Port Elliot Historic Railway and Seaport Centre

Where the Cockle Train began

Port Elliot was the seaside terminus of Australia's first public railway, a horse-drawn tramway completed in 1854 to move Murray River cargo from Goolwa to deep water at Horseshoe Bay. The timber-framed railway shed and ticket office have been restored and filled by National Trust volunteers with an award-winning interpretive display covering the 1852-1864 seaport period and the railway era that followed.

What visitors do

Inside you'll find Matthew Flinders' journals, ships' manifests, photographs of lost paddle steamers, model trains and a genuine working ticket window where you can buy Cockle Train tickets for that day's service. Family history researchers can dig into local records. Outside, the platform still hosts steam services on scheduled days, so you can combine a museum visit with an actual train ride to Victor Harbor.

Practical notes

The centre is open Sundays and Wednesdays 10am to 4pm, and daily during school holidays. Other times by arrangement. Small entry donation welcomed. Free parking on Henry Street. It is a 5-minute walk from the Port Elliot Bakery.