Kingston SE facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kingston SE South Australia
Lobster sculpture located at the entrance to the town
Kingston SE Location in South Australia
Established	1861 (town) 3 December 1998 (locality)
Postcode(s)	5275
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACDT (UTC+10:30)
Location	240 km (149 mi) SE of Adelaide city centre 138 km (86 mi) NW of Mount Gambier
LGA(s)	Kingston District Council
State electorate(s)	MacKillop
Federal Division(s)	Barker
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 19.3 °C 67 °F 10.4 °C 51 °F 494.1 mm 19.5 in
Localities around Kingston SE: Lacepede Bay West Range Blackford Lacepede Bay Rosetown Lacepede Bay Kingston SE Blackford Reedy Creek Lacepede Bay Wyomi Sandy Grove Wangolina Reedy Creek Reedy Creek
Footnotes	Locations Adjoining Localities

Kingston SE is a town in the Australian state of South Australia. It's located on the southeastern coast, right on the shores of Lacepede Bay. The town is about 240 kilometers (149 miles) southeast of Adelaide, the state capital. It's also about 138 kilometers (86 miles) northwest of Mount Gambier.

The "SE" in its name stands for "South East." This helps tell it apart from another place in South Australia called Kingston on Murray. In 2021, a census showed that Kingston SE had a population of 1,637 people.

History of Kingston SE

How Kingston SE Got Its Name

The town was named after Sir George Strickland Kingston. He was an important person in early South Australia, working as a politician, surveyor, and architect. The Kingston Post Office first opened its doors on February 9, 1869.

The "SE" was added to the town's name in July 1940. This was done to make sure people didn't confuse it with another town named Kingston in the state. Today, the area known as Kingston SE includes the original Kingston town, plus two other older towns called Port Caroline and Maria Creek.

Railway Connections

In 1876, a railway line was built that connected Kingston to Naracoorte. This railway was important because it helped transport grain and wool from farms further inland to the port at Kingston. The railway tracks were originally a narrow size (1,067 mm or 3 ft 6 in).

Later, in 1959, the tracks were changed to a wider size (1,600 mm or 5 ft 3 in). However, the railway eventually closed down on November 28, 1987, and the tracks were removed on September 15, 1991.

Media and News

In the past, the Kingston area had its own local newspapers. The Kingston Weekly was published from 1946 to 1951. Later, the South-East Kingston Leader started in 1962.

This newspaper was renamed Coastal Leader in 2001. As of December 2023, it is owned by a company called Australian Community Media.

Life in Kingston SE Today

Kingston SE is a busy place with several important industries. The main activities include fishing, making wine, and farming sheep and cattle. The area is also very popular with tourists, especially during holiday times. Many visitors come to enjoy the coast and local attractions.

Famous Landmarks and Sports

One of the most famous sights in Kingston SE is the Big Lobster. This huge sculpture is located at the northern entrance to the town. Locals have even given it a nickname: "Larry."

The town also has an Australian rules football team. They play in a local competition called the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League.

Another interesting landmark is the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse. This lighthouse used to be located out at sea on Margaret Brock Reef. It was moved to Kingston SE and now works as a museum. Inside the museum, you can also see a lifeboat from a ship called the MS Oliva. This lifeboat washed ashore after floating in the ocean for two years!

Climate in Kingston SE

Kingston SE has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it usually has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.