Here's a piece of trivia to conjure with. Beachport was not named because of its proximity to the sea. In the earliest days, before European settlement, it was known as 'Wirmalngrang' to the local Booandik Aborigines. The first European into the area was Nicholas Baudin in 1802 who named it Rivoli after the Duke of Rivoli who had helped Napoleon defeat the Austrians at Rivoli in northern Italy in 1796. By the early years of the 19th century the bay was being used by whalers and by 1845 Captain Emmanuel Underwood had built a store and was trading with merchants in Port Adelaide.
One of the characteristics of the area is the shallowness of the waters offshore. This accounts for the town's jetty which, at 772 metres, is one of the longest in Australia. It was commenced in 1878 and the plan was to build it nearly 1300 metres long.
Today the town is sustained by a combination of fishing (this is an excellent crayfish area) and tourism. It is a charming centre with plenty of good walks and interesting historic sites.
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