South Australian Gulfs Region

Abstract

The South Australia gulfs, St Vincent and Spencer, are bounded by the Fleurieu, Yorke and Eyre peninsulas. The gulfs protrude 160 and 320 km inland, respectively, and are largely sheltered from ocean waves, with fetch-limited waves and tides increasing to meso at the head of gulfs. They have a Mediterranean climate with very limited terrigenous input. Sediments are predominately carbonate supplied from the gulf floor and inter- to subtidal carbonate banks and their extensive seagrass meadows. Wave energy decreases into the gulfs as tides increase with beaches ranging from wave-dominated to tide-modified to tide-dominated in the upper gulfs. There are a few transgressive dune systems in southern exposed locations, with most barriers being low and regressive. This chapter examines the gulfs coastal processes, beaches, barriers, sediment transport and sediment compartments.