Hindmarsh Island, South Australia: Things to do

Across the Hindmarsh Island Bridge from Goolwa in South Australia, Hindmarsh Island offers farm stay accommodation, horse-riding, birdwatching, salt lakes and Coorong kayaking tours. There’s also accommodation at the Hindmarsh Island caravan park.

Hindmarsh Island is one of the islands in the Coorong lagoon system near the Mouth of the Murray River. It is connected to the South Australian town of Goolwa by the Hindmarsh Island Bridge, which opened in 2001.

This new connection boosted the island as a leisure destination. The 45 square kilometre island has always boasted a range of natural habitats – they’re just now easier to get to.

Hindmarsh Island is home to a number of salt lakes, the largest of which is Lake Cloud in the west of the island. There are also mangroves in the south and a series of small forests.

Wildlife on Hindmarsh Island, South Australia

There are plenty of animals to see on the island, too. Bluetongue lizards and kangaroos are fairly commonplace, but it’s the birdwatching that’s truly impressive. Pelicans and Cape Barren Geese are easier to spot due to their size, but several rare migratory birds can be seen here. Hindmarsh Island is part of the Ramsar wetland of international importance that covers much of the Coorong.

Hindmarsh Island is the sort of place you should take at your own pace rather than obsessing about specific tourist attractions. But the lookout over the Mouth of the Murray is the most popular spot.

Narnu Farm and Hindmarsh Island Caravan Park

Narnu Farm is also worth a look. This farm offers bunkhouse and farmstay accommodation, and much of its visitor offering is tailored towards school camps. But it’s possible to book yourself in for trail rides and horse-riding lessons, while the animal farm should keep the kids happy. There, it’s possible to help feed deer, emu, guinea pigs, chickens, goats and sheep.

Alternative accommodation on the island includes the Hindmarsh Island Caravan Park. Alternatively, plump for the nearby Goolwa Caravan Park.

Kayaking tours of the Coorong from Hindmarsh Island

The single biggest reason to visit Hindmarsh Island, however, is for a kayaking tour of the Coorong. Canoe The Coorong runs genuinely fantastic day trips around the Coorong. They stop at various spots around the lagoon system, including the sand bar next to the Mouth of the Murray on Encounter Bay. Birdwatching, ecology and walks over the sand dunes to an ocean beach covered in pipi shells are all part of the mix.