute boat adventure around Victor Harbor and encounter seabirds, dolphins, seals, sea lions and even Southern Right Whales. Cruise between Victor Harbor and northern side of Granite Island, an island connected to the mainland by a 630 metre causeway and characterised by large, orange lichen tinged boulders. Past the breakwater, pick up the speed and visit Seal Rock, where Long Nosed Fur Seals and Australian Sea Lions bask in the sun. Then you will listen to your guide talk about the whaling history of the area as you go past Shark Alley, a popular surf break for experienced surfers located between Wright Island and the Bluff. You'll be treated to another colony of seals and sea lions at the back of West Island, and will frequently be visited by Sea Birds and Common and Bottlenose Dolphins. Gaze upon the spectacular cliffs of Kings Beach and Waitpinga before cruising through Encounter Marina Park, where you may spot Southern Right Whales between June and September, when they migrate from Antarctica to warmer waters.
The Big Duck Boat Tours - Seal Island
Depart from the Granite Island Causeway and cruise between Victor Harbor and northern side of Granite Island, an island connected to the mainland by a 630 metre causeway and characterised by large, orange lichen tinged boulders. Travel beyond the breakwater, into the open ocean to arrive at Seal Island, a popular basking and feeding location for Long Nosed Fur Seals and Australian Sea Lions. Admire these curious sea mammals as they come up close to the boat and keep an eye out for Common and Bottlenose dolphins as they sometimes race the boat. Continuing to Wright Island, you'll spend some more time enjoying the wildlife before returning to the Granite Island Causeway. This tour runs for approximately 45 minutes.
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