Attraction

Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail

Yorke Peninsula

Free
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Dive in clear shallow water to see eight heritage wrecks – explore the history of the fast clipper ships and the beautiful undersea environment.

This is an ideal trail for novice shipwreck divers. Each wreck has a plaque and there are six interpretive signs on the shore at Port Victoria.

Port Victoria on the west coast of Yorke Peninsula was an important trading port in the early 1900s. It was one of the last Australian ports where large square-rigged sailing vessels operated. There was fierce competition to ship grain and the last Grain Race from Australia to Britain began from Port Victoria in 1949.

Wardang Island is just eight kilometres off Port Victoria in the Spencer Gulf. There are at least thirteen shipwrecks in the area. Eight of these are within 16 kilometres of each other and together they form the Wardang Island Maritime Heritage Trail.

The Monarch, S.S. Australian, S.S. Investigator, MacIntyre and Moorara were small local schooners and coastal steamers carrying wheat and other cargo to Port Victoria. They also ferried wheat from the jetty to the larger vessels. The Aagot, Notre Dame D'Arvor and Songvaar were three masted square-riggers which carried the grain overseas.

Facilities

Carpark
Picnic Area

Price

Free

The Yorke Peninsula is the traditional lands of the Narungga (Nharangga) people, who have lived on, and cared for, this country since the beginning of time. We work, live and travel on Nharannga Banggara [Country], and we take time away from those pursuits to acknowledge and pay our deep respects to the Nharangga Elders of the past and present. 

Today, it is essential that we continue to care for and protect our spectacular natural environment. Tread lightly and leave no trace. Learn more about responsible and respectful travel on Yorke Peninsula.