Port MacDonnell, South Australia

Port MacDonnell South Australia
View West to Port Macdonnell from Racecourse Bay
Port MacDonnell
Coordinates	38°03′0″S 140°41′0″E / 38.05000°S 140.68333°E / -38.05000; 140.68333Coordinates: 38°03′0″S 140°41′0″E / 38.05000°S 140.68333°E / -38.05000; 140.68333
Population	623 (2006 census)
Postcode(s)	5291
Location	395 km (245 mi) SE of Adelaide 26 km (16 mi) S of Mount Gambier 32 km (20 mi) W of Nelson, Victoria (Vic.)
LGA(s)	District Council of Grant
Region	Limestone Coast
County	County of Grey
State electorate(s)	Mount Gambier
Federal Division(s)	Barker
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 19.0 °C 66 °F 8.2 °C 47 °F 708.4 mm 27.9 in
Localities around Port MacDonnell: Cape Douglas Allendale East Eight Mile Creek Cape Douglas Port MacDonnell Eight Mile Creek Ocean Ocean Racecourse Bay Ocean
Footnotes	Locations Climate Adjoining localities

Port MacDonnell is the southernmost town in South Australia. The small port located on the Great Australian Bight in the Limestone Coast region about 477 kilometres (296 mi) southeast of Adelaide and 28 kilometres (17 mi) south of Mount Gambier in the District Council of Grant local government area had a population of 623 in the 2006 census.

Once a busy shipping port, the town now relies heavily on its fishing and summer tourism industries, particularly rock lobster harvest industry, proclaiming itself "Australia's Southern Rock Lobster Capital".

The area was originally inhabited by the Bungandidj Aborigines.

The first Europeans to see the area were led by explorer Lieutenant James Grant in HMS Lady Nelson on 3 December 1800. In 1860 the area was proclaimed an official port, was given a name, and was surveyed. It is named after Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell who was Governor of South Australia from 1855 to 1862.

In the 1880s, it was one of Australia's busiest ports, shipping large quantities of wheat and wool to Europe.

The port was, however, exposed to the weather and the site of many shipwrecks. Across the border in Portland, Victoria, 85 km southeast, is a much more sheltered port.

The following have been listed as state heritage places on the South Australian Heritage Register - the Cape Northumberland Lighthouse, the Dingley Dell Museum and the Former Port MacDonnell customs house.