Murray Mouth

Murray Mouth is the point where the River Murray meets the Southern Ocean.

It is located southeast of Goolwa and south-southeast of Adelaide. The mouth is a break in the coastal dune system, which separates the river system from the ocean and extends along the continental coastline. The mouth divides the dune system into two peninsulas - Sir Richard Peninsula on the west side and Younghusband Peninsula on the east side.

Historical records show that the Murray Mouth's location is changeable, and the channel out to the sea moves along the sand dunes over time. The Murray River used to terminate in an extinct freshwater lake called Lake Bungunnia, which drained less than a million years ago, creating the current course.

River Murray water is used for irrigation and water supply in four states. Over-extraction of river water is a significant problem, and the closing of the Murray Mouth is an apparent symptom of this problem. From 2002 to 2010, two dredging machines operated at the Murray Mouth to maintain a minimal flow from the sea into the Coorong's lagoon system. Nowadays, only one dredging machine operates, and permission has been granted to one commercial operator to navigate the channel between Goolwa and the Coorong, passing the mouth.

There is currently no protected area status or other arrangements related to Murray Mouth.