The fishing town of Port Lincoln has a swagger you don’t often find in country towns. It has the feel of a place that’s about to take off, a tourism sector that seems set to blossom. The remote settlement of 15,000, seven hours’ drive from Adelaide, seems destined for growth – that is if it doesn’t run out of water.

Matthew Flinders was impressed with its “fine harbour” and pleasant climate when he sailed into Boston Bay in 1802. Port Lincoln was supposed to be South Australia’s capital, but due to a lack of reliable fresh water, Adelaide got the gig.