Coorong National Park

The Wetland System Where The Murray River Finally Reaches The Sea, A 140 Kilometre Lagoon Separated From The Ocean By The Younghusband Sand Dune Peninsula, And One Of The Country'S Most Important Waterbird Habitats · Meningie, South Australia

The Coorong is the long lagoon system where the Murray River, after its 2,500 kilometre run from the high country, finally reaches the sea - though in dry years the river mouth itself can silt closed, needing dredging to keep it open at all. A narrow strip of coastal dune, the Younghusband Peninsula, separates the 140 kilometre lagoon from the open Southern Ocean, creating a sheltered inland waterway that barely resembles the surf coast a short walk away across the dunes. It is Ngarrindjeri country, and the Ngarrindjeri people's ongoing connection to the lagoon's fish traps and food sources runs through the whole landscape, not just its name. The Coorong is internationally recognised under the Ramsar wetlands convention for the waterbirds it supports, including migratory species that fly here from as far as Siberia and Japan. It is also where Colin Thiele set his novel Storm Boy, later filmed on this coastline twice. Flat, open and genuinely remote between facilities, it rewards a slower visit than most national parks.

The lagoon system where the Murray River reaches the sea, south-east of Adelaide along the Princes Highway, Meningie, South Australia, Australia

Coorong National Park has no gate and is open around the clock, though the unsealed roads and boat ramps are far easier to navigate by daylight. The Ngrkat Waditj Information Centre near Salt Creek and the park's ranger stations keep standard daytime hours and close overnight. Boat access to the lagoon depends on which ramp is used and current water levels, which change with rainfall, particularly after dry years when some channels narrow or silt up. There is no fuel, scheduled food service or reliable mobile reception for long stretches inside the park, so Meningie and Salt Creek are the practical places to stock up beforehand, both keeping normal small-town hours. Fishing within the park follows South Australian recreational fishing rules and seasonal closures that change from year to year.

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