Victor Harbor is a large coastal town of 15,000 people (2018), 80 km south of Adelaide in South Australia. It is a very popular tourist destination, with the area's population greatly expanded during the summer holidays, usually by Adelaide locals looking to escape the summer heat. It is a popular destination with South Australian high school graduates for their end of year celebrations, known colloquially as "schoolies".
Spelling mistake?
No, Victor Harbor isn't a spelling mistake - or at least not one within recent memory. It's only spelled like that because it's an error in the early surveying of the town that has persisted to this day
Victor Harbor is tourist-oriented, and has many accommodation options, and some purpose-built visitor activities. It draws a weekend crowd from Adelaide, and some visitors from further afield. It caters for the schoolies after exams finish for the year so take this into account when selecting a time to visit.
Most people get to Victor Harbor by a 90-minute or so drive from Adelaide, but there is a coach service run by LinkSA (dead link: January 2023) from Adelaide Central Bus Station, Seaford Railway Station and Goolwa. Fares are $27.60/$13.80. You can switch to an airport bus at Marion Shopping Centre rather than in Adelaide City, but check the timetable as buses to Marion only go every hour or so.
The Steamranger runs the Southern Encounter service on Sundays twice monthly, departing from Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills, giving around 4 hours to explore the town. Adults $75, children 5 years and over $40. They also run a train to Goolwa Sundays, Wednesdays and every day during the school holidays. One way fares are available on request.
The Victor Harbor town is small enough to walk around. The shopping main shopping strip, cafes, and pubs are only a short walk to the fair and the causeway to Granite Island.
Parking can get a bit tight along the water, so once you have found a parking spot, best just to leave the car there and walk the rest.
Europcar have an agency operating out of the City Motel on Ocean Street, just off the main strip. They charge one-way fees to drive to Adelaide, but they may waive them if you talk to them directly.
Granite Island is undoubtedly the major attraction of the town. It is linked by a wooden causeway to the mainland. You can walk across the causeway in 15 minutes or so, or you can take a horse-drawn tram across. It is free to walk, but you have to pay for the tram.
Once you get to the island there is a walk that circles the island, and takes around 45 minutes. There are wildflowers, rock formations, and sea cliff views to see. There is a cafe/kiosk there too.
If you get the tram, it takes you further than just across the causeway. It travels around 200 m on the island, as far as the cafe and visitor's centre complex, so it does save you a substantial walk, although it doesn't really save you any time.
No cars or bicycles are allowed on the causeway. Disabled visitors can arrange for taxi access through to the cafe.
For the tourist town that it is, there are numerous accommodation options here. The country motels, B&Bs, hostels and rental accommodation.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division