If you’re looking for a fascinating mix of maritime history, wildlife encounters, and industrial scenery, the Port River Dolphin and Shipwreck Cruise is one of Adelaide’s most unique adventures. Departing from the heart of historic Port Adelaide, this leisurely cruise offers the chance to glide along the Port River and explore the rich tapestry of South Australia’s maritime heritage, while watching for the resident pod of wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins that call the river home.
History of the Port River in South Australia
The Port River, located northwest of Adelaide in South Australia, has been central to the region’s maritime, industrial, and ecological history for nearly two centuries. Flowing through a tidal estuary system before entering the Gulf of St Vincent, the river’s sheltered waters made it a natural site for the development of Port Adelaide, South Australia’s first and primary port. Over time, the Port River has transformed from a pristine mangrove-lined waterway used by the Kaurna people into a hub of shipping, industry, and urban development — and, more recently, into a focus of conservation and renewal.
Long before European settlement, the Port River and its wetlands were vital to the Kaurna people, who called the area Yertabulti. It provided abundant fish, shellfish, and birdlife, as well as materials such as reeds and timber for shelter and tools. The tidal flats and mangroves were integral to their seasonal lifestyle, and the river served as a key travel route through their coastal lands.
Colonial Development
When British colonists arrived in 1836, they quickly recognised the importance of the river as a natural harbour for the fledgling colony of South Australia. However, the early settlers faced difficulties: the shallow and winding entrance made navigation challenging, and ships had to anchor offshore while goods were ferried to the shore through swamps and mudflats. To overcome this, a causeway and wharf constructed in the 1840s, established the formal Port of Adelaide. This development spurred rapid growth, with warehouses, shipyards, and customs facilities rising along the banks. By the mid-19th century, Port Adelaide was known as the “Gateway to South Australia,” handling nearly all of the colony’s imports and exports, from wool and wheat to machinery and migrants.
Industrialsation
The river’s industrial era truly began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The surrounding area became home to gasworks, oil refineries, and shipbuilding yards, notably at Osborne and Birkenhead. The construction of the Outer Harbor in 1903 further enhanced the port’s capacity, allowing deep-draught ships to dock safely. During both World Wars, the Port River supported naval operations, with shipyards producing and repairing vessels for the Royal Australian Navy.
Industrialisation, however, came at an environmental cost. Decades of pollution, dredging, and habitat destruction severely degraded the river’s ecosystems. By the 1970s, mangrove forests had been reduced, water quality had declined, and marine life had diminished. Public concern in the late 20th century led to environmental reforms, including the establishment of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary in 2005, which protects a population of resident Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins — one of the few such urban dolphin populations in the world.
The Port River Today
Today, the Port River reflects both its industrial heritage and its ecological renewal. The historic Port Adelaide precinct retains 19th-century warehouses and wharves now adapted for tourism, museums, and waterfront living. Ongoing restoration projects aim to improve water quality and restore wetlands, balancing economic use with conservation. The Port River thus tells the story of South Australia’s maritime beginnings, its industrial rise, and a growing recognition of the need to protect and sustain the natural environments that once made it thrive.
Port River Dolphin and Shipwreck Cruise
The cruise begins at the wharf near the red Port Adelaide Lighthouse, just a short walk from the South Australian Maritime Museum. Boarding takes place near the Commercial Road Bridge, where friendly crew members welcome you aboard and share insights into the river’s history. We were lucky and a dolphin was swimming around the boat as we started off. Unfortunately, this particular three-year old was killed several weeks later (late September 2025) by a propeller strike). This was despite there being strict speed and distance limits to the dolphins.
The cruise heads north through the calm, tidal waters of the Port River, passing alongside historic wharves and massive grain silos that still service international shipping. On one bank lies the Adelaide Brighton Cement plant and the Osborne shipyards, where the next generation of Australian naval vessels is under construction. These modern facilities contrast strikingly with the century-old warehouses and cranes that once handled South Australia’s wool, wheat, and minerals bound for Europe.
As you move further downstream, the scenery shifts from industrial to natural. The boat enters the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, a protected marine area established in 2005 to safeguard the local dolphin population and their fragile mangrove habitat. Here, we saw more dolphins near the boat as well as Rocket.
The Ships’ Graveyard
The next highlight is the Ship’s Graveyard, located near Garden Island. Beneath and above the surface lie more than 20 historic shipwrecks dating from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries.
Wreck of the Santiago
One of the most recognisable is the Santiago, an iron barque built in Methil, Scotland in 1856. It ended its service and operated as a coal hulk in Port Adelaide from 1901, before being abandoned in the North Arm in August 1945. The hull was one of the oldest intact iron hull sailing ships in the world until part of its central section collapsed in 2023. half-submerged and coated with mangrove growth, creating an eerie but beautiful landscape of decaying metal and thriving life.
Wreck of the Sunbeam
The three masted barque Sunbeam was built at Kircaldy, Scotland in 1857 by John Brown and Company. After a number of ownership changes and many years trading internationally, the Sunbeam was converted into a coal hulk in Melbourne in 1886. Shortly afterwards it relocated to Port Adelaide to serve as a general-purpose hulk within the port. Abandoned in the Graveyard circa 10 October 1910, Sunbeam was the first iron vessel placed there.
Many of these wrecks were deliberately scuttled after their working days ended, forming an accidental reef system now teeming with fish and birdlife.
What Did We Think?
Cruising the Port River allowed us to see not only dolphins but many shipwrecks among the mangroves. During the 90-minute tour we also saw the workings of the port from its grain terminals to fishing fleet. Its industrial side and history sit side by side with the natural environment, which is managed better now than in the past. Although viewing dolphins is not guaranteed, we were lucky as Rocket followed us for most of the tour. This was a fantastic way to see the Port River its wildlife and some interesting shipwrecks.
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