Bonnies of Beachport South-East review | SA’s Great Travel Planner

Take the coastal route from Adelaide to Beachport, enjoying the scenery and visiting small towns along the way.

It’s always holiday time in Beachport; or so I assume, since it’s already nearly March and there’s a massive Norfolk pine on the foreshore with giant candy canes and decorations hanging from it. Hey, the kids may be back at school but who says fun times are over?

I can see the tree, one of many that line the main street of this small Limestone Coast town, from the comfort of my leather recliner as I lie back in this holiday apartment after the drive from Adelaide.

It’s been a beautiful day. We’ve taken the coastal route, stopping at Meningie on Lake Albert near the Murray mouth and then following the Coorong down. Then we’ve popped into the curiously named Kingston SE (for South-East, apparently, to differentiate it from Kingston-on-Murray), to Robe and now Beachport.

So far the drive (given diversions and the odd wrong turn) has been around 470km, so I am a little weary, and on finding our overnight accommodation, right opposite the waterfront, it is time to put my feet up. Literally. The recliner goes back all the way like a big bed, so I can see the protected milky blue waters of Rivoli Bay between my toes.

Bonnies of Beachport, 1 Railway Terrace, Beachport, SA.

The apartment is upstairs in a block of six, designed by architect Ian Hannaford, and so new that they hadn’t quite got the lift working.

There’s definitely a strong nautical theme going, with the outside of the two-storey building clad in cypress wood, a theme continued inside.

The floor of our upstairs room has a lime-washed oak look, complemented by a timber dining table, coffee table and desk.

Even the shower has mock-wooden wall tiles, and the bedside lamps are sawn-off pieces of pink gum, with recycled wool store timber elsewhere.

It’s not overdone though. The bathroom, laundry and fully equipped kitchen are mostly neutral, in modern materials, and the large windows and a door leading out to a small veranda are all brushed aluminium.

Enjoy views of the sea from Bonnies of Beachport.

The main bedroom has a firm king bed, while the second bedroom, with two singles, is quite a tight space with just a few hooks and a small chest of drawers for storage.

The main living area is a kind of triangle, to maximise the views on the block, and it’s fitted with plenty of chairs for a family of four – a couple of cane chairs and a small coffee table at one end, a pair of leather recliners and a two-seater recliner settee in front of the big-screen TV equipped with Netflix; and a round dining table with seating for six. As well, there’s a bunch of board games, cards etc for a rainy day.

Beachport itself is quiet when we visit, after the school holidays, so there’s not much traffic on the big roundabout in front of the units and at the end of the main street. In any case the soundproofing seems good, and car noise does not intrude.

The location means it’s perfectly positioned for a walk across to the state’s second-longest jetty (772m) out into the large bay or a stroll next door into the town’s original pub, from which you can eat and drink at Bompas restaurant while watching the fishing action on the jetty. If you’re a seafood fan you’re in luck, since this is home to some of the rock lobster fishing fleet.

A quick drive out of the main part of town takes you to some wild dunes and vantage points from which to take in the roaring surf of the Southern Ocean. Or, for something quieter, there’s the Pool of Siloam, seven times saltier than the sea and reputedly good for buoyancy and curing aches and pains. It looked a little green and full of ducks the day we visit, though.

Beachport has a quiet charm – like Robe used to be, some locals say. Judging by the picture in the historical society museum of the main street at the turn of the last century, it seems relatively unaffected by the passing of time. But what is certainly new is Bonnies apartments where, with your feet up, the holidays can go on forever.

Reviews are unannounced and paid for by SAWeekend.

This review was first published in February 2017 and details updated in March 2021.

• 1 Railway Tce, Beachport
• 0408 482 899 or 0407 186 983
• bonniesofbeachport.com
• [e-mail]
• LOCATION Beachport. Overlooking town beach and jetty. About 379km southeast of Adelaide on the Limestone Coast.
• ACCOMMODATION Six luxury two-bedroom apartments with water views, one wheelchair-accessible, and dog-friendly options.
• FACILITIES King bed, two singles, Egyptian cotton sheets, free Wi-Fi, two flat-screen TVs, Netflix and Chromecast, Nespresso machine, dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer, RC/airconditioning, bathroom with under floor heating, lift, parking, board games, cards, deckchair for beach. Gas log fire in apartments 3 and 6.
• PRICE $230 (minimum stay two nights) or $280 one night (varies with seasons and individual apartments).