| The Sir Richard Peninsula is a sand spit on the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula about 10km long and ranging in width from 500m to 1km. The Sir Richard Peninsula forms the western barrier of the Murray Mouth and extends upstream towards Goolwa.
SA Water is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Sir Richard Peninsula on behalf of the Murray Darling Basin Authority. The Murray Mouth is periodically dredged to remove sand build up and improve water flow from the River Murray through the mouth and out to sea.
Getting there
If driving from Adelaide, take the freeway to Mount Barker. From Mount Barker take the B37 through Strathalbyn and on towards Goolwa. Remain on the B37 through the town centre (it will become Hays Street). At the end of Hays Street, turn right onto Victor Harbor Goolwa Road and then left onto Beach Road. At the end of Beach Road 4WD vehicles may continue onto the beach. Please remember, 4WDs are not permitted in the sand dunes. Other vehicles without 4WD capacity may be left in the car park at the end of Beach Road.
Dune damage
Driving on the beach at Sir Richard Peninsula is permitted however it is illegal to drive in the sand dunes. Significant damage has occurred to the dunes and vegetation due to illegal access. Sand boarding, motorbike use and horse riding in the dunes also causes damage and all are illegal. Fires built using vegetation collected from the area also degrade the dunes making them unstable.
Aboriginal heritage
The Sir Richard Peninsula has great cultural significance to the Ngarrindjeri/Ramindjeri people. Physical evidence reveals a rich history of use dating back thousands of years. Midden deposits are present across much of the seaward side of the Peninsula. There are accounts of drinking holes, seasonal (summer) camps, ceremonial grounds and meeting places and historical record of cultural artefacts such as hearthstones on the Peninsula. The Sir Richard Peninsula features in Ngarrindjeri dreamtime stories, with the lookout area near the beach access having special significance as the place where Ramindjeri people believe Ngurunderi (Ngarrindjeri dreaming ancestor) met Jekereje (another ancestor) to congratulate him on creating the coastline (Bachmann 2003).
Rare birds
The Orange-bellied Parrot is a critically endangered species. Recent data suggests there are now only about 50 Orange-bellied Parrots left in the wild. These birds were last spotted on the Sir Richard Peninsula in 2007. It is possible this species could return on a regular basis if the vegetation is managed and enhanced to provide a suitable feeding habitat.
There are also recent reports of the nationally vulnerable Hooded Plover recorded on the beaches either side of the Sir Richard Peninsula. The Hooded Plover is a regular breeder on the Younghusband Peninsula, on the other side of the Murray Mouth and was known to also breed on the Sir Richard Peninsula. The Hooded Plover's survival depends on undisturbed beaches which are needed for successful breeding.
What is SA Water doing to protect the Sir Richard Peninsula?
SA Water has developed a land management plan for the Sir Richard Peninsula which covers:
- prevention of dangerous and destructive activities in the dunes (eg four wheel driving, sand boarding and walking on undefined tracks)
- rehabilitation of the dunes
- pest plant and animal control
- signage to provide information about the Sir Richard Peninsula’s role in our water supply system, Aboriginal heritage and endangered plants and animals
- upgraded safety signage particularly near the Murray Mouth
To get involved
- Contact the Hindmarsh Island Landcare Group, telephone 8555 2293 to volunteer to help regenerate the habitat of the critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrot
- Report illegal access in the dunes by a car, motor bike or horse to the Goolwa Police, telephone 8555 2018
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damage and erosion of dunes caused by illegal access
Revegetation work in progress |