Where the Murray River meets the sea

We spent a lovely day exploring part of the Coorong National Park where the Murray River finally meets the sea after its 2,530 km journey from the Australian Alps.

 We drove to Goolwa then over the Hindmarsh Bridge to Hindmarsh Island, where we drove a further 10kms or so to the river. Here was a large carpark,  a jetty, a caravan declaring itself the Coorong Cafe and a picnic area with chairs and tables. At the end of the jetty a fisherman was preparing for a catch. It was a peaceful coastal scene.

And here is the fisherman in close-up.

We checked out the menu and opted for the specialty - Coorong mulloway.

It was absolutely delicious.

After our lunch, we walked along the river flats where, in the distance, we could see the mouth of the Murray.

Along the way I spotted sea birds fishing in the shallows.

 It was an expansive landscape with the wide sandy stretch of beach, the seemingly endless flat coastal vegetation and a really big sky punctuated by rolling clouds.

 But I did manage to spot these colourful pink plants (which I have been unable to identify). But they certainly brightened up the coastline.

In the distance we could see a man searching for cockles...

 ... a fisherman...

 ... and the dredger that undertakes a 24-hour operation to ensure the mouth of the Murray (where fresh water meets the sea) is kept free of silt and sand in order to maintain a constant two-way flow between the sea and the river. This also ensures a healthy ecosystem in the Coorong.

Here I am looking directly at the mouth and the Southern Ocean. You can just make out the rolling surf in the distance.

 I then looked down to capture some lovely sand designs.

At the end of the beach was an interpretation sign explaining the spiritual significance of this section of the Coorong to the traditional owners of the land: the Ngarrindjeri.

Photo source: Richard Brown DWLBC

On our way back to the car I pondered how this bountiful coast would have looked like when the Ngarrindjeri roamed freely.

Apart from the dredging, not that much different really ...