Granite Island, Recreation island in Victor Harbor, South Australia.
Granite Island is a rocky island off Victor Harbor with distinctive granite formations covered in orange lichen and multiple viewpoints throughout the landscape. A 2.9-kilometer walking trail circles the island, allowing visitors to explore the rock formations and coastal views at their own pace.
The granite rocks on the island formed during the Paleozoic era approximately 480 million years ago and were exposed through erosion over immense time periods. Ocean waves and rainfall gradually wore away the surrounding material, revealing the rocky formations visitors see today.
The island is home to a colony of around 150 juvenile blue penguins that spend their days hunting in the water and return to their nests at dusk. Visitors can watch these birds in their natural setting, especially during breeding season.
You can reach the island on foot by walking across a causeway or by riding the historic horse-drawn tram that runs daily. The best visiting conditions are on calm days, as the tram stops operating during strong winds and rough weather.
From May to October, southern right whales and humpback whales pass through the waters around the island during their migration, using this area as a breeding and nursery ground. This seasonal movement makes it one of the continent's major whale migration routes.
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