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Clayton Bay is a town in
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
located on Lake Alexandrina and Lower
Murray River The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest ...
, part of the lower lakes and Coorong region at the end of the Murray River System. The town is located north of the north-east tip of
Hindmarsh Island Hindmarsh Island (Ngarrindjeri: Kumerangk) is an inland river island located in the lower Murray River near the town of Goolwa, South Australia, Goolwa, South Australia. The island is a tourist destination, which has increased in popularity si ...
about from
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
and 30.7 kilometres (19 mi) by road from Goolwa. In 2008, the name of Clayton was officially changed to Clayton Bay by application to the
Alexandrina Council Alexandrina Council is a local government area in the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island region of South Australia. The Alexandrina Council was formed on 1 July 1997 by the amalgamation of the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, the District C ...
and the
South Australian Government The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government, SA Government or more formally, His Majesty’s Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of South Australia. It is modelled o ...
to avoid confusion with
Clayton, Victoria Clayton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 18 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District,


Description

At the 2016 census, Clayton Bay had a population of 350 permanent residents with a proportion of holiday houses. The permanent population has increased by 1/3 since the Australian 2011 census. The
wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...
s, waters, foreshore and wider environs at Clayton Bay host spectacular sunsets and area attracting national and international environmentalists,
ornithologists __NOTOC__ This is a list of ornithologists who have articles, in alphabetical order by surname. See also :Ornithologists. A * John Abbot – US * Clinton Gilbert Abbott – US * William Louis Abbott – US * Joseph H. Acklen – US *Humayun Ab ...
, bird watchers,
photographers A photographer (the Greek φῶς (''phos''), meaning "light", and γραφή (''graphê''), meaning "drawing, writing", together meaning "drawing with light") is a person who makes photographs. Duties and types of photographers As in other ...
,
artists An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, the ...
,
botanists This is a list of botanists who have Wikipedia articles, in alphabetical order by surname. The List of botanists by author abbreviation is mostly a list of plant taxonomists because an author receives a standard abbreviation only when that auth ...
,
anthropologists An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...
,
astronomers An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies – in either obse ...
and those engaged in
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...
and water based activities, particularly
sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cou ...
(popular due to seasonal high
wind speed In meteorology, wind speed, or wind flow speed, is a fundamental atmospheric quantity caused by air moving from high to low pressure, usually due to changes in temperature. Wind speed is now commonly measured with an anemometer. Wind speed ...
s). Experience is needed for water activities as the area is very exposed to the wind and the shallow nature of Lake Alexandrina and Lower Lakes creates large choppy
wave In physics, mathematics, and related fields, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance (change from equilibrium) of one or more quantities. Waves can be periodic, in which case those quantities oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium (re ...
s. Waters around the area are classified as either 'protected' and 'semi-protected' waters by the South Australian Government. Appropriate safety equipment according to those classifications is required under legislation for all boating activities. Anyone aboard a motorised boat less than 4.8 metres long must wear a life jacket of all times, and children aged 12 or younger must do so in open areas of boats up to 12 metres in length.


International Significance

Clayton Bay is included within the Coorong, Lower Murray, Lower Lakes,
Murray Mouth Murray Mouth is the point at which the River Murray meets the Southern Ocean. The Murray Mouth's location is changeable. Historical records show that the channel out to sea moves along the sand dunes over time. At times of greater river flow ...
, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert
wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...
, as one of Australia's most important wetland areas. Australia designated the site, covering approximately 140,500 ha in
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, as a Wetland of International Importance under the
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It i ...
in 1985. The Coorong, and Lakes Alexandrina and Albert Wetland RAMSAR site:
...encompasses the
Coorong National Park Coorong National Park is a protected area located in South Australia about south-east of Adelaide, that predominantly covers a coastal lagoon ecosystem officially known as The Coorong and the Younghusband Peninsula on the Coorong's southern ...
, Lake Alexandrina, Lake Albert, and tributaries, up to +0.85m AHD. Where unalienated crown land, DEWNR reserve or crown land under licence exists adjacent to the waters edge the boundary has been extended to include this cadastral parcel. The site excludes all privately owned fringing wetlands around the edge of the lakes except for land subject to inundation in Clayton Bay, Marshall Bight and Tookayerta Creek.
Wetlands in Clayton Bay and surrounds are nesting and breeding grounds for a large variety of migratory birds. Under RAMSAR criteria the wetlands supports one or more percent of the population of the following species: *
Australian Pelican The Australian pelican (''Pelecanus conspicillatus'') is a large waterbird in the family Pelecanidae, widespread on the inland and coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea, also in Fiji, parts of Indonesia and as a vagrant in New Zealand ...
(Pelecanus conspicillatus) *
Australasian bittern The Australasian bittern (''Botaurus poiciloptilus''), also known as the brown bittern or matuku hūrepo, and also nicknamed the "bunyip bird", is a large bird in the heron family Ardeidae. A secretive bird with a distinctive booming call, it is ...
(Botaurus poiciloptilus) * Australian Shelduck (Tadornis tadornoides) * Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula australis benghalensis) *
Banded Stilt The banded stilt (''Cladorhynchus leucocephalus'') is a nomadic wader of the stilt and avocet family, Recurvirostridae, native to Australia. It belongs to the monotypic genus ''Cladorhynchus''. It gets its name from the red-brown breast band fo ...
(Cladorhynchus leucocephalus) * Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) * Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) *
Curlew Sandpiper The curlew sandpiper (''Calidris ferruginea'') is a small wader that breeds on the tundra of Arctic Siberia. It is strongly migratory, wintering mainly in Africa, but also in south and southeast Asia and in Australia and New Zealand. It is a v ...
(Calidris ferruginea) *
Greater Crested Tern The greater crested tern Retrieved 28 February 2012 (''Thalasseus bergii''), also called crested tern or swift tern, is a tern in the family Laridae that nests in dense colonies on coastlines and islands in the tropical and subtropical Old World ...
(Thalasseus bergii) * Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) *
Hoary-headed Grebe The hoary-headed grebe (''Poliocephalus poliocephalus'') is a member of the grebe family. It breeds in southern parts of Australia; it winters throughout the island of Tasmania. The bird takes its name from the silvery-white streaking on its bl ...
(Poliocephalus poliocephalus) *
Red-capped Plover The red-capped plover (''Charadrius ruficapillus''), also known as the red-capped dotterel, is a small species of plover. It breeds in Australia. This species is closely related to (and sometimes considered conspecific with) the Kentish plover, ...
(Charadrius ruficapillus) *
Red-necked Stint The red-necked stint (''Calidris ruficollis'') is a small migratory wader. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''ruficollis'' is from ...
(Calidris ruficollis) *
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper The sharp-tailed sandpiper (''Calidris acuminata'') (but see below) is a small wader. Taxonomy A review of data has indicated that this bird should perhaps better be placed into the genus ''Philomachus'' – as ''P. acuminatus'' – which now ...
(Calidris acuminata) *
Silver Gull The silver gull (''Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae'') is the most common gull of Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly at or near coastal areas. It is smaller than the Pacific gull (''Larus pacificus''), which ...
(Larus novaehollandiae) *
Whiskered Tern The whiskered tern (''Chlidonias hybrida'') is a tern in the family Laridae. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''khelidonios'', "swallow-like", from ''khelidon'', "swallow". The specific ''hybridus'' is Latin for ''hybrid''; Peter Simon Palla ...
(Chlidonias hybridus fluviatilis) *
Fairy Tern The fairy tern (''Sternula nereis'') is a small tern which is native to the southwestern Pacific. It is listed as " Vulnerable" by the IUCN and the New Zealand subspecies is " Critically Endangered". There are three subspecies: * Australian fai ...
(Sterna nereis nereis) * Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula aust) *
Red-capped Plover The red-capped plover (''Charadrius ruficapillus''), also known as the red-capped dotterel, is a small species of plover. It breeds in Australia. This species is closely related to (and sometimes considered conspecific with) the Kentish plover, ...
(Charadrius ruficapillu) * Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus) * Australasian Shoveler (Anas rhynchotis) Many other birds can be seen in the region including: *
Australian magpie The Australian magpie (''Gymnorhina tibicen'') is a black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. Although once considered to be three separate species, it is now considered to be one, with nine recognised su ...
(Gymnorhina tibicen) *
Willie Wagtail The willy (or willie) wagtail (''Rhipidura leucophrys'') is a passerine bird native to Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, and Eastern Indonesia. It is a common and familiar bird throughout much of its range, ...
(Rhipidura leucophrys) *
Long-billed Corella The long-billed corella or slender-billed corella (''Cacatua tenuirostris'') is a cockatoo native to Australia, which is similar in appearance to the little corella. This species is mostly white, with a reddish-pink face and forehead, and has a lo ...
(Cacatua tenuirostris) *
Galah The galah (; ''Eolophus roseicapilla''), also known as the pink and grey cockatoo or rose-breasted cockatoo, is the only species within genus ''Eolophus'' of the cockatoo family. Found throughout Australia, it is among the most common of the c ...
(Eolophus roseicapilla) *
Welcome Swallow The welcome swallow (''Hirundo neoxena'') is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. It is a species native to Australia and nearby islands, and self-introduced into New Zealand in the middle of the twentieth century. It is very similar ...
(Hirundo neoxena) * Pied Butcher Bird (Cracticus nigrogularis) *
Tawny Frogmouth The tawny frogmouth (''Podargus strigoides'') is a species of frogmouth native to the Australian mainland and Tasmania and found throughout. It is a big-headed, stocky bird, often mistaken for an owl, due to its nocturnal habits and similar colo ...
(Eurostopodus argus) *Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) and more. The area is inhabited by common, threatened and/or endangered species of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. These include: * Swamp Rat (
Rattus lutreolus The Australian swamp rat (''Rattus lutreolus''), also known as the eastern swamp rat, is a species of rat native to the coasts of southern and eastern Australia. Description The Australian swamp rat grows to have a body length of approximately ...
), * Murray Turtle ( Emydura macquarii) * Yellow-bellied Water Skink ( Eulamprus heatwolei), * Eastern long-necked turtles (
Chelodina longicollis The eastern long-necked turtle (''Chelodina longicollis'')Kennett, R., Roe, J., Hodges, K., and Georges, A. 2009. ''Chelodina longicollis'' (Shaw 1784) – eastern long-necked turtle, common long-necked turtle, common snake-necked turtle. ''In'': ...
), *
Eastern Brown Snake The eastern brown snake (''Pseudonaja textilis''), often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of highly venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to eastern and central Australia and southern New Guinea. It was ...
s (Pseudonaja textilis) * Tiger Snakes (Notechis scutatus) *
Southern Bell Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company was once the regional Bell Operating Company serving the states of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina prior to the breakup of AT&T. It also covered the states of Alabama, Kentuc ...
frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is ...
s (Ranoidea raniformis) There are populations of
kangaroo Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern ...
s, sleepy lizards (Tiliqua rugosa) and
short-beaked echidna The short-beaked echidna (''Tachyglossus aculeatus''), also called the short-nosed echidna, is one of four living species of echidna and the only member of the genus ''Tachyglossus''. It is covered in fur and spines and has a distinctive snout ...
s (Tachyglossus aculeatus) within the town and environs. Plant species include: * River club rush (Schoenoplectus validus) * Sandhill Greenhood Orchid ( Pterostylis arenicola) * Silver Daisy-bush ( Olearia pannosa ssp pannosa) * Diverse reed beds * Freshwater herblands (e.g. Triglochin sp.) * Cutting Grass (
Gahnia filum ''Gahnia filum'', the chaffy saw-sedge, is a tussock-forming perennial in the family Cyperaceae, endemic to Australia. It grows to between 60 and 110 cm in height. The species occurs in coastal salt marsh in the states of New South Wales ...
) sedgeland, * Swamp Paperbark (
Melaleuca halmaturorum ''Melaleuca halmaturorum'', commonly known as South Australian swamp paperbark, kangaroo honey-myrtle or salt paper-bark is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria. It is often a ...
) * Lignum shrubland (
Muehlenbeckia florulenta ''Duma florulenta'' ( synonym ''Muehlenbeckia florulenta''), commonly known as tangled lignum or often simply lignum, is a plant native to inland Australia. It is associated with wetland habitats, especially those in arid and semiarid regions ...
) * Samphire chenopod shrubland (including Tecticornia pergranulata ssp. Pergranulata, Suaeda australis,
Sarcocornia quinqueflora ''Salicornia quinqueflora'', synonym ''Sarcocornia quinqueflora'', commonly known as beaded samphire, bead weed, beaded glasswort or glasswort, is a species of succulent halophytic coastal shrub. It occurs in wetter coastal areas of Australia ...
and Juncus kraussi). The Ramsar site supports approximately 43 fish species including: * Basinendemic
Yarra Pygmy Perch The Yarra pygmy perch (''Nannoperca obscura'') is a species of temperate perch that is endemic to southeastern Australia. Distribution ''Nannoperca obscura'' occurs in the coastal drainages of southeastern Australia, preferring streams and la ...
(Nannoperca obscura), * Small-mouthed Hardyhead (
Atherinosoma microstoma ''Atherinosoma microstoma'', commonly known as the small mouth hardyhead, is a species of silverside native to southeastern Australia. It occurs in streams, inland lakes, estuaries and the nearby coastal waters of south-eastern Australia, from ...
) * Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii) *Murray Hardyhead ( Craterocephalus fluviatilis) *Lagoon Goby (Tasmanogobius lasti) * Tamar Goby (Afurcagobius tamarensis). * Freshwater Catfish ( Tandanus tandanus) * Southern Purple-spotted Gudgeon ( Morgurnda adspersa) * Southern Pygmy Perch ( Nannoperca australis) * Yarra Pygmy Perch ( Nannoperca obscura) * Flat-headed Gudgeon ( Philypnodon grandiceps) * Dwarf Flat-headed Gudgeon ( Philypnodon macrostomus) * Unspecked Hardyhead (Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum fulvus) * Congolli ( Pseudophritis urvillii) * Pouched Lamprey (
Geotria australis The pouched lamprey (''Geotria australis''), also known as the korokoro or wide-mouthed lamprey, is a species in the genus ''Geotria'', which is the only genus in the family Geotriidae. The second species in the genus is the Argentinian lamprey ...
) * Short-headed Lamprey (
Mordacia mordax ''Mordacia mordax'', known as the short-headed lamprey, Australian lamprey or Murray lamprey, is a species of Mordacia that lives in south-eastern Australia and Tasmania. Mordaciidae is made up of three species: ''M. praedox'', ''M. mordax'', and ...
) * Mountain Galaxias (
Galaxias olidus ''Galaxias olidus'', the mountain galaxias, is a species of freshwater galaxiid fish widely found in southeastern Australia. Description As for other members of the species complex, although ''Galaxias olidus'' exhibits a greater range of charac ...
) * Estuary Perch (
Macquaria colonorum The estuary perch (''Macquaria colonorum'') is a species of temperate perch endemic to south-eastern Australia, where it prefers brackish waters such as lower tidal reaches of coastal lakes, rivers, and streams. Appearance It is very similar t ...
) * Short-finned Eel (
Anguilla australis The short-finned eel (''Anguilla australis''), also known as the shortfin eel, is one of the 15 species of eel in the family Anguillidae. It is native to the lakes, dams and coastal rivers of south-eastern Australia, New Zealand, and much of th ...
)


History


Aboriginal history

The
Ngarrindjeri The Ngarrindjeri people are the traditional Aboriginal Australian people of the lower Murray River, eastern Fleurieu Peninsula, and the Coorong of the southern-central area of the state of South Australia. The term ''Ngarrindjeri'' means "belo ...
peoples are the
Aboriginal Australian Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Isl ...
Owners of the lower
Murray River The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest ...
, eastern
Fleurieu Peninsula The Fleurieu Peninsula () is a peninsula in the Australian state of South Australia located south of the state capital of Adelaide. History Before British colonisation of South Australia, the western side of the peninsula was occupied by the ...
, and
the Coorong Coorong National Park is a protected area located in South Australia about south-east of Adelaide, that predominantly covers a coastal lagoon ecosystem officially known as The Coorong and the Younghusband Peninsula on the Coorong's southern si ...
of the southern-central area of the state of
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
. The Ngarrindjeri consist of several distinct if closely related groups, including the Jarildekald, Tanganekald, Meintangk and
Ramindjeri The Ramindjeri or Raminjeri people were an Aboriginal Australian people forming part of the ''Kukabrak'' grouping now otherwise known as the Ngarrindjeri people. They were the most westerly Ngarrindjeri, living in the area around Encounter Bay an ...
, who began to form a unified cultural bloc after Aboriginal peoples were forcibly removed to
Raukkan, South Australia Raukkan is an Australian Aboriginal community situated on the south-eastern shore of Lake Alexandrina in the locality of Narrung, southeast of the centre of South Australia's capital, Adelaide. Raukkan is "regarded as the home and heartland o ...
(formerly Point McLeay Mission). Archaeology, particularly in excavations conducted at Roonka Flat, (which affords an outstanding sites for investigating "pre–European contact Aboriginal burial populations in Australia,") have revealed that the traditional lands of the Ngarrindjeri have been inhabited since the Holocene period, beginning around 8,000 B.C. down to around 1840 CE. For thousands of years, the Lower Murray, Lower Lakes and Coorong region was one of the most densely populated areas of Australia and land and waterways (Ngarrindjeri; ruwe/ruwar) were home to thousands of Ngarrindjeri peoples. Ngarrindjeri lived in communities in the ruwe/rumar. Everything Ngarrindjeri needed was present–clean waters, foods, medicines, shelter and warmth.


Ngarrindjeri Self Determination, Control and Management

Ngarrindjeri peoples and supporters have challenged and partnered with the
South Australian Government The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government, SA Government or more formally, His Majesty’s Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of South Australia. It is modelled o ...
for decades, including its
natural resource Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. ...
management representatives, over questions of
justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...
, agency, control, sovereignty and the
decolonisation Decolonization or decolonisation is the undoing of colonialism, the latter being the process whereby imperial nations establish and dominate foreign territories, often overseas. Some scholars of decolonization focus especially on independence m ...
of existing and long-standing relationships. Ngarrindjeri led the development of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) Ngarrindjeri Partnerships and Murrundi (Riverine) Recovery Projects. In 2002, the
Alexandrina Council Alexandrina Council is a local government area in the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island region of South Australia. The Alexandrina Council was formed on 1 July 1997 by the amalgamation of the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, the District C ...
made an agreement with the Ngarrindjeri Nation. The agreement included a series of commitments to work together and offers an expression of sorrow and apology to the Ngarrindjeri peoples. It is known as the Kungun Ngarrindjeri Yunnan (KNY) Agreement. In 2007, the Ngarrindjeri Nation launched the Ngarrindjeri Nation Yarluwar-Ruwe Plan: Caring for Ngarrindjeri Sea Country and Culture (the 'NNYR Plan') stating the Ngarrindjeri Vision for Country
Our Lands, Our Waters, Our People, All Living Things are connected. We implore people to respect our Ruwe (Country) as it was created in the Kaldowinyeri (the Creation). We long for sparkling, clean waters, healthy land and people and all living things. We long for the Yarluwar-Ruwe (Sea Country) of our ancestors. Our vision is all people Caring, Sharing, Knowing and Respecting the lands, the waters and all living things.
After lengthy negotiations with the
South Australian Government The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government, SA Government or more formally, His Majesty’s Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of South Australia. It is modelled o ...
entered into the Kungun Ngarrindjeri Yunnan Agreement: Listen to
Ngarrindjeri The Ngarrindjeri people are the traditional Aboriginal Australian people of the lower Murray River, eastern Fleurieu Peninsula, and the Coorong of the southern-central area of the state of South Australia. The term ''Ngarrindjeri'' means "belo ...
Speaking Agreement in 2009.


Native Title

The native title rights and interests of the Ngarrindjeri people were recognised in Ngarrindjeri and Others
Native Title Aboriginal title is a common law doctrine that the land rights of indigenous peoples to customary tenure persist after the assumption of sovereignty under settler colonialism. The requirements of proof for the recognition of aboriginal title, ...
Claim on 14 December 2017. The determination granted the Ngarrindjeri people rights including the right to access and move around the Native Title Land, hunt, fish and gather, share and exchange, use Natural Water Resources, cook and light fires for ceremonial purposes, engage in cultural activities and protect cultural sites. All waterways and several parcels of land within Clayton Bay are within Native Title legislation with any vegetation clearance or development requiring approval through the
Registered Native Title Body Corporate A Registered Native Title Body Corporate (RNTBC) is a corporation nominated by a group of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people for the purposes of native title in Australia, to represent their native title rights and interests, once that ...
br>


European history

In 1829,
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Darling commissioned Captain
Charles Sturt Charles Napier Sturt (28 April 1795 – 16 June 1869) was a British officer and explorer of Australia, and part of the European exploration of Australia. He led several expeditions into the interior of the continent, starting from Sydney and la ...
to follow the Murrumbidgee, which had been discovered by
Hume and Hovell The Hume and Hovell expedition was a journey of exploration undertaken in eastern Australia. In 1824 the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane, commissioned Hamilton Hume and former Royal Navy Captain William Hovell to lead an exped ...
. On 3 November 1829, Sturt left Sydney to assume command of the expedition that eventually turned itself into the famous Murray River Voyage. On 26 December 1829, his team assembled a 25-foot whaleboat and built a log skiff for carrying stores and only two oars. This work was supervised by a carpenter, named Mr Clayton. The boat party departed from the
Lachlan River The Lachlan River is an intermittent river that is part of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, located in the Southern Tablelands, Central West, and Riverina regions of New South Wales, Australia. The Lachlan Riv ...
on 7 January 1830. The crew, besides Sturt and Macleay included soldiers, Harris, Hopkinson, and Frasier and convicts, Mulholland, Macnamee, and Clayton. In 1830 the first exploratory expedition reached the Ngarrindjeri lands and Sturt and crew noted Ngarrindjeri were already familiar with firearms. Ngarrindjeri told them that the ocean was nearby and Sturt sailed into a lake which Sturt named Alexandrina. Around 9 February 1830, Sturt sighted seagulls. A few days later, they found the point where the Murray flowed into the sea. In the 1840s, Dr
John Rankine John Rankine (born Douglas Rankine Mason; 26 September 1918 – 8 August 2013) was a British science fiction author, who wrote books as John Rankine and Douglas R. Mason. Rankine was born in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales and first attended Ch ...
operated his own ferry service from the Clayton Bay to
Hindmarsh Island Hindmarsh Island (Ngarrindjeri: Kumerangk) is an inland river island located in the lower Murray River near the town of Goolwa, South Australia, Goolwa, South Australia. The island is a tourist destination, which has increased in popularity si ...
, mainly transporting his
sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated ...
and workers and called 'Rankine's Ferry.' The town of Clayton was later named by
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
MacDonnell in 1858. Land allotments were offered for sale in 1859 in the area informally known as 'Old Clayton.' Clayton Bay was subdivided as a settlement in 1859 and a store,
post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional ser ...
and a few dwellings were established. In 1969, the Clayton subdivision was established and other developments north of Alexandrina Drive, were developed between 1985 and 2009 creating the current town. A well-known yabby restaurant operated from 1974 until approximately 2009. Strategically, Clayton Bay is an important place as the channel separating it from
Hindmarsh Island Hindmarsh Island (Ngarrindjeri: Kumerangk) is an inland river island located in the lower Murray River near the town of Goolwa, South Australia, Goolwa, South Australia. The island is a tourist destination, which has increased in popularity si ...
is at its narrowest. The
2000s Australian drought The 2000s drought in Australia, also known as the Millennium drought is said by some to be the worst drought recorded since European settlement. This drought affected most of southern Australia, including its largest cities and largest agric ...
arose from very low flows to the Lower Murray (over Lock 1) resulting in the lowest water levels in over 90 years of records. The lowest water levels during the extreme low flow period were reached in April 2009, and represented a 64% and 73% reduction in the volume of Lakes Alexandrina and
Albert Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Alber ...
respectively. The low water levels and inflows meant there was no outflow from the lake system during the extreme low flow period. During this period the lake levels fell below mean sea level (approximately +0.2 m AHD) downstream of the barrages, reversing the usual positive hydraulic gradient from the lake to the sea. The seawater intrusion, lack of flushing, evapoconcentration and increased resuspension resulted in severe water quality impacts Exposure and oxidation of acid sulfate soils due to falling water levels from 2007 to 2009 in the Lower River and Lower Lakes also resulted in
acidification Acidification may refer to: * Ocean acidification, decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans * Freshwater acidification, atmospheric depositions and soil leaching of SOx and NOx * Soil acidification, buildup of hydrogen cations, which reduces the ...
of soils, lake and
groundwater Groundwater is the water present beneath Earth's surface in rock and soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. About 30 percent of all readily available freshwater in the world is groundwater. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated ...
.Mosley LM, Palmer D, Leyden E, Fitzpatrick R, and Shand P (2014). Changes in acidity and metal geochemistry in soils, groundwater, drain and river water in the Lower Murray after a severe drought. Science of the Total Environment 485–486: 281–291. Large scale engineering interventions were undertaken to prevent further acidification, including constructions at Clayton Bay and pumping of water to prevent exposure and acidification of Lake Albert. Management of acidification in the Lower Lakes was also undertaken using aerial limestone dosing. The South Australian government erected a barrage (known as a restrictor flow bund) at Clayton Bay to stop the flow of Lake Alexandrina waters towards the mouth of the
Murray River The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest ...
The River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group (chaired by Prof. Diane Bell and including Henry and Gloria Jones) vigorously campaigned for the removal of the 'Clayton regulator' to restore water flows. The regulator was removed in 2011. Jones' Lookout (named after Henry Jones, local fisherman and environmentalist) was opened in 2009 and is located on the concrete plinth where a former water tower once stood on a clifftop. The
mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
design by artist, Michael Tye consists of a compass rose formed by intersecting ripples. The tiles used for the mosaic are hand-cut,
vitrified Vitrification (from Latin language, Latin ''vitreum'', "glass" via French language, French ''vitrifier'') is the full or partial transformation of a substance into a glass, that is to say, a non-Crystallinity, crystalline amorphous solid. Glasses ...
porcelain Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...
tiles, surrounded by  tiling of unglazed quarry tiles. The mosaic is a compass made of intersecting ripples of mainly blue tiles, with the colours at the north point depicting sunset on the water. Each of the compass points names a key location in the direction and their distances from Clayton Bay, and from the platform there are views of Lake Alexandrina and the Lower Lakes.
North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north ...
point is emphasised by the colours of sunset on the water. The work also includes swamp hen footprints to an area of concrete that borders the tiling (the work was commissioned during the 2000s Australian Drought when water levels were extremely low and the purple swamp hen (Porphyrio melanotus) disappeared from the area, leaving nothing but footprints).


Environmental threats and action

Clayton Bay is part of an internationally significant
Ramsar Ramsar may refer to: * Places so named: ** Ramsar, Mazandaran, city in Iran ** Ramsar, Rajasthan, village in India * Eponyms of the Iranian city: ** Ramsar Convention concerning wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran ** Ramsar site, wetland listed in ...
wetland area and a highly fragile ecological setting with Indigenous cultural heritage sites. The wetlands contribute to the filtration and quality of water flowing into the Lower Lakes. Serious environmental threats are posed by: * climate change, *water extraction, * drought, *
reedbed A reedbed or reed bed is a natural habitat found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions and estuaries. Reedbeds are part of a succession from young reeds colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground. As ...
clearing, reduction or dispersal of reedbeds (i.e. creating gaps between reedbeds), * touristic activities (e.g. unsustainable numbers of tourists,
wakeboarding Wakeboarding is a water sport in which the rider, standing on a wakeboard (a board with foot bindings), is towed behind a motorboat across its wake and especially up off the crest in order to perform aerial maneuvers. A hallmark of wakeboardin ...
,
waterskiing Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires suffici ...
, jet skis, powerboats), * human intrusions and activity, *
noise Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or disruptive to hearing. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrations through a medium, such as air or water. The difference aris ...
and light pollution, * vehicular use, * introduction of contaminants, *introduced vegetation (e.g. esp. kikuyu grass and similar invasive species into reed beds), * the removal of
native vegetation In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equ ...
, and * Introduced and feral animals. The beauty of the area attracts numerous tourists whose numbers and activities may not be able to be sustained. Inappropriate human activities causing
environmental damage Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as quality of air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; and pollution. It is defin ...
to the wetlands are difficult to regulate as there are several public boat ramps in the town and the
Alexandrina Council Alexandrina Council is a local government area in the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island region of South Australia. The Alexandrina Council was formed on 1 July 1997 by the amalgamation of the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, the District C ...
have leased areas adjacent to the wetlands to touristic,
for profit Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or buying and selling products (such as goods and services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for profit." Having a business name does not separat ...
bodies.
European Carp The Eurasian carp or European carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), widely known as the common carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Arkive The ...
introduced to the Murray-Darling Basin in the 1920s pose a major threat. An invasive widespread fish species, they are highly adaptable and have biological features that allow populations to increase rapidly. Carp contribute to environmental degradation through reduction in water quality, river bank damage and may contribute to algae blooms. The increased spread of carp and its impact on
freshwater habitat Freshwater ecosystems are a subset of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They include lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, springs, bogs, and wetlands. They can be contrasted with marine ecosystems, which have a larger salt content. Freshwater habitats can be ...
has come at the expense of native fish species and aquatic vegetation. Australian scientists have determined that using the naturally occurring carp herpesvirus ( Cyprinid herpesvirus-3: CyHV-3, sometimes referred to as KHV) a biological control agent could significantly reduce the number of carp. The combination of a biological control mechanism, and an improved environmental flow regime may impact the likelihood of a positive future for native fish, although there is still ongoing debates. European carp are considered a pest species and highly prevalent at Clayton Bay. Carp if caught must not be returned to it to the water, be destroyed and disposed of.
River regulation River engineering is a discipline of civil engineering which studies human intervention in the course, characteristics, or flow of a river with the intention of producing some defined benefit. People have intervened in the natural course and be ...
,
water extraction Water extraction (or water withdrawal) is the process of taking water from any source, either temporarily or permanently, for flood control or to obtain water for, for example, irrigation. The extracted water could also be used as drinking wate ...
and
droughts A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D.  Jiang, A.  Khan, W.  Pokam Mba, D.  Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
have reduced the total volume of water available resulting in a substantial decline in the waterways. Work by
Ngarrindjeri The Ngarrindjeri people are the traditional Aboriginal Australian people of the lower Murray River, eastern Fleurieu Peninsula, and the Coorong of the southern-central area of the state of South Australia. The term ''Ngarrindjeri'' means "belo ...
Native Title holders, local residents and the
Alexandrina Council Alexandrina Council is a local government area in the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island region of South Australia. The Alexandrina Council was formed on 1 July 1997 by the amalgamation of the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, the District C ...
attempt to balance touristic activities, strongly promoting
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...
practices, seeking to preserve and protect cultural heritage sites, prevent inappropriate developments and activities and preserve and rehabilitate the environment, increase wetland areas, maintain and work to increase water flows along the catchment and increase
water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...
. Many Clayton Bay residents have adopted stewardship environmental roles and are involved in: * citizen science including annual bird and amphibian counts, vegetation surveys, temperature and wind speed measurements, astronomical observations, *advocating and active involvement in the preservation, restoration and revitalization of the wetlands, *turtle rescue programs, *overseeing the preservation of remnant vegetation, *
revegetation Revegetation is the process of replanting and rebuilding the soil of disturbed land. This may be a natural process produced by plant colonization and succession, manmade rewilding projects, accelerated process designed to repair damage to a lan ...
programs *interventions to decrease the spread of Australian tubeworm (Ficopomatus enigmaticus), *the development of walking
trails A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...
and wetland boardwalks, *bird and fauna rescue and return to native habitats, *protecting the breeding grounds of Eastern long-necked turtles (
Chelodina longicollis The eastern long-necked turtle (''Chelodina longicollis'')Kennett, R., Roe, J., Hodges, K., and Georges, A. 2009. ''Chelodina longicollis'' (Shaw 1784) – eastern long-necked turtle, common long-necked turtle, common snake-necked turtle. ''In'': ...
) which are vulnerable from recreational activity, noise, environmental degradation, infestations of Australian tubeworm (Ficopomatus enigmaticus) and predators including
foxes Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
and cats. (Note: the
Alexandrina Council Alexandrina Council is a local government area in the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island region of South Australia. The Alexandrina Council was formed on 1 July 1997 by the amalgamation of the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, the District C ...
offer cat traps to deal with issues arising from
feral A feral () animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in some ...
or unidentified cats),. *a program to raise nationally threatened
Southern Bell Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company was once the regional Bell Operating Company serving the states of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina prior to the breakup of AT&T. It also covered the states of Alabama, Kentuc ...
frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is ...
s (Ranoidea raniformis) in captivity to be released back into the wetlands operates within the town. *local seed bank and land care programs, and *adopting a dark sky policies in collaboration with the
Alexandrina Council Alexandrina Council is a local government area in the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island region of South Australia. The Alexandrina Council was formed on 1 July 1997 by the amalgamation of the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, the District C ...
(the town has only five street lights operating
Clayton Bay Lighting


Notable residents

* Annabelle Collett(Artist) *Deane Fergie (Anthropologist) * Elizabeth Grant (Architect/Anthropologist) *Gloria Jones (Environmentalist/Restaurateur/Fisherman/Activist) *Henry Jones (Environmentalist/Fisherman/Activist) *Rob Lucas (Anthropologist)


References


Sources

* * * {{authority control Towns in South Australia Populated places on the Murray River