# Nepean Bay

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Bay in South Australia

This article is about the bay in South Australia. For the associated locality, see [Nepean Bay, South Australia](/source/Nepean_Bay%2C_South_Australia). For the bay in Canada, see [Nepean Bay (Canada)](/source/Nepean_Bay_(Canada)).

Nepean Bay Nepean Bay Location in South Australia Location Kangaroo Island, South Australia Coordinates 35°40′57″S 137°44′43″E / 35.68250°S 137.74528°E / -35.68250; 137.74528[1] Type Bay Basin countries Australia Max. length 30 km (19 mi).[2] Max. width 30 km (19 mi)[2] Max. depth 13.4 m (44 ft)[2] Islands Busby Islet, Beatrice Islets Settlements Kingscote Cygnet River Brownlow KI Nepean Bay American River Baudin Beach Island Beach

**Nepean Bay** is a [bay](/source/Bay) located on the north-east coast of [Kangaroo Island](/source/Kangaroo_Island) in the [Australian state](/source/Australia) of [South Australia](/source/South_Australia) about 130 kilometres (81 miles) south-south-west of [Adelaide](/source/Adelaide). It was named by the British navigator, [Matthew Flinders](/source/Matthew_Flinders), after [Sir Evan Nepean](/source/Evan_Nepean) on 21 March 1802.

## Extent & description

Nepean Bay lies between [Point Marsden](/source/Point_Marsden) and [Kangaroo Head](/source/Kangaroo_Head) on the north-east coast of Kangaroo Island facing into [Investigator Strait](/source/Investigator_Strait). Nepean Bay itself includes the following [coastal](/source/Coastal) [inlets](/source/Inlets) from west to east - Bay of Shoals, Western Cove and Eastern Cove. Eastern Cove itself includes an inlet consisting of a channel known as American River and a lagoon system known as [Pelican Lagoon](/source/Pelican_Lagoon).[3]

### Bay of Shoals

The Bay of Shoals is a body of water which is located immediately north of the settlement of [Kingscote](/source/Kingscote%2C_South_Australia) and whose mouth is located between Cape Rouge in the north and Beatrice Point in the south over a distance of about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi). The bay has a maximum charted depth of 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in). Its mouth is bounded by a [spit](/source/Spit_(landform)) known as 'The Spit' which extends from Cape Rouge to within 0.5 nautical miles (0.93 km; 0.58 mi) of Beatrice Point, includes the islets of [Busby](/source/Busby_Islet) and [Beatrice](/source/Beatrice_Islets) and is reported as being exposed during local tides, i.e. ‘drying.’ Access for watercraft into the bay is via a natural channel at its southern end near Beatrice Point.[3][4][2]

### Kingscote Harbour

Kingscote Harbour is the sheltered water between Bay of Shoals and Western Cove. The harbour is sheltered by the [Beatrice Islets](/source/Beatrice_Islets), and it faces the northern part of the town of [Kingscote](/source/Kingscote%2C_South_Australia).[5]

### Western Cove

Western Cove is a body of water whose mouth is located between Beare Point in the west and Morrison Point in the east separated by a distance of about 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi). The cove has a maximum depth of about 10 metres (33 ft) at its mouth. Its shoreline is described as (distances in nautical miles):[3][2][6]

The S(outh) shore, between Morrison Point and a red cliffy point about 3 miles W, is high and rocky. A range of wooded hills along the S(outh) shore falls gradually to the W(est). Red cliffs extend about 1.5 miles W(est) from the red cliffy point, and from there to the head of the cove is a continuous sandy beach. The land at the head of the cove is low and swampy and continues so to Beare Point…

### Eastern Cove

Eastern Cove is the body of water whose mouth is located between Morrison Point in the west and [Kangaroo Head](/source/Kangaroo_Head) in the east separated by a distance of about 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi). The cove has a maximum depth of 14 metres (46 ft) at its mouth. Its shoreline is described as (distances in nautical miles):[3][2][6]

The shore of Eastern Cove, between Kangaroo Head and [American Beach](/source/American_Beach%2C_South_Australia), 2.5 miles S(outh), is rugged and rocky. Between the SW end of American Beach and Rocky Point, it consists of alternate beaches and low, rocky points. A sandy beach forms the S(outh) shore between Rocky Point and Strawbridge Point, 2.75 miles WNW. The S(outh) side of the cove is low with wooded hills at the back.

Eastern Cove includes **Ballast Head Harbor** on the western side near [Ballast Head](/source/Ballast_Head).[7]

## European discovery

Matthew Flinders named Nepean Bay after Sir Evan Nepean, [First Secretary to the Admiralty](/source/First_Secretary_to_the_Admiralty), on 21 March 1802.[8]

## Ports and other settlements

[Settlements](/source/Human_settlement) on its shores include [Kingscote](/source/Kingscote%2C_South_Australia), [Brownlow KI](/source/Brownlow_KI%2C_South_Australia) and [Nepean Bay](/source/Nepean_Bay%2C_South_Australia) on the shores of Western Cove, and [American River](/source/American_River%2C_South_Australia), [Baudin Beach](/source/Baudin_Beach%2C_South_Australia) and [Island Beach](/source/Island_Beach%2C_South_Australia) on the shores of Eastern Cove.[9]

## Protected areas

[Protected areas](/source/Protected_areas) located within and adjoining the bay’s extent include:

- Aquatic reserves - [American River](/source/American_River_Aquatic_Reserve).[10]

- Conservation parks - [Beatrice Islet](/source/Beatrice_Islet_Conservation_Park), [Busby Islet](/source/Busby_Islet_Conservation_Park), [Cygnet Estuary](/source/Cygnet_Estuary_Conservation_Park), [Nepean Bay](/source/Nepean_Bay_Conservation_Park) and [Pelican Lagoon](/source/Pelican_Lagoon_Conservation_Park).[11]

- Marine parks - [Encounter Marine Park](/source/Encounter_Marine_Park)[12]

## See also

- [Nepean (disambiguation)](/source/Nepean_(disambiguation))

## Citations

1. **[^](#cite_ref-gazateer_1-0)** ["Nepean Bay (SA)"](https://www.ga.gov.au/place-name/PlaceDetails.jsp?submit1=SA0049168). *[Gazetteer of Australia](/source/Gazetteer_of_Australia) online*. [Geoscience Australia](/source/Geoscience_Australia), Australian Government.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Chart11_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Chart11_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Chart11_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Chart11_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Chart11_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Chart11_2-5) DMH, 1985, chart 11

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NGA_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NGA_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-NGA_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-NGA_3-3) [*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. 215-216.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** BIA, 2005, page 185

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Placename Details: Kingscote Harbour"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/). *Property Location Browser*. [Government of South Australia](/source/Government_of_South_Australia). 28 July 2010. SA0036770. Archived from [the original](http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/#) on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Chart13_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Chart13_6-1) DMH, 1985, chart 13

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Placename Details: Ballast Head Harbor"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/). *Property Location Browser Report*. [Government of South Australia](/source/Government_of_South_Australia). 1 March 2010. SA0004376. Archived from [the original](http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/#) on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Flinders, 1814 (1966), page 250

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** BIA, 2005, pages 184-186

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** PIRSA, 2014

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** DEP, 1987, pages 25, 26, 54 & 64

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** DEWNR, 2012, page 2 of 6

## 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)

- Anon (1987). [*Conservation Parks of Kangaroo Island Management Plan*](http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/e41e4e27-da1d-4a81-970a-9e4f00b185f9/PARKS_PDFS_CP_OF_KI_MP.pdf) (PDF). Adelaide: Department of Environment and Planning, South Australia (DEP). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7243-8983-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7243-8983-0).

- ["Encounter Marine Park Management plan summary"](http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/a27fabf3-c4fc-4b93-85b4-a11f00f2f772/mp-gen-mgmtplansumm-15-encounter.pdf) (PDF). Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR). Retrieved 17 June 2014.

- 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)

- [Flinders, Matthew](/source/Matthew_Flinders) (1966) [1814]. [*A Voyage to Terra Australis : undertaken for the purpose of completing the discovery of that vast country, and prosecuted in the years 1801, 1802, and 1803 in His Majesty's ship the Investigator, and subsequently in the armed vessel Porpoise and Cumberland Schooner; with an account of the shipwreck of the Porpoise, arrival of the Cumberland at Mauritius, and imprisonment of the commander during six years and a half in that island*](http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?pageno=249&fk_files=1486723) (Facsimile ed.). Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2013.

- ["American River Aquatic Reserve"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150405180353/http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/65413/13._AqResWeb.pdf) (PDF). Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA). Archived from [the original](http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/65413/13._AqResWeb.pdf) (PDF) on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2014.

v t e Kangaroo Island Major townships American River Kingscote Parndana Penneshaw Beaches American Beach Baudin Beach Brown Beach D'Estrees Bay Emu Bay Island Beach Nepean Bay Vivonne Bay Coastal features Western end of island Cape Borda Cape du Couedic Cape Gantheaume D'Estrees Bay Fides Bluff Maupertuis Bay Nepean Bay Pelican Lagoon Point Marsden Ravine des Casoars Stokes Bay Vivonne Bay Dudley Peninsula Cape St Albans Cape Willoughby Kangaroo Head Moncrieff Bay Pink Bay Protected areas National parks Flinders Chase Conservation parks Baudin Beatrice Islet Beyeria Busby Islet Cape Gantheaume Cape Willoughby Cygnet Estuary Dudley Kelly Hill Lashmar Lathami Lesueur Mount Taylor Nepean Bay Parndana Pelican Lagoon Seal Bay Seddon Simpson Vivonne Bay Marine parks Encounter Western Kangaroo Island Southern Kangaroo Island Wilderness Protection Areas Cape Bouguer Cape Gantheaume Cape Torrens Ravine des Casoars Western River Islands adjacent to Kangaroo Island coast Beatrice Islets Busby Islet Casuarina Islets Douglas Rock Nobby Islet Paisley Islet Pelican Lagoon Islets Pelorus Islet Related and uncategorised 2007 Kangaroo Island bushfires County of Carnarvon Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island Hundred of Dudley Kangaroo Island Council Kangaroo Island wine region Kingscote Airport Middle River Reservoir Category Commons

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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nepean Bay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepean_Bay) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepean_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.