Island Beach
Postcode: 5222
Island Beach is a 4km white sand swimming beach in Eastern Cove approximately 15 minutes from Penneshaw, and approximately 45 minutes from Kingscote. Island Beach has a small permanent population, and many rental houses.
John Stewart Browne subdivided Island Beach in 1961 into 254 allotments, with average block sizes exceeding 1000 square metres. Development stalled for a number of years, due largely to a reluctance of the local council to construct roads through the estate, which under planning regulations of the time were not the responsibility of the developer.
In the late 1970’s a separate land subdivision occurred to the south of the original estate. Known locally as Carter’s Estate, these allotments were more traditionally under 1000 square metres in size. Throughout the late 1980’s and beyond, development accelerated with substantial seafront residences being erected, and land values beginning to rise.
There was considerable controversy in 2005, when the Kangaroo Island Council approved an upper floor extension to an existing dwelling, which exceeded the 6.5 metre hight restriction imposed by the council under its own planning regulations. Facilities at Island Beach include a general store and fuel station.There is limited access to the beach for boat launching and retrieval.
Island Beach is in the Kangaroo Island Council local government area, the South Australian House of Assembly electoral district of Finniss and the Australian House of Representatives Division of Mayo.