It was once all about sailing ships bound for the Port to pick up slate and wheat, the slate from the Willunga hills graces great buildings in Melbourne and Sydney. But now times have changed Port Willunga still has a bustle about it, with new holiday homes perched high on the clay and limestone cliffs.

The blue gulf water below the cliffs and pristine sandy beach beckons. Aboriginal Kuarna people have significant links with the beach their dreaming warrior Tjibruke wept tears here creating fresh water springs along the beach. Watch the birds they will show you a fresh water spring when they dive down to take a drink. Carved out in the cliffs overlooking the beach are caves where fishermen once stored their boats and nets.

Another memorable event which happened at Port Willunga is the shipwreck of the Star of Greece, on Friday 13th July 1888, the three masted iron ship loaded with wheat bound for London, caught in a massive storm seventeen crew members drowned, nearby in the cemetery a obelisk commemorates one of state’s worst maritime tragedies. Still seen today are the remains of the once beautifully decorated three masted Star of Greece, lie to the north of the jetty.

More information regarding the shipwreck is available in the Aldinga Library.