Renato Castello: It was only a shack at Carrickalinga, but it was heaven in summer

Snorkelling, fishing, and just goofing around at Carrickalinga was a recipe for wonderful summer memories, writes Renato Castello.

The crystal-clear water off Carrickalinga beach is an idyllic location for snorkelling and fishing.

As a teenager, I would spend summer holidays swimming with friends – what seemed hundreds of metres offshore – trying to catch fish with crude “spears” fashioned from fishing rods and topped with a knife that would hardly trouble a tommy ruff, let alone something bigger.

We would dive from the rocks, powered by adrenaline and flippers, in an always-vain attempt at skewering some lunch. The sight of a massive blue cod swimming by would get our hearts racing. An octopus almost dancing across rocks would compel us to dive deeper.

Carrickalinga – or Carrick – was the playground for my summer holidays thanks to a neighbour’s uncle, who had a simple brown-brick beachfront shack on what is now tightly held Gold Coast Drive, where property prices start from $1m.

Carrickalinga beach hasn’t changed much, even if the local real estate has. Picture: Renato Castello

The shack had a sea spray-corroded carport, worn carpets, squeaky floorboards, one airconditioner and, for many years, no TV. We played backyard cricket, read, listened to the radio or music (usually the previous year’s Triple J’s Hottest 100) or rode as a posse to Normanville bakery to buy a more-ish beesting cake.

Up to six of us would sleep in a granny flat out the back of the Carrick house. Our pyjamas were often the shorts we swam in that day. The adjoining outdoor toilet was flushed by pull chain and occupied by spiders.

Carrickalinga epitomised a carefree period, where time was an irrelevance (except when three of us got stranded at sea in a boat, with the sun setting, and had to be rescued, much to the disapproval of locals who met us on the beach).

The shack has been replaced with a two-storey property, able to accommodate the growing families of my friend – and his siblings – as they now create summer holiday memories for their own children.

Carrickalinga, 80km south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula, is a quaint village with limited holiday rental accommodation, particularly for those with pets, so booking early for the summer school holiday break is paramount.

But those who can secure lodging will enjoy arguably one of the most picturesque coastlines and beaches on the Fleurieu Peninsula, favoured by some of Adelaide’s prominent families.

It has a mix of properties, ranging from simple shacks to multimillion-dollar homes with cracking views across Yankalilla Bay.

Renato Castello now takes his own family – wife Liz and children Thomas and Florence – to Carrickalinga beach

Heading down to Carrickalinga. Picture: Renato Castello

It is especially ideal for families wanting a safe place for their children to swim as the shallow turquoise water can be still as a pond when the wind isn’t blowing – and it can blow.

The beach is divided into a north and south section, separated by Haycock Point, a photogenic volcanic rock outcrop which is a brilliant place for searching rockpools or learning how to snorkel. It’s guaranteed to help fill your Instagram feed.

Keep an eye out for dolphins that regularly swim close to shore in search of food.

Many people like to kayak near the rocks and drop a fishing line for whiting, flathead or squid. Alternatively, casting from the beach near Haycock Point will also deliver results.

The only dining option in Carrickalinga is the Forktree Brewery on Forktree Rd but there are takeaway shops, a pub and supermarket 2km down the road at Normanville, which is accessible by a largely flat bike track that runs along Carrickalinga Rd.

The Normanville Surf Lifesaving Club is also great for mixing with locals and visitors – when not affected by Covid restrictions.