# Guichen Bay

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Bay in Limestone Coast, South Australia

Guichen Bay The Robe Obelisk Guichen Bay Location in South Australia Location Limestone Coast, South Australia Coordinates 37°7′14″S 139°45′58″E / 37.12056°S 139.76611°E / -37.12056; 139.76611[1] Type Bay Basin countries Australia Max. length 6 km (3.7 mi)[2] Max. width 3.4 km (2.1 mi)[2] Max. depth 11.3 m (37 ft)[2] Settlements Robe

**Guichen Bay**, (locally [/ˈɡiːʃən/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English) [*GHEE-shən*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Pronunciation_respelling_key), [French](/source/French_language): Baie de Guichen) is a [bay](/source/Bay) located on the south-east coast of the Australian state of [South Australia](/source/South_Australia) about 115 kilometres (71 miles) northwest of the regional city of [Mount Gambier](/source/Mount_Gambier%2C_South_Australia) and about 270 kilometres (170 miles) south-southeast of the state capital of [Adelaide](/source/Adelaide_city_centre). It was named in 1802 by the [Baudin expedition of 1800-03](/source/Baudin_expedition_to_Australia) after [Luc Urbain de Bouëxic, comte de Guichen](/source/Luc_Urbain_de_Bou%C3%ABxic%2C_comte_de_Guichen). The town of [Robe](/source/Robe%2C_South_Australia) is located at the southern end of the bay.

## Extent and description

 Robe Lighthouse

 Aerial view of Robe

Guichen Bay lies between Cape Thomas at its northern extremity and Cape Dombey at its southern extremity on the south-east coast of South Australia. The east side of the bay which runs for a distance of about 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) to the south of Cape Thomas is formed by a sandy beach known as Long Beach. The bay’s south shore consists of ‘rocky points and sandy bays’ with ‘drying rocks extend a short distance offshore’. Within the bay, the water depth ranges from 9.1 m (30 ft) to 11 m (36 ft) over a large part of the bay.[3] A rocky point known as Boatswain Point projects south for a distance of about 0.75 nautical miles (1.39 km; 0.86 mi) to the east southeast of Cape Thomas while at the south end of the bay, there is a rocky point known as Robe Point.[2][4]

A number of [navigation aids](/source/Navigation_aid) are located around Cape Dombey at the bay’s south end. These consist of a lighthouse known as the Robe Lighthouse on Cape Dombey, a flashing light located near Commodore Point on the ocean coastline to the immediate south of Cape Dombey, and two lights within the bay - a light marking the end of the breakwater at the entrance of the Lake Butler marina in Robe and a flashing light near Robe Point. Prior to the erection of the Robe Lighthouse in 1972, the sole navigational aid available for navigating in Robe was a [Daymark](/source/Daymark) in the form of an obelisk painted with red and white bands which is known as the Robe Obelisk.[4][5][6]

## History

The [Bungandidj people](/source/Bungandidj_people) were living in the Robe region prior to the arrival of Europeans.

The bay was first charted in 1802 by [Baudin](/source/Nicolas_Baudin) and [Péron](/source/Fran%C3%A7ois_P%C3%A9ron) of the [Baudin expedition](/source/Baudin_expedition_to_Australia). Baudin named the bay Ances des Albatross, but this was revised after his death, in [Freycinet](/source/Louis_de_Freycinet)'s publication, to Guichen Bay to honour French war hero [Luc Urbain de Bouëxic, comte de Guichen](/source/Luc_Urbain_de_Bou%C3%ABxic%2C_comte_de_Guichen).[7]

In the 1830s, Bungandidj woman "Black Maggie" was the first indigenous inhabitant encountered by European men, probably whalers, sealers or sailors visiting the area several years before the [Province of South Australia](/source/British_colonisation_of_South_Australia) was proclaimed.[8]

## Ports and other settlements

Robe is the sole [settlement](/source/Human_settlement) and port in Guichen Bay. Its infrastructure consists of a jetty and a marina complete with a protective breakwater.[4][6]

## Protected areas

The following [protected areas](/source/Protected_areas) respectively include and adjoin the bay’s extent: the [Upper South East Marine Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Upper_South_East_Marine_Park&action=edit&redlink=1) and the [Guichen Bay Conservation Park](/source/Guichen_Bay_Conservation_Park).[9][10]

## Citations and references

### Citations

1. **[^](#cite_ref-gazateer_1-0)** ["Guichen Bay"](https://www.ga.gov.au/place-name/PlaceDetails.jsp?submit1=SA0028361). *[Gazetteer of Australia](/source/Gazetteer_of_Australia) online*. [Geoscience Australia](/source/Geoscience_Australia), Australian Government.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-chart5_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-chart5_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-chart5_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-chart5_2-3) DMH, 1985, chart 5

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*Sailing Directions (Enroute),*Pub. 175:*North, West, and South Coasts of Australia*](https://msi.nga.mil/api/publications/download?key=16694491/SFH00000/Pub175bk.pdf&type=view) (PDF). *[Sailing Directions](/source/Sailing_Directions)*. [United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency](/source/National_Geospatial-Intelligence_Agency). 2017. p. 229.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BIAp181_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BIAp181_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-BIAp181_4-2) BIA, 2005, page 181

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["The Robe Lighthouse"](http://www.lighthouses.org.au/lights/SA/Robe/Robe.htm). Lighthouses of Australia Inc. Retrieved 27 October 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-marina_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-marina_6-1) ["Lake Butler Marina"](http://www.council.robe.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=302). District Council of Robe. Retrieved 27 October 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Property Location Browser (search for 'Guichen Bay')"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/). Department of Transport Planning and Infrastructure. Archived from [the original](http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/) on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Robes History"](https://www.robe.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Robes_History.pdf) (PDF).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["MARINE PARK 18, Upper South East"](http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/9c61898b-f387-4cd4-ab6e-a117012727a9/mp-gen-map-18a-uppersoutheast.pdf) (PDF). Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. Retrieved 27 October 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NPWS_10-0)** NPWS, 1994, page 4

### References

- Boating Industry Association of South Australia (BIA); South Australia. Department for Environment and Heritage (2005), *South Australia's waters an atlas & guide*, Boating Industry Association of South Australia, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-86254-680-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-86254-680-6)

- South Australia. Department of Marine and Harbors (DMH) (1985), *The Waters of South Australia a series of charts, sailing notes and coastal photographs*, Dept. of Marine and Harbors, South Australia, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7243-7603-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7243-7603-2)

- National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) (1994). [*Small Coastal Parks of the South East Management Plan*](http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/b92dc434-54d2-410c-b414-9e4f00b1f557/PARKS_PDFS_SML_COAST_PKS_SE_MP.pdf) (PDF). National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Environment and Planning, South Australia. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7308-4651-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7308-4651-2). Retrieved 29 July 2014.

v t e Limestone Coast, South Australia Cities Mount Gambier Towns and localities Allendale East Beachport Bordertown Cape Jaffa Carpenter Rocks Coonawarra Donovans Furner Glencoe Greenways Kalangadoo Kingston SE Keith Kongorong Lucindale Millicent Moorak Mount Benson Mount Burr Mundulla Nangwarry Naracoorte OB Flat Padthaway Penola Port MacDonnell Rendelsham Robe Southend Tantanoola Tarpeena Wandilo Wolseley Wrattonbully Yahl Governance Federal division Division of Barker State electoral districts Electoral district of MacKillop Electoral district of Mount Gambier Local Government City of Mount Gambier District Council of Grant District Council of Robe Kingston District Council Naracoorte Lucindale Council Tatiara District Council Wattle Range Council Hills, mountains and volcanoes Mount Benson Mount Gambier Mount Schank Caves, sinkholes and freshwater lakes Blanche Cave Blue Lake Cave Gardens Engelbrecht Ewens Ponds Fossil Cave Lake Bonney SE Little Blue Lake Piccaninnie Ponds Valley Lake Islands Baudin Rocks Penguin Coastal features Cape Banks Cape Jaffa Cape Northumberland Discovery Bay (part only) Guichen Bay Lacepede Bay Margaret Brock Reef Rivoli Bay Protected areas National parks Canunda Coorong (southern end only) Naracoorte Caves Conservation parks Aberdour Baudin Rocks Bangham Beachport Belt Hill Big Heath Butchers Gap Calectasia Carpenter Rocks Christmas Rocks Custon Desert Camp Dingley Dell Douglas Point Ewens Ponds Fairview Furner Geegeela Glen Roy Gower Grass Tree Guichen Bay Gum Lagoon Hacks Lagoon Hanson Scrub Jip Jip Kungari Lake Frome Lake Hawdon South Lake St Clair Little Dip Lower Glenelg River Mary Seymour Mount Monster Mount Scott Mullinger Swamp Nene Valley Ngarkat Padthaway Paranki Lagoon Penambol Penguin Island Penola Piccaninnie Ponds Pine Hill Soak Reedy Creek Talapar Tantanoola Caves Telford Scrub Tilley Swamp Vivigani Ardune Woakwine Wolseley Common Game reserves Bool Lagoon Bucks Lake Lake Robe Poocher Swamp Conservation reserves Desert Camp Bernouilli Hardings Springs Marine parks Upper South East Lower South East Related and uncategorised Limestone Coast zone Coonawarra Mount Benson Mount Gambier Robe Padthaway Wrattonbully

v t e Coastal bays and inlets of South Australia West coast Anxious Baird Coffin Denial Fowlers Head of the Bight Laura Murat Sceale Sleaford Fishery Smoky Streaky Tourville Venus Spencer Gulf Arno Blanche Harbor False Germein Hardwicke Lipson Cove Louth Lucky Memory Moonta Pondalowie Tumby Wallaroo Investigator Strait Emu Marion Nepean Pelican Lagoon Bay of Shoals Eastern Cove Western Cove Smith Stenhouse Stokes Kangaroo Island south and west coasts D'Estrees Maupertuis Moncrieff Pink Seal Vivonne Gulf St Vincent Aldinga Barker Inlet Holdfast Rapid Wool Backstairs Passage Antechamber Cuttlefish South east coast Discovery (part) Racecourse Encounter Guichen Lacepede Nora Creina Rivoli Mainland Murray River Loveday Category

v t e Australian places named by French explorers in the 18th and 19th centuries South Australia Cape Bedout Cape Borda Cape Bouguer Cape Carnot Casuarina Islets (Îlots du Cassuarina) Cape du Couedic D'Estrees Bay (Baie d'Estrées) Dorothee Island (Île Dorothée) Fenelon Island Fleurieu Peninsula Cape Forbin Cape Gantheaume Guichen Bay (Baie de Guichen) Jussieu Peninsula Lacepede Bay Masillon Island Maupertuis Bay (Baie Maupertuis) Ravine des Casoars Rivoli Bay (Baie de Rivoli) Cape Thevenard Veteran Isles (Île du Vétéran) Vivonne Bay (Baie Vivonne) Western Australia Adele Island Bernier Island Bonaparte Archipelago Bonaparte Gulf Cape Bossut Cape Bouvard Cape Clairault Faure Island Cape Freycinet Freycinet Harbour Gantheaume Point Geographe Bay Hamelin Pool Institut Islands Cape Keraudren Lagrange Bay Lancelin Island Cape Latouche Treville Legendre Island Cape Leveque L'Haridon Bight Cape Mentelle Middle Island (Îles du Milieu) Montalivet Islands Montebello Islands Cape Naturaliste Peron Peninsula Recherche Archipelago (Archipel de la Recherche) Taillefer Isthmus Thevenard Island Only places with the name still in use in either the original or anglicised version are listed above. Many names have been anglicised; for these the original French name appears in brackets.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Guichen Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guichen_Bay) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guichen_Bay?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.