Carrickalinga, South Australia: Forktree Brewery or beaches?
The best things to do in Carrickalinga, South Australia, are the Forktree Brewery and the two fabulous Fleurieu Peninsula beaches. Spend your time at the beaches and rockpools during the day, then go for a few beers in the evening.
Carrickalinga, South Australia is one of several beach towns and villages spread out along Gulf St Vincent south of Adelaide. It’s one of the most appealing, too, with plenty of holiday homes, two cracking Fleurieu Peninsula beaches and a craft brewery.
Where is Carrickalinga, South Australia?
Carrickalinga is on the Fleurieu Peninsula, just to the south of Myponga Beach, and just to the north of Normanville and Yankalilla. You’ll go past on the drive from Adelaide to Cape Jervis. Don’t expect any urban trappings here – there are no shops, no cafés, no restaurants and no pubs.
Things to do in Carrickalinga, SA: Forktree Brewery
The Forktree Brewery, however, goes some way to fixing the food and drink side of things, however. This Fleurieu Peninsula microbrewery is in a renovated sheep-shearing shed on the hillside above Carrickalinga. It’s very close to the Carrickalinga Lookout, which provides the best photo opportunities of the village.
The Forktree Brewery doesn’t have an enormous range, but goes for quality over quantity. The beers on offer include the Sunrise Pale Ale, Sunset Red Ale and the chocolatey Eclipse Porter Ale.
Forktree Brewery menu
You can also eat at the Forktree Brewery. Chicken laksa and Malaysian stir fries add a bit of eastern spice to an otherwise standard pub menu of burgers, fish and chips and pork ribs.
The issue with the Forktree Brewery is that it is only open four days a week. Turn up from Thursday to Sunday, and you’re fine. But from Monday to Wednesday, you’re going to have to drive into Normanville.
Carrickalinga accommodation and beaches
You don’t have to go into Normanville for somewhere to stay, however. Normanville has the caravan parks, but Carrickalinga has the holiday homes and short term lets. Carrickalinga accommodation is all about small independents offering a few rooms near the beach.
Or, rather, beaches. Carrickalinga has two gloriously wide beaches, separated by Haycock Point. The beaches get called a plethora of different names, and no-one seems able to definitively decide which of the two is Carrickalinga Beach. So let’s keep it simple and go for the northern beach and southern beach. Most accommodation is near the southern beach, although the northern beach is quieter.
Both are fairly safe for swimming in – surf tends to be minimal. But if you want an element of protection, have a dip in one of the big rock pools near Haycock Point.
These beaches are amongst the best in Australia, and although the Forktree Brewery is a good option in the evening, they’re the real reason to visit Carrickalinga.
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