Robe, a popular coastal tourist destination on the shores of Guichen Bay, lies just off the Southern Ports Highway between Kingston SE and Millicent in the southeast of South Australia.

Established in 1846, the town is one of the oldest in the state and was established as a port after recommendations from naval explorers. Growth occurred initially from settlers and later from Chinese immigrants en-route to the Victorian goldfields avoiding entry directly to Victoria. As port operation eventually declined, the town's fishing base had been well established and the town also became a service centre for the surrounding sheep and grain growing industries. In recent times the town has become a popular tourist destination with several of the original buildings from the 1840-50s still standing with Guichen Bay offering a good range of safe swimming and surf beaches. In stark contrast, the coastline to the west is rugged and features the old navigational obelisk and lighthouse. Also in town are a series of lakes which offer water activities, lookouts to the west over the cliff faces, an interesting town centre, good foreshore parkland and various historic, self-guided walks.

Population:

4703 ¹

Postcode:

5276

Location:

339 km southeast of Adelaide

Main Roads:

Southern Ports Highway (B101)

Radio Stations:

FM: 5THE FM (107.7 MHz), ABC Classic (104.1 MHz), ABC News Radio (105.7 MHz), ABC Radio National (103.3 MHz), Flow FM (107.3 MHz), RadioTAB (88.0 MHz) and Triple J (102.5 MHz)

AM: ABC Radio Adelaide (891 kHz), ABC South East SA (1161 kHz) and ABC Wimmera (594 kHz)

Fox's Beach:

Looking north-east across Fox's Beach towards Long Beach & Guichen Ban, Robe, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Soldiers Memorial:

The Soldiers Memorial on Mundy Tce, Robe, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Lake Butler:

View over Lake Butler at Robe, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Town Centre:

Looking northwest in the Robe town centre at the corner of Main Rd, Squires Dr and Victoria St, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Main Road:

Main Road as it leaves Robe town centre, near Banks Road, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Victoria & Davenport Streets:

Corner of Victoria and Davenport Streets in Robe town centre, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

UPDATED Town Centre:

View of the town centre, along Victoria St in Robe, December 2015. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Jamie Scuglia from December 2001.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Smillie Street:

Smillie Street, looking west from Bagot Street, Robe, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Lake Butler:

View west over Lake Butler from Royal Circle with monument in the foreground, Robe, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Seafarers Memorial:

View from Seafarers Memorial, Mundy Terrace, Robe, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Breakwater:

Foreshore parkland, looking west towards the Breakwater, Robe, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Town Beach:

Looking east over the foreshore parkland adjacent to Mundy Tce with the Town Beach in the distance, Robe, December 2001.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

NEW Town Centre:

Corner of Victoria St and Union St, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Town Beach:

View over Town Beach at Robe, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Robe Lighthouse:

Robe Lighthouse as viewed from Obelisk Lookout, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Robe from Obelisk Lookout:

Looking back towards the Robe town centre from Obelisk Lookout, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Robe from Obelisk Lookout:

Looking back towards the Robe town centre from Obelisk Lookout, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Southern Ocean:

Looking over the Southern Ocean from the Obelisk Lookout at Cape Dombey, Robe, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Cape Dombey:

View along Cape Dombey, Robe, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Cape Dombey:

Looking over the Southern Ocean at Cape Dombey, Robe, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Robe Jetty:

View of Guichen Bay from the Robe Jetty, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW View from Robe Jetty:

Looking east from Robe Jetty towards the breakwater, Town Beach and town centre, December 2015.

Image © Michael Greenslade