Augusta Water Cruises with Ron Kandelaars in the Outback region of South Australia

Early morning at Port Augusta and we take in the great sweep of a regional harbour that's played a key role in the development of northern South Australia.

“What used to be coming out of here was a whole series of jetties and the shipping got that much that they actually had to demolish it and build a big wharf,” explained Aaron Morgan of Augusta Water Cruises. “There were as many as seventeen tall ships in the harbour at any one time.”

While the nineteen century wharf, with it's impressive stonework, gives some idea of Port Augusta's prominence as a gateway for goods from further north, it's the power station which dominates the landscape today. It too has played a vital role in the State's economic rise.

“All those power stations are coal powered and you can see the coal bunkers,” said Aaron. “The coal comes down from Leigh Creek up in the Flinders Ranges.”

In fact, the Flinders provide a panoramic background for what's often been seen merely as just another industrial city. But there's so much more to this place than first meets the eye. On Aaron's Augusta Water Cruises, a handful of dolphins just leap out demanding to be admired.

“About forty percent of South Australia's mangrove population is from Whyalla upwards - it’s very vital for fish breeding.”

The mangroves frame our journey as we head as far up Spencer Gulf as we can.

“It's called a Hyper-saline Inverse Estuary,” said Aaron. “That means it's much more saline as we go up the gulf than it is further down. In a normal estuary you've got fresh water coming in and in this one you've got freshwater at the top and salt water at the bottom.”

“This one is completely the opposite - you’ve got more salt water at the top and that's how Matthew Flinders found out that there was no real waterway coming into this area.”

We're following the course taken by Flinders in 1802. He was following a couple of theories; that this might lead to a mighty river or that Spencer Gulf as we know it might be a great watery divide slicing Australia in two. Neither was the case but on this journey of discovery he certainly left his mark on the map of South Australia.

Aaron also takes evening cruises but by far the most popular is the 8am cruise and when you're on this trip you can see why Matthew Flinders called this place Redbanks.

In the early morning light the reflection offers tourists twice the enjoyment on a tidal waterway that will soon retreat leaving the mangroves high and dry.

“Marvelous, absolutely marvelous,” is how fellow traveler Helen Nichols described the trips. “It's one of the real treasures of South Australia. The reflections in the water and the colours against the blue sky are just beautiful.”

While Flinders may have charted this an old West Augusta footy coach certainly had a hand in naming sections.

“If the coach thought you'd been drinking too much beer he’d make you run up there a few times before you got home. That’s why it’s called Beer Hill.”

Soon the waters of Spencer Gulf begin to narrow and it's here surrounded by mangroves, salt bush and the mighty Flinders in the distance that we reach the furthest point. Not many come this far up to where the outback meets the sea.

On the cruise you also come across the remains of the Port Augusta Salt Works. They operated throughout the 1920s and the 1930s. At one point they built a hand cart bridge on which they transported salt across to the Trans Australian Railway line.

“They used to pump the water up to the salt pans, wait for it to evaporate and then collect all the salt,” explained Aaron. “Now the mangroves themselves are an amazing feat. Just the fact that something can survive out here. It's about ten percent salinity between here and Whyalla so it's really highly saline.”

But the mangroves love it and so too do the birds as we were treated to a final magnificent show of nature up close.

To take one of Aaron Morgan's Augusta Water Cruises contact 0438 857 001. For a place to stay visit Hotel Augusta

Augusta Water Cruises
Contact Aaron Morgan Ph 0438 857 001