Where Is The Fleurieu Peninsula?

The word “peninsula” is derived from two Latin words. These words are paene which means “almost” and insula which means “island”. From these two words, a peninsula can be defined as a geographical feature where a portion of land is enclosed by water for most of the land’s border, but there is a connection between the land and the mainland from which it originates. A peninsula can be simply defined as a piece of land that is almost an island. Some meandering rivers can also form peninsulas especially if the bend they meander is tight enough.

The Fleurieu Peninsula

The Fleurieu Peninsula is a peninsula that is located in Australia in a state called South Australia. The exact boundary of the peninsula has not been officially gazetted by the government, however, estimates are available. Generally, it is sandwiched by the Gulf of St. Vincent and the Southern Ocean. The boundary of the peninsula is approximated to be a line from Middleton, on the eastern side, to Aldinga, which is the southern part of the Aldinga Bay. This demarcation is only a rough estimate by the Geographical Names Advisory Committee back in the year 2001. As such, this boundary should not be used officially by anyone.

To further clarify the location of the peninsula, it is crucial to understand the towns and other features that are neighbors or a part of the region. Several cities are located on the peninsula including Willunga, Normanville, Rapid Bay, Victor Harbor, Normanvilee, and Yankalilla. There are only two districts in the region namely Hindmarsh Valley and Inman Valley. Cape Jervis is roughly located at the tip of the peninsula.

Naming of the Peninsula

The name Fleurieu belongs to an ancient French explorer and hydrographer. The full name of the traveler was Charles Pierre Claret de Fleurieu. The name was not officially adopted by the French leadership until the year 1911 when Count Alphonse de Fleurieu, a descendant of Charles Pierre Claret de Fleurieu, made a representation to the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia. The society then went on ahead to make a recommendation to the government of South Australia. In the recommendation, the society proposed that places found to the south of Australia that were discovered by Mathew Flinders but were unnamed, be named as per the names provided by Nicolas Baudin’s expedition.

Tousism

Located in Australia, the beautiful temperature combined with the coast make up a spectacular destination. Today, the region has developed into a beautiful tourist and recreation destination. A ferry makes the trip from the tip of the peninsula to the popular Kangaroo Island. The area also provides some of the best wine and food in the state.