From the historic port city there is a bridge access to Hindmarsh Island and the wetlands of Coorong National Park . The name Goolwa in the language of means Ngarrindjeri as much as elbows and describes the shape of the Murray River near the city.
history
For some time before 1837, consideration was given to establishing the capital of the colony in the area. The exploration was undertaken between 1839 and 1840 and a major town was designated near Currency Creek. At the place where Goolwa is today, a port with a large goods transshipment point was to be built. However, the current at the mouth of the Murray River proved insidious, making the place unsuitable for a large port. In 1853, Goolwa became Australia's first inland port when the rail link from Port Elliot was completed, thereby avoiding the dangerous Murray Estuary. The further expansion of the railroad inland, especially the direct connection from Adelaide to Morgan in 1878 and to Murray Bridge in 1886, competed with inland shipping along the Murray River and eventually replaced it. By 1913, 60 ships had been built in the Goolwa shipyards, including 37 paddle steamers . After the city lost its importance as a port and transshipment point, it made a living from agriculture and fishing, and over time it became a popular recreational area in the metropolis of Adelaide.
In 1940, the Goolwa Barrages were completed downstream of the city, which were supposed to prevent seawater from entering the Murray River further upstream during dry periods with little low water flow.
