Four-Wheel Driving on the Coorong
The Coorong has a lot to offer in the way of four-wheel driving. A narrow ribbon of sand, the Younghusband Peninsula, is separated from the mainland by a chain of salt-water lagoons, making the internationally renowned national park a haven for waterbirds from all over the world.
From the landmark coastal inselbergs called The Granites (18 kilometres north of Kingston S.E.), you can drive all the way to the mouth of the Murray River along the coast, a distance of 150 kilometres. But the journey is not without peril, so take extra care and check wind levels and tide times.
The initial journey to 28 Mile Crossing is largely uneventful, with a wide and firm beach giving way to a pronounced camber. Shellgrit 'speed-humps' give an exciting ride. Between 28 and 42 Mile Crossings, a reminder of the dangers of beach driving is sometimes evident when the shattered remains of a four-wheel-drive chassis and motor pop out of the surf.
From 42 Mile to Tea Tree Crossing, the beach track sits up in the foredune, offering many turnouts and campsites, designated by green-topped posts. The pick of the camps is Tea Tree, a flat grassy expanse between the 'claypipe' lagoon and the coastal dunes. Hike along the edge of the claypipe for great views of the waterbirds.
Remember to plan your trip well so it is safe and pleasurable:
- carry extra fuel for long trips through sandy terrain
- plan to travel along the ocean beach at low tide
- avoid parking your vehicle on soft, deep shell grit beds or where it may restrict the flow of traffic
- you will find it easier to drive in sand if you partially deflate your tyres, but remember to re-inflate your tyres when you leave the park
- in adverse weather conditions, some sections of the beach should be avoided
Note: The ocean beach north of Tea Tree Crossing to the Murray Mouth is closed between 24 October and 24 December each year to protect the Hooded Plover during its nesting season.
