What is Goyder’s Line in South Australia?

In 1865, George Goyder drew a line across South Australia. South of Goyder’s Line was deemed arable and north of it, there was too little rainfall to support anything but light grazing. The bush versus outback split holds largely true today.

The size of South Australia is massive compared to its population. Most people in the state live in and around Adelaide, and there are vast areas that are essentially empty.

These areas of South Australia are largely empty, however, because it is virtually impossible to grow anything there. Much of South Australia is outback.

Surveyor-General George Goyder

A useful tool for distinguishing between true outback and mere bush is Goyder’s Line. The story goes back to 1865, when Surveyor-General George Goyder was asked to draw a map.

Specifically, Goyder was asked to draw a boundary between areas with good rainfall and areas experiencing drought. He covered more than 3,000km on horseback in the name of research.

Goyder mapped out what came to be known as Goyder’s Line, which goes east to west across South Australia in a rather wavy manner. Areas to the south of the line were deemed arable, areas to the north were only suitable for light grazing.

After Goyder published his findings several settlers were encouraged by unusually high annual rainfall to settle north of the line. They met with dismal failure, and soon abandoned their farmhouses.

Flights over the vicinity of the line unveil a distinct change in vegetation. South of Goyder’s Line, there’s heavy mallee scrub. North of the line, it’s mainly saltbush.

South of Goyder’s Line

Most places of any appeal in South Australia lie south of Goyder’s Line. State capital Adelaide, with its museums, heritage buildings and stadium climbs, is safely to the south. So are the visibly green surrounding areas. Mountain bike tours, koala-heavy conservation parks and arty German heritage towns will show this.

The McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Barossa Valley wine regions are also to the south of the line. As is the Coorong lagoon system near Goolwa and Onkaparinga River National Park on the beach-heavy Fleurieu Peninsula.

The dry Eyre Peninsula is where the split is most clear. Good chunks of the northern part of the peninsula are above the line. This includes biggest city and steel hub Whyalla. However, shark-diving hotspot Port Lincoln and sealion swimming destination Baird Bay are to the south.

Lake Hart salt lake in South Australia — Salt lakes such as Lake Hart are very clearly to the north of Goyder’s Line across South Australia. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

North of Goyder’s Line

Another major settlement, Port Augusta at the head of the Spencer Gulf, is above Goyder’s Line. So are the South Australian salt lakes, Flinders Ranges, military hub Woomera and underground opal mining town Coober Pedy.

However, there are fears the Goyder’s Line may have to be redrawn. Climate change is thought to be making areas south of the line unsuitable for agriculture.

The Goyder’s Line concept works in a similar way to the State Barrier Fence in Western Australia. It separates the largely useless from the possibly usable.