Southend on Rivoli Bay

Southend is located on the southern shore of Rivoli Bay. The town has an extensive swimming beach and a large, active rock lobster fishing harbour; at the same time, the Cape Buffon Walk near Southend winds through the coastal landscape of Canunda National Park. Water sports and seasonal boat watching add to the options for a stay. Depending on your travel interests, you can focus on time at the beach, a hike or a lookout.

Walking and views in Canunda National Park

The Cape Buffon Walk is an easy, 2.5-kilometre circuit at the northern end of Canunda National Park near Southend. It follows limestone cliffs, rock formations and lookouts above Rivoli Bay. If you are planning a hike with a set route, its length and easy rating provide a clear guide; the coastal formations take centre stage along the way.

Most walkers take 30 to 45 minutes; the trailheads are on Cape Buffon Drive. A short climb on the walk leads to a trig point. From there, the panorama takes in cliffs and the beach stretching into the dunes of Canunda National Park, as well as Rivoli Bay towards Beachport. Walking times may vary. Track conditions can change, so check the latest advisories before setting out.

For driving in Canunda National Park, the park has well-signposted four-wheel-drive tracks from Southend to Carpenter Rocks. As track access and park conditions can change, check the latest park advisories before setting out.

Water, beach and seasonal boat watching

Southend is suitable for boating, sailing, windsurfing and many other water sports. Check local conditions and providers. The extensive, safe swimming beach offers a different focus: swimming conditions may vary. A beach visit and a range of water sports are therefore different options for spending time by the water.

Between October and May, you can watch boats return and unload their daily catch from the jetty or the Jetty Lookout. This seasonal period provides a clear guide when planning a trip to watch the boats. Activity and local conditions may vary, so the opportunity to watch them cannot be planned as a fixed event.

Fishing harbour and Geltwood Anchor Memorial

The large, active rock lobster fishing harbour is one of Southend’s defining features. Alongside the beach and coastal walk, fishing also shapes the character of the destination. Operational details may change; describing it as an active harbour conveys its general character without specifying individual activities.

The Geltwood Anchor Memorial is at a lookout on Cape Buffon Drive in Southend, opposite the National Park Ranger Headquarters. One of the Geltwood anchors and information panels can be seen at the lookout. Together with the coastal walk and seasonal boat watching, the memorial offers another distinct stop if you would like to include the different sides of Southend in your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Beachport, Millicent, Coonawarra, Penola.

For the main travel overview: Wattle Range Council.