Hindmarsh Island
Goolwa's Murray island with a controversial bridge
A large inland river island in the lower Murray near Goolwa, connected to the mainland by the 2001 Hindmarsh Island Bridge - a gateway to the Coorong and Murray Mouth.
A sprawling river island
Hindmarsh Island sits in the lower Murray River immediately opposite the town of Goolwa, separated from the mainland by the river and connected since 2001 by the Hindmarsh Island Bridge. At 17km long and 5km wide it is one of Australia's largest river islands and forms a key part of the Lower Murray / Coorong wetland system.
Culture and controversy
The island is known as Kumarangk to its traditional owners, the Ngarrindjeri people. The construction of the Hindmarsh Island Bridge in 2001 was preceded by a long and painful legal and cultural dispute over its significance to Ngarrindjeri women's heritage - one of the defining moments in 1990s Australian First Nations politics.
What to do
- Drive across the striking cable-stayed bridge from Goolwa
- Visit the Goolwa Barrage and spot pelicans and black swans
- Walk or drive to the Murray Mouth at the island's southern end
- Boat tours and kayaking from the island's marinas
- Beach driving on the island's southern ocean side (4WD recommended)
Find it on the map
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Sources
- Hindmarsh Island - Wikipedia - Wikipedia (accessed April 2026)
Image credits
- Goolwa-Hindmarsh Island causeway by Riana , CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons