Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Kingston District Council area were the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates primarily from the 1840s, with land used mainly for grazing. Population was minimal until the 1850s when the township of Kingston SE was established. Considerable growth took place from the 1860s into the late 1800s, aided by the establishment of the port and the opening of the railway line. Fishing then became an important industry. Expansion resumed during the immediate post-war years, largely due to the soldier settlement scheme. Population growth occurred during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly around Kingston SE. The population of the Council area was relatively stable between 1991 and 2006 at about 2,200 people, and then declined slightly to about 2,100 in 2011.

Land use

The Kingston District Council area is predominantly rural, with a small township at Kingston SE, and small coastal holiday and permanent communities at Cape Jaffa, Pinks Beach and Wyomi. The Council area encompasses a total land area of about 3,300 square kilometres. Rural land is used largely for agriculture (particularly sheep and cattle grazing and crop farming), with some horticulture, viticulture and aquaculture (fishing and lobsters). Tourism is also an important industry.

Transport

The Kingston District Council area is served by the Princes Highway and the Southern Ports Highway.

Major features

• Major features of the Council area include Coorong National Park,
• Bernouilli Conservation Park,
• Butcher Gap Conservation Park,
• Desert Camp Conservation Park,
• Gum Lagoon Conservation Park,
• Jip Jip Conservation Park,
• Mount Scott Conservation Park,
• Tilley Swamp Conservation Park,
• Cape Jaffa,
• various beaches (including Cape Jaffa,
• Long Beach,
• Pinks Beach and Wyomi Beach),
• Cape Jaffa Anchorage,
• Lacepede Bay,
• Cape Jaffa Wines,
• Ralph Fowler Wines,
• Wangolina Wine Room,
• Kingston National Trust Museum,
• Cape Jaffa Lighthouse,
• Sundial of Human Involvement,
• Kingston Soldiers Memorial Hospital,
• Kingston SE Golf Club,
• Bert Baseley Memorial Park,
• Gall Park,
• Kingston Apex Park,
• Len Lampit Reserve and Kingston Airport.

Included areas