35°43' S, 137°56' E

The port settlement of Penneshaw originally known as Hog Bay, is situated at the far eastern end of Kangaroo Island. It  is the town, where the Sealink ferry service arrives.

The neat houses on the sloping hill give the town a Mediterranean look as you approach from Backstairs Passage, which is the 15 kms (9.3 miles) body of water, that separates mainland Australia from Kangaroo Island. The water can be treacherous for small craft, however it is very striking and dolphins can often be seen shadowing the bows of boats, or playing in front of the beach which arcs around the town.

Penneshaw has a colourful history, even before settlement. As the coast of mainland Australia is clearly visible, it seems possibly, that it was a point of residence for our earliest inhabitants. Stone spearheads and other items have been found on the rolling hills above the township.

These belonged to the aboriginal people, which inhabited the Island around 10,000 years ago. It is not known why the aboriginal people left the island or whether they died out here. However, that is unlikely because fresh water and food would have been as plentiful, as when the English explorer Matthew Flinders and French explorer Nicolas Baudin both visited here in 1802.

Frenchman’s Rock, carved by a crewman from Baudin's ship, can be seen at the beachfront and there is a fountain tapping the natural springs, that both these explorer’s sourced water from.

Various runaway convicts, sealers and whalers jumped ship, and lived at this location well prior to official settlement of South Australia. Small cottages around the town attest to their skills and desire to make Penneshaw their permanent home. There is a very small, natural harbour, near the town that would have offered protection to longboats when they rowed ashore.

A variety of Stores and places to eat are in the town. The KI Tourist Information Centre is on the road leaving the township and caters to the tourist and locals.

With a permanent population of around 350 people, there are a large number of accommodation services ranging from;

Self contained holiday homes
Motel
Bed & Breakfast
A backpackers hostel

The town is home for a number of local artists and their wares are available from various shops in the town. Farmland surrounds the town, which also boasts a museum and it is a starting point for driving around the island, for those on self-drive holidays.

Wildlife in the area is the Tammar Wallaby, the Island sub species of the Grey Kangaroo, Rosenberg Goannas, short-nosed Echidnas, various birds and the town is famous for it’s Fairy Penguins. These can be seen coming ashore at sunset. There is a special viewing area set aside and tours are available to observe the penguins.

It is worth spending some time in Penneshaw. It has a lot to offer to the visitor ..... Information, good food, locals ready to help you to make your visit to Kangaroo Island a very pleasant one.

Caution: The main roads of our Island are sealed bitumen, but roads to some attractions are rough ironstone/bauxite gravel, which is rounded and caution is advised when driving .... especially when cornering.