Upcoming Events in Alexandrina

Historic Goolwa stands at the mouth of the Murray River. It's an ideal destination just over an hours drive from Adelaide through breathtaking countryside. As the gateway to the Coorong National Park to the east and the Southern Ocean to the south; Every type of water sport is available in Goolwa. If you don't own a boat you can always charter one. Hindmarsh Island and the Coorong provide kilometres of unspoiled wetlands and at the end of the day you can enjoy award winning local wines. The nearby Murray Mouth is renowned for its mulloway fishing, while surf fishing from Goolwa Beach is usually rewarding for the angler. The rivers and tributaries are a haven for boating enthusiasts. With both fresh and salt water, Goolwa is a Mecca for the keen fisherman; Sugars Beach at the Murray Mouth is not only a great place to fish but also a remarkable feature of the landscape. Goolwa hosts a variety of exciiting events, including freshwater boat racing, SA Wooden Boat Festival, Just Add Water (annual Arts and Culture program), surf carnivals and golf tournaments, just to name a few. There's a good variety of local accommodation. The first part of Goolwa was surveyed in 1840. With the introduction of paddle steamers to the river in 1853, Goolwa became the first major shipping port in the state, with produce from the interior being barged down the Murray River system for loading onto overseas vessels. The subsequent silting-up of the Murray Mouth led to the port becoming inaccessible to the larger ships. As a result, the first railway line in South Australia was opened between Goolwa and Port Elliot in 1854, the latter then becoming the overseas port. Early in the 1880s the Morgan railway took away most of the trade by directing it through Adelaide, by 1890 shipping was virtually finished at Goolwa. Today Goolwa is a popular, tourist destination offering quiet, relaxing all-year-round recreation with its historic buildings greatly enriching the town's interest.