The Bluff – Rosetta Head

The Bluff, or Rosetta Head, is a headland, 97m above sea level 4 km southwest of Victor Harbor. It is accessed by a one-way loop road suitable for walkers and bicycles.

The Bluff summit has spectacular 360 degree views, of Granite Island to the east and rugged southern coastline to the south-west. You may spot visiting whales from June to October. There is a 600m loop walk to the summit from the carpark. On the western side of the Bluff is Petrel Cove, and the start of the Heysen Walking Trail,

The Indigenous people of the area called this feature ‘Longkuwar’ . The Ramindjeri people settled in the Victor Harbor area because of the abundant sea life, including whales. One of the two 19th century whaling stations on Encounter Bay was on the Bluff 1837 to the 1860s.

Copper was discovered on the Bluff, and gold. The Coolanine mine was established in 1863 . The mine closed a year later but reopened in 1882 when lead was found. Lead, silver and oxide of tin were mined.

Rosetta Head or The Bluff was formed by glaciation, then intrusion of granite through volcanic action that produced the “Encounter Bay granite”, rising sea levels, then elevated through a mountain building event 500 million years ago.