Coorong National Park

The Coorong is a narrow saline lagoon stretching about a hundred and thirty kilometres southeast from the Murray mouth, separated from the Southern Ocean by the Younghusband Peninsula, a long dune barrier crossed only in a few places. It is a Ramsar-listed wetland of international importance, supporting pelicans, terns, waders migrating from Siberia and one of Australia's larger pelican breeding colonies. The Ngarrindjeri people have lived along it for thousands of years, and middens and cultural sites line the shores; Aboriginal-guided tours run from Camp Coorong. The book and film Storm Boy were set here. Salinity in the southern lagoon has risen sharply with reduced river flows.

History

The Coorong lies in the lands of the Ngarrindjeri, and its name is thought to come from their word kurangk, a long narrow lagoon or neck. The national park was proclaimed on 9 November 1967 and enlarged under the National Parks and Wildlife Act of 1972, and on 14 January 1993 the Coorong Game Reserve, bought by the state government in 1968, was abolished and its 68 square kilometres added to the park (Wikipedia, Coorong National Park).

What's there

• The lagoon - saline water running behind the dune peninsula for 130 kilometres.
• The pelican colonies - breeding birds on islands in the lagoon.
• The dune barrier - the Younghusband Peninsula between lagoon and ocean.
• The Ngarrindjeri sites - middens and cultural places along the shore, with guided tours.

When to go

September to May; migratory waders arrive in the southern summer. Winter is cold and windy. Boat tours run from Goolwa year-round, weather permitting. Camping requires booking and a vehicle permit.

What to expect

Access to the peninsula and beach requires four-wheel drive in most places. The southern lagoon has suffered severe salinity and ecological decline from reduced Murray flows, which is visible. Mosquitoes are heavy in warm weather.

Nearby

Goolwa and the Murray mouth lie northwest; Robe is far southeast along the coast.

Key facts