American River, a tiny village on the magnificently unspoiled Kangaroo Island, just 3 hours by road and ferry from South Australia’s bustling capital, Adelaide, is in a magical natural world of its own. Although the local population of the entire island is comprised mainly of its abundant wildlife, we humans are catered to in grand style in the many American River accommodation options and other Kangaroo Island accommodation that dot the island. These range from simple campgrounds to luxurious eco resorts.
How did American River get its strange name? The town of American River rests against an estuary, not a river. Its name is derived from its first visitors, American sealers who camped out there for 4 months in 1803 and built a schooner, the Independence, from lumber they milled from local trees. These first arrivals are now memorialized by a plaque. What they may have called the "American River" is actually Eastern Cove and not a river at all.
The first officially recognized settler in American River was Frank Potts, who settled there in 1842. Later Potts moved back to the mainland and established a vineyard in Langhorne Creek. Just two years after Potts’ arrival, a boat builder by the name of John Buick built the first house in American River. In the late 1890s, a fish cannery was built, but it didn’t last long. Other industries attempted on Kangaroo Island included gypsum mining, but the island has always remained relatively unexploited.
Today, the two main industries on Kangaroo Island are oyster farming and tourism. It remains remarkably pristine, which is its primary attraction for tourists. If you choose to stay in American River, you don’t have to go past your doorstep to immerse yourself in nature. A bird lover’s paradise, there is an abundance of bird life on the estuary and further afield, dozens of species of wildlife, some of which can be found nowhere else on earth.
Is there nightlife in American River? If you love nature, the "nightlife" is fantastic and organized tours are available that make it possible for you to see the best of it. One of the more popular night time attractions in American River is to view the little penguins at Penneshaw.
Daytime attractions, too, are largely natural. Some of the bird species found on the island include the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo, Black Swans, pelicans, Cape Barren Geese and others that make Kangaroo Island a world renowned bird watcher’s destination.
Many of the estimated 56 species of water birds inside Eastern Cove use the cove’s many small islands as their breeding grounds. The waters of the cove, too, abound with wildlife. They are now protected waters, thus ensuring their survival into the future.
If you’re looking for highrises and discothèques, you’ll have to look elsewhere. American River is for lovers of the great outdoors. Don’t worry, though, you won’t be left out in the cold. You can enjoy everything Kangaroo Island has to offer in comfort. Next time you’re in South Australia, put American River on your list of "must see" destinations.
In 1802 a British and a French explorer set foot on Kangaroo Island, an island in the south of Australia. They discovered the land, naming areas and mapping it out. The island was full of kangaroos, an animal they had never seen before. At first the men and their crews easily hunted these large, dark animals since the kangaroos were not scared of the humans, using the kangaroo meat regularly for steak and soup. The island’s name comes from the abundance of the animals that were seen on the land.
