Holiday houses in Normanville

The little town of Normanville sits on a beautiful long beach on the rugged coast of South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. It’s on the main road to the tip of the peninsula, around two-thirds of the way from Adelaide to Cape Jervis, where the car ferries depart for Kangaroo Island. Turn off the highway at Normanville and you’ll find a wide main street with a couple of lovely mid-19th-century buildings. Beyond this small shopping strip, a tree-lined road leads to an old timber jetty that juts from a beach that runs more than 7 kilometres around the bay. Head northeast along the beach and you’ll end up at Carrickalinga, a popular resort village. Down the coast you’ll find a couple of challenging golf courses, with another well-regarded golf course inland at neighbouring Yankalilla.

Come in summer to make the most of Normanville’s gorgeous beach and coastal lifestyle. You’ll enjoy dry, warm days from the start of summer until early autumn, although the nights still tend to be brisk even in the hottest months. Normanville is popular with holidaymakers from Adelaide, especially around the summer school holidays, from the middle of December until the end of January. When school’s back in you’ll still have plenty of glorious summer days throughout February. In April, Festival Fleurieu celebrates the arts as well as the region’s great food and wine, with events in Yankalilla and Normanville. The festival wraps up with the Beach Fleurieu family day on Normanville Beach. You can also sample locally grown food on the first Saturday of each month at the Normanville Farmers Market.

Ingalalla Falls

This bushland waterfall is hidden in the Second Valley Forest Reserve, a 15-minute drive inland from Normanville. From the reserve’s car park, it’s around a 20-minute walk along a creek to the lower falls. You’ll have to tackle a difficult track up a steep incline to reach the upper falls.

Ancient sand dunes

The township of Normanville is nestled behind a long bank of sand dunes that are around 5,000 years old. You can explore the heritage-listed dune system, which is home to several significant sites for the local Kaurna and Ramindjeri peoples, on foot from town or via the beach.

Dive an artificial reef

Considered one of the country’s best dive sites, the wreck of HMAS Hobart, a former navy destroyer, has formed an artificial reef off the coast southwest of Normanville. The ship lies within the Encounter Marine Park protection zone, which extends all the way down the peninsula and across to Kangaroo Island.