Robe, South Australia: History, Coastal Wonders and a Cracking Place to Stay

Robe is one of those “Oh Wow” places. From our very first visit through to our last one, the “Oh Wow” factor hasn’t disappeared at all.

There’s heaps of history here too. Robe has been a major player in the growth of Australia starting at the Victorian Gold Rush. During the 1850’s a £10 fee was put in place for Chinese landing at a Victorian port. So, Robe became the place to leave the ship and walk to Western Victoria and the Gold Rush. £10 was a lot back then.

I thought I would see what it was worth in today’s world to see why it was so much cheaper to go to Robe and walk for ages to get to the Gold Fields. I got two answers to see what it was in Aussie dollars today. One said it was a straight conversion to $429.64 and the second said it had the purchasing power of $2,500 - $2,700. However you look at it, those conversions are a good enough reason to go to Robe and walk from there!

We like to take a coastal drive and check out the Old Goal and the Obelisk. The Old Goal seems to have had some repairs to it; it’s certainly in a stronger condition than it was before. But you can see the size of the building and get an idea of how ‘lucky’ the prisoners were!

The Obelisk used to be open to the public, but it’s not now. If you want to see what changes the ocean is making to the coastline through erosion, this is the place to do it.

There is a new lookout in the Obelisk area, which gives you a good walk and a great view at the end of the walk. Not only can you see all around the ocean, but you get a great view of Robe too.

Special Events

While we were there, we had some great entertainment. The local Primary School has their fete over Easter. What a great time to do it. The fete was packed and full of games, things to do, see and eat. There was a ‘farm’ there and the kids could get in to pat the animals. We were so happy to be there at Easter!

There’s a brewery there too called Robe Town Brewery. Sometimes they have a music afternoon and we were lucky enough to be there when they had one. The two guys providing the music were wonderful and very talented. They sang for a couple of hours without a break. Mind you their glasses were kept topped up, as they should have been. These two were really friendly and we had a lovely chat with them at the end of their show. I don’t drink beer, and was very happy to find that they had a lovely selection of wines too.

Five Great Attractions to Visit in Robe

1. Long BeachRobe’s famous Long Beach stretches for around 12 kilometres, with white sand and beautifully clear water. You can swim, walk or picnic here—and, when conditions allow, drive straight onto the beach. Check local conditions before taking the car onto the sand, though.

2. Little Dip Conservation ParkJust south of town, Little Dip Conservation Park combines rugged coastline, sand dunes, coastal lakes, bushwalking trails and some cracking birdwatching. Four-wheel drivers can explore designated tracks, but a park pass may be required and conditions should always be checked first.

3. Humpalicious Camel FarmAround five kilometres from Robe, Humpalicious Camel Farm offers a wonderfully different paid experience. Its 90-minute Morning Milking Tour includes meeting and hand-feeding the camels, watching the milking process and tasting camel milk products. There’s also an afternoon solar-powered buggy Camel Safari. Tours cost approximately $33 for adults and $22 for children, and bookings are essential. 4. Royal Circus and the Chinese Monument

4. Visit Royal Circus, once the focal point of Robe’s original town plan, for views across Guichen Bay and easy access to Customs House and the Chinese Monument. The monument recognises the thousands of Chinese migrants who landed at Robe before walking to the Victorian goldfields.

5. Beacon Hill LookoutFor one of the best views over Robe, head up to Beacon Hill Lookout. A short timber boardwalk leads to the viewing tower, where you can take in the township, surrounding countryside, lakes and coastline—a particularly good spot around sunset.

Caravan Park of Choice

As Caravanners, last time (March 2026) we stayed at Robe Holiday Park. It’s a newer park and has been developing into the amazing place it is now over 14 years. During that time it has grown bigger, built more amenities blocks, and created so many different styles to stay in. We took a normal site, plenty of room for car, van and awning.

I was really impressed by the Camp Kitchen closest to the office. It has a laundry in it. You can sit there and enjoy yourselves while the machines are busy doing your washing. If you want to party longer, you can put it all in the dryers in the Camp Kitchen too. What a brilliant idea.

You can camp in the bush, set up near the kids playground, create a tent village for your group. If it’s a quietish time, create your own van circle. Nature is part of the park, no matter where you go. The thing is this park has an adaptive atmosphere. If you need to do this, and there’s room and it’s doable, chances are you will be able to do it.

Don’t forget the Caledonian!

That’s just like so much of Robe, friendly people, friendly place, history and today. Each time we go there’s something different happening and on the days when nothing is happening, the town is a mass of history, great places to eat, and drink. Speaking of drinks, The Caledonian Inn is a great place to visit. It was built in 1904 and has the feel of an ‘antique’ pub with modern service and products. Getting a balance like that isn’t easy.

There is heaps more to do in Robe, besides just relaxing and enjoying a holiday in a wonderful town full of history and today’s living.

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