Point Lowly Whyalla, South Australia | |||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 32°59′58″S 137°47′7″E / 32.99944°S 137.78528°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 34 (SAL 2021)[1] | ||||||||||||||
Postcode(s) | 5600 | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | ACST (UTC+9:30) | ||||||||||||||
• Summer (DST) | ACDT (UTC+10:30) | ||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | City of Whyalla | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | Giles[2] | ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Grey[3] | ||||||||||||||
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Point Lowly is the tip of a small peninsula north north-east of Whyalla in the Upper Spencer Gulf region of South Australia. The wider peninsula is shared by a combination of defence, industrial, residential, recreational and tourism interests. Port Bonython lies immediately to the north-west and is marked for future industrial expansion, driven by anticipated growth in the State's mining industry. The icons of the peninsula are the historic Point Lowly Lighthouse[4] and the mass breeding aggregation of Australian giant cuttlefish which occurs inshore each winter.
Point Lowly was named by Matthew Flinders during explorations in 1802. It also bears the lesser-known alternative name of Cap Lafontaine,[5] given by French explorer Nicolas Baudin during his explorations in the same period.
A boat-ramp exists north of the lighthouse for the benefit of commercial aquaculture operations and recreational users. Waters near Point Lowly include several popular grounds for snapper fishing.[6] The fishing of snapper in all South Australian waters is prohibited from 1 November through 15 December.[7]