Kingscote was the state’s first European settlement, established by the South Australia Company in 1836. If it weren’t for a lack of fresh water, you might be standing in the capital of South Australia!

Today, it’s the largest town on Kangaroo Island, home to 1,800 of the island’s 4,600 permanent residents. With its shops, cafes, hotels and fishing charters, it’s also popular with the Island’s many visitors.

FAST FACTS!

• Stone tools found suggest that Aboriginal people occupied the land at least 11,000 years ago
• The town’s first three cottages were named ‘Faith’, ‘Hope’ and ‘Charity’ – Hope Cottage is now a museum
• A mulberry tree, planted by original settlers near Reeves Point, still bears fruit
• Kingscote jetty is one of few shore-based locations in Australia where King George Whiting can be reliably caught
• In 1884 Ligurian bees were introduced to Kangaroo Island to protect their genetic integrity and one year later the island was declared a Ligurian Bee Sanctuary – thanks to this foresight, Kangaroo Island now has the only known colony of pure Ligurian bees left in the world