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An update from Evaneos
Victor Harbor

Victor Harbor (Australia)

Practical information about Victor Harbor

  • Family
  • Encounters with locals
  • Beach / Seaside Resort
  • Nature Reserve / Wildlife Observation / Safari
  • Island
  • Viewpoint
  • Extreme Sports
  • Port
  • Water Sports
  • Off the beaten track
4 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
1 hour by road from Adelaide.
When to go
All year round
Minimum stay
One day

Reviews of Victor Harbor

Sophie Liger Travel writer
53 travel articles

A small town located just a few tens of kilometres from Adelaide.

My suggestion:
Half a day is all you need to have a good look around Victor Harbour.
Summary:

Victor Harbour lies about an hour from Adelaide by car. The most interesting thing to do here is visit the island reached via a wooden walkway. Once there you can go for a walk around it, which makes for a pleasant hike, and spend some time clambering around the rocks that run along the ocean's edge. If you're visiting at the right time of year and luck's on your side, you may get to see little penguins all over the island … they're just so cute!

If you happen to make a stop at Adelaide when you're in Australia and feel like getting out of the city for a while when there, Victor Harbour is a good option to consider. But don't plan on spending more than half a day here. It's a relatively small town, and I personally didn't find it a particularly exceptional place. Apart from the penguins, I don't remember there being anything unforgettable or essential to see here.

Victor Harbour
Lisa Gaillard Travel writer
49 travel articles

Situated on the magnificent Fleurieu Peninsula, Victor Harbor is THE holiday destination for people who live in Adelaide, (84 km north). It's the perfect holiday spot for water sports lovers.

My suggestion:
An ideal day at Victor Harbor begins with cakes at the bakery, followed by surfing on Middleton, Goolwa or Boomer Beach and then finishes with a trip to the penguins on Granite Island.
Summary:

Victor Harbor is an old whale fishing port. Nature lovers only go to Victor Harbor, to embark for Kangaroo Island (only 45 minutes by boat) which is famous for its wild life. The centre of Victor Harbor is connected to Granite Island by a long pedestrian causeway. You can go to this barren island on foot or by the horse drawn tram. There is a colony of penguins (which, nowadays, is reducing). The best time to observe them is at dusk, thanks to the guided trip organised by Granite Island Eco Tour. If you are there in the correct season, from June to September, you can also see the whales. There are lots of beaches at Victor Harbor and Port Elliot. Port Elliot's beaches are good for surfing and body boarding, and those of Victor Harbor, especially towards The Bluff are better for swimming.

As I stayed for in Adelaide for several weeks I was able to live like a proper Australian. I went couchsurfing and spent Christmas with my host and his Australian friends on the Fleurieu Peninsula. They had rented a villa near The Bluff, only 7 km from Victor Harbor. The Bluff, which used to be mined, is a hill advancing towards the sea. I remember the residential area around The Bluff for the kangaroos lazing in its straw yellow fields under a blue sky.

 I shared all their sporting actvities: sea kayaking, body boarding, body surfing, fishing... Thanks to them I not only explored beaches with enormous waves like Middletown, Goolwa, Boomer Beach and Knights Beach at Port Elliot, but also the delicious cakes at its famous bakery. One evening, after a great fish and chips supper, I wanted to go and watch the penguins on Granite Island. Unfortunately, I missed the guided tour by a few minutes and the grille that protects the entrance to the island was shut. However, I managed to see a few penguins from the causeway. On New Year's Eve there were magnificent fireworks at midnight which lit up Granite Island and Victor Harbor. Obviously, they weren't like the ones in Sydney but I have great memories of them nonetheless!

View of the coast from Victor Harbor