Onkaparinga
The first beaches you hit heading south from Adelaide: Christies, Port Noarlunga, Moana and O'Sullivan. Reef snorkelling, a 1921 jetty, dog-friendly surf and the Onkaparinga River mouth.
The northern gateway to the Fleurieu
The Onkaparinga coast stretches from O'Sullivan Beach in the north down to Moana Beach, bounded on the south by the Onkaparinga River and the cliffs of Maslin Beach. Named for the Kaurna word for the river that defines it, these are the closest Fleurieu beaches to Adelaide - historically the summer escape for the southern suburbs and still some of the most-visited stretches of sand on the coast.
What defines them
This stretch is all about accessibility and variety. Christies Beach is sheltered and family-friendly. Port Noarlunga has the iconic 1921 jetty and the offshore reef aquatic reserve, one of the best shore-snorkelling spots in South Australia. Moana is one of only a handful of beaches in the state where you can legally drive on the sand, and is a regular surf break. O'Sullivan Beach is the quiet, rocky cove at the northern end with a popular boat ramp.
Getting there
All four beaches are within a 40-minute drive from the Adelaide CBD on the Southern Expressway, which makes them the easiest Fleurieu beach day trip you can do.
Places in Onkaparinga
5 places
Christies Beach
A long, sheltered family beach at the northern gateway to the Fleurieu, with a foreshore playground, boardwalk and a popular surf life saving club.
Moana Beach
A long, dog-friendly surf beach between Port Noarlunga and Maslin, one of only a few beaches in South Australia where you can legally drive on the sand.
O'Sullivan Beach
A quiet, rocky cove and boat ramp between Christies and Hallett Cove - the last of the metropolitan beaches before you enter the Fleurieu proper.
Onkaparinga River Recreation Park
A 250-hectare estuarine recreation park where the Onkaparinga River meets the sea - distinct from the upstream Onkaparinga River National Park, with quiet walking trails and rich birdlife.
Port Noarlunga
One of the most iconic beaches on the Fleurieu - a long, sheltered bay framed by ochre cliffs, a 1921 timber jetty, and the Port Noarlunga Reef just offshore.
Image credits
- Port Noarlunga - South Australia by TuRbO_J , CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons