Port Willunga, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Port Willunga Adelaide, South Australia
Port Willunga beach
Port Willunga Location in South Australia
Postcode(s)	5173
Time zone	ACST (UTC+9:30)
• Summer (DST)	ACST (UTC+10:30)
LGA(s)	City of Onkaparinga
Region	Southern Adelaide
County	Adelaide
State electorate(s)	Mawson
Federal Division(s)	Mayo
Suburbs around Port Willunga: Gulf St Vincent Maslin Beach Maslin Beach Gulf St Vincent Port Willunga Aldinga Gulf St Vincent Aldinga Beach Aldinga Beach Aldinga
Footnotes	Adjoining suburbs

Port Willunga is a beautiful coastal town in South Australia, not far from the big city of Adelaide. It's also known by its traditional names, Wirruwarrungga or Ruwarunga. These names were given by the Kaurna people, who are the original owners of this land.

This place is very special to the Kaurna people because it has a freshwater spring. They believe this spring was made from the tears of Tjilbruke, a very important creator being in their stories.

In 2016, about 1,637 people lived in Port Willunga. The town is part of the City of Onkaparinga local government area. It is also in the federal area called the Division of Mayo and the state area called the electoral district of Mawson.

Port Willunga Beach, South Australia

Port Willunga beach is one of the most photographed beaches in South Australia. It's a popular spot for weddings because of its amazing features. You can see the remains of the old Port Willunga Jetty, golden cliffs, clear blue water, and soft white sand.

History of Port Willunga

Before people from Britain came to South Australia, the area around Port Willunga was home to the Kaurna people. This included most of the Adelaide Plains and the western side of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

There is a very important Aboriginal Australian sacred site linked to the Kaurna Dreamtime stories. This site is about the creator ancestor Tjilbruke. You can find a special plaque about it at the Esplanade car park.

How Port Willunga Got Its Name

The name Port Willunga was first used in 1850. In February 1850, the first cargo of wheat was shipped from here. People thought a wharf (a place for ships to load and unload) would be built soon.

Residents asked for a jetty to be built in 1852. A jetty is like a long pier that goes out into the water. The government asked for companies to build it in March 1853. It was hard to get enough money, so building the jetty took some time.

The jetty was built in different stages. It was ready to be used in 1853, with more work planned for the next year. Early goods shipped from Port Willunga included slate, flour, bran, and hay.

Port Willunga was officially named a port for shipping goods in 1856 and again in 1861. In 1865, it became a port for both bringing in and sending out goods.

In 1871, the local council, Aldinga District Council, took care of the jetty. By the early 1900s, large commercial ships stopped using Port Willunga. However, the jetty stayed and was used by fishermen, local people, and holiday visitors.

Storm Damage to the Jetty

The wooden jetty was badly damaged by storms many times. This happened in 1896, 1906, and 1910. More storm damage in 1914 made people worry about its future.

In 1915, experts said the jetty was too damaged to fix. People then started talking about building a new jetty just for fun and recreation. By 1928, local people were still asking the government to build a new jetty.

Shipping Incidents Near Port Willunga

• The ship Cowry got stuck on a reef south of Port Willunga on December 31, 1887.
• The famous ship Star of Greece was wrecked off Port Willunga on July 12, 1888. This event is so well-known that a book was written about it a century later.