On the southern edge of South Australia there is a 200 kilometre arc stretching from Kingston SE to Goolwa known as the Coorong. The region teems with birdlife that live amognst the lagoons and wetlands in this meeting of the River Murray and the Southern Ocean.

coorong

The North-Western end of the Coorong was separated from the mouth of the River Murray at Lake Alexandrina by the construction of the Goolwa Barrages in the 1930s. These five barrages link Pelican Point to Goolwa via a series of small islands and separate the fresh river water from the ocean, limiting salinity in the lower Murray.

BarragesMap

Cycling from Mount Gambier to Adelaide, I found myself wishing to travel the entire length of the Coorong rather than taking the road which diverts to the North around Lake Alexandrina. Not knowing whether the barrages could be crossed or whether there would be gates or security, I cycled along farm roads until I reached Pelican Point at the southern end of the Barrages.

I found that the fence used to restrict access had been partially removed and I passed through while looking around for signs of a warden or anyone else likely to yell at me. A few hundred metres down the road and I reached the start of the barrages with no one in sight, save a few seals relaxing by the side.

Start (and seals)

Start (and seals)

The wind was extremely fierce that day and with no cover out on the lake, there was some concern that I might get blown into the water on the sections with no side rails.

DCIM100GOPRO

The route varies between bridge like structures of precast concrete slabs and sections of built up earth that forms a road. I passed through marshes, pastures and was doused by the choppy waves that broke up and over the path.

Cheered on by some cows

Cheered on by some cows

As I passed over one of the cattle grids at the border of a paddock (walking my bike over the steel beams), a brown snake leapt up out of the grid and almost got my leg. It would certainly have put a dampener on the afternoon if I had needed to be rescued from the middle of the barrages.

The rest of the ride passed without incident and I emerged on Hindmarsh Island before cycling to Goolwa, having cycled the full length of the Coorong.

 

 


Comments

Lesser known bike paths / A cheeky ride — 2 Comments

  1. Hi Roughchop,

    As an interested, but unacquainted person, I was wondering what safety great you carry with you in the event of the unforeseen occurring i.e. a snake bite? Additionally, have you any knowledge of the impacts on the local ecology after the construction of the barrages?

    Regards,

    Swale

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