Published 19th December 2024
Beach Driving | Kingston & Cape Jaffa
Planning on heading down the beach this Summer? Whether you’re hitting the beach with your family or a group of friends, keeping the tribe, yourself, your vehicle and especially other beach users safe should be your top priority. Here are some friendly reminders to keep in mind when it comes to rules, guidelines, and beach etiquette.
- Make yourself aware of the new statewide speed limits imposed on beaches from 1 December 2023. The new default speed limits are 40km/hour and 25km/hour within 50m of pedestrians unless otherwise signposted.
- Acquaint yourself with local conditions, weather, and tide times etc.
- Before you drive on the beach, make sure you check out the recommendations for that beach, as some are recommended for 4WD vehicles only, if they are lower your tyre pressure (18-20 PSI is a good start to aim for).
- Johnson Avenue Beach Access has an all-purpose Faun Trackway (installed seasonally) to accommodate beach access for 2WD & Emergency Service vehicles, and to assist in small boat launching.
- Australian Road Rules apply on ALL beaches, so it’s important to keep these traffic rules and regulations in mind while negotiating the sandy stretches of our coastline (seatbelts, speed limits and drink driving all apply).
- How you park on the beach is important to help with the flow of traffic. Parking up high off the hard driving line or down closer to the water’s edge leaving the hard driving line clear. Please consider other beach users and their ability to pass safely and confidently on the beach, remembering the tides will change.
- It is a privilege to enjoy our beaches so remember what you bring with you must go home with you. Waste/rubbish must be placed in a bin when you leave the beach or even better take it home with you. Please help keep our pristine coastline clean
- Camping on the beach is permitted north of the Kingston groyne (Maria Creek) towards Adelaide and from Pinks Beach access south towards Cape Jaffa.
- There is NO VEHICLE ACCESS permitted on the beach south of Kingston’s jetty towards Thredgolds Beach access. This part of the beach is pedestrian enjoyment only.
- Drive only on designated tracks, driving elsewhere can disrupt the natural recovery process making beaches more susceptible to erosion and storm damage. It can also ruin the habitats of wildlife such as the vulnerable hooded plover.
- Please always keep dogs under effective control to ensure they do not disturb wildlife or rush or harass people or passing traffic.
- Make yourself aware of rules and restrictions relating to beach fires i.e., Fire Danger Season dates - South Australian Country Fire Service.
- Beach fires are a simple pleasure - sitting by a campfire, basking in the warmth or toasting marshmallows, something we all enjoy, but it does come with responsibility:
- Do not light or maintain a campfire during a total fire ban, dry or windy conditions, check local restrictions.
- To reduce fire risks, always check local weather conditions in your camping area before lighting a fire.
- Completely extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving your camp site unattended. Use water, not sand which retains heat and can cause severe burns. Even a few glowing embers can start a bushfire.
- Light fire near the high tide mark.
We wish all beach users a pleasant and safe time while enjoying the beaches in and around Kingston and Cape Jaffa and hope these reminders are useful and thank you for your co-operation.