For me there are two distinct parts of the Coorong. Goolwa-Hindmarsh Island, and the rest
Goolwa is a very pretty town that’s well worth a visit on its own. Apart from everything else it has to offer, it’s where you catch the boat tours along the Coorong. Hindmarsh Island is where you kayak from.
The rest of the Coorong you’re pretty much on your own. It’s national park. You can camp, hike, drive, and generally be peaceful.
I’ve done both parts, and they both have things to recommend them.
I visited the Coorong with my sister years ago. We did a boat tour out of Goolwa, which was fabulous. Well, except for the lunches. They really didn’t know how to do vegetarian (mine), or vegan (hers).
Then we did a sunset kayak tour from Hindmarsh Island. That was stunning. We were at the right time of the year to see migratory birds – some of which come from as far away as Siberia. It was just amazing to see them.
So I went back again to Hindmarsh Island to do some more kayaking. This time during the day.
The day was a bit overcast, which was probably a good thing because there was no glare on the water and it wasn’t too hot. But there was also a head wind.
I was in a double kayak with somebody I’d only met when we turned up for the tour.
If you want to learn about somebody – share a double kayak with them and see how they act/react to the conditions!
Once we actually got to know each other and settled into a routine, we did really well. Even paddling against the wind.
And the birdlife was absolutely worth it all. We got up close to pelicans. Hundreds of pelicans. They just sat there and watched us paddle by. They didn’t even move when we got close enough to take photos of them.
And while the area is dominated by the pelicans they weren’t the only birds around. There were sea eagles, sand pipers, oyster catchers, terns, plovers, black swans, and lots of ULBBs (unidentified little brown birds).
After paddling for a while we stopped for a snack and walked through the dunes to the beach, learning about the native food plants along the way.
It was all amazing.
The only problem with this tour was that they also don’t know how to do vegetarian lunches.
Morning tea was great – lots of beautiful fresh fruit. But for lunch they prepared a pipi chowder, with locally caught pipis. Which was amazing if you eat seafood. However, they thought that as a vegetarian I could just have the chowder without the pipis. The guide was actually shocked when I said that wouldn’t work. Having had the pipis cooked in it meant it wasn’t vegetarian.
Really, I don’t know why it’s so hard. Most places in South Australia are really good at vegetarian food. But those that aren’t, really aren’t.
And there’s no excuse. If you are a tour company in a major tourist destination such as the Coorong, you really should know this stuff. You’re showcasing the area to national and international tourists, and you really should be able to cater to different dietary requirements.
