Porter Lagoon, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Porter LagoonSouth Australia |
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 Porter Lagoon
Location in South Australia
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| Postcode(s) | 5416 | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Regional Council of Goyder | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Stuart | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Grey | ||||||||||||||
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| Footnotes | Coordinates Adjoining localities |
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Porter Lagoon is a rural area in the Mid North region of South Australia. It is part of the Regional Council of Goyder. This place got its official boundaries in August 2000. People had used the name "Porter Lagoon" for a long time before that. Most of the area is in an old land division called the Hundred of Hanson. A small part is in the Hundred of Apoinga.
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The Lagoon and Its History
The land around Porter Lagoon originally belonged to the Ngadjuri people. The most important natural feature of this area is the lagoon itself.
What is Porter Lagoon?
The lagoon can spread out for several miles when there is a lot of rain. Its water is very salty. Many thousands of water birds visit the lagoon at certain times of the year. You might see pelicans, great cormorants, whiskered terns, and silver gulls.
A Popular Spot for Fun
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Porter Lagoon was a popular place to visit. People from nearby towns came to enjoy it like a "seaside" resort. When the water was high enough, it was a great spot for water sports. There was even a boat club and a tennis club. It was also a popular place for hunting wild fowl when they were in season.
The boat club managed the lagoon in the late 1920s. They set rules for visitors to follow. By 1935, the lagoon started to dry up. A newspaper writer said the water was only six inches deep. They also noted the water was "positively brine," meaning extremely salty.
Changes Over Time
In 1939, another writer described swimming in the lagoon as difficult. The water level was very low, and the salt made swimmers look like they were covered in white. However, the year before, it had been a true "sea-side" resort. Hundreds of people enjoyed its cool and refreshing water.
The Porter Lagoon Boat Club closed down on June 30, 1947. This happened because of several dry seasons. Also, World War II had an impact on the area.
Facilities at the Lagoon
By the early 1950s, there was a problem with keeping facilities at the lagoon in good shape. The local council, the District Council of Burra Burra, noted that no one was responsible for maintaining toilets and other conveniences.
In 1954, a group called the Burra Demobilised Soldiers' Association decided to help. They started a project to build things like toilets, changing sheds, and rainwater tanks. They were given permission to use the north end of the lagoon for this purpose.
