Maslin Beach
Maslin Beach lies within the City of Onkaparinga local government area, and neighbours the suburbs Moana, Port Willunga, and McLaren Vale. The southern half of Maslin Beach was declared Australia's first official nude beach in 1975. The cliff-lined beach is some 3km in length, and so the area reserved for nude bathing is some distance from other beach users. Around Australia Day each year, the "Maslin Beach Olympics" are held, consisting of informal competitions such as three-legged races and the judging of "best bum".
Maslin Beach is named after Thomas Maslin who arrived in South Australia in 1836 and became a prominent Adelaide businessman. Later he purchased land near the area for a mixed farm, primarily known for prime lamb production, with the Maslin family having significant input to local affairs.
The Coast Park Trail extends over 5 km between Maslin Beach to Aldinga Beach. The northern section of this part of the Coast Park Trail extends for approximately 1.5kms along the geologically significant cliff tops of Maslin Beach. The trail terrain is mostly flat and boasts stunning views down the Southern Fleurieu Peninsula.
Extending for approximately 3.5kms along The Esplanade the southern section of this part of the Coast Park Trail offers superb views of the spectacular Aldinga Reef Aquatic Reserve. Connecting from Port Willunga which features the historic Star of Greece shipwrecked in 1888 and still visible in good conditions, this section connects to the beautiful white sands of Aldinga Beach.
The trail offers several beach access points and rest nodes along the way which are popular for taking in the amazing scenery.
The metropolitan area of Adelaide is famous for the variety and great number of diving sites it has to offer (you can visit here some of the most impressive shipwrecks in the whole world). The waters have the perfect temperature for scuba diving (warm during the summer and crystal clear during the winter), and are generally friendly and uncrowded. One of the most popular destination for scuba divers of all levels is the Star of Greece wreck, mostly because it lies only at 200 m/656 ft from the shore of Port Willunga.
The Star of Greece was a 1227 ton tree-masted iron ship that sunk in 1888, as a result of a violent storm. The exact diving site is marked with a buoy. On low tides, the wreck is at a depth of only 3 m/9 ft, whereas at times parts of the ship can be exposed and be seen from the shore. The wreck is between Maslin Beach and Aldinga Beach.
