SCHOOL HOLIDAY DATES:
Saturday 10 Oct, 11.00am

Take a tour along the Port River on the historic vessel MV Archie Badenoch. Built during WWII by General Motors Holden for the Royal Australian Navy, the vessel was commissioned by the South Australian Police in December 1946. Named in honour of Constable Archibald Badenoch, the first South Australian Police Officer killed in action during World War II.

Archie served the South Australian Police as the Number 1 Water Police Launch until 1978. The vessel is now owned and operated by the South Australian Maritime Museum.

The Port River Heritage Tour will take approximately 1 hour with stops along the way at many of the historical areas and points of interest along the Port River.

Included in your ticket is same-day admission to the South Australian Maritime Museum including our exhibitions relating to life in Port Adelaide.
A great outing for the whole family.

Duration
1 hour

Meeting Point
The vessel is moored at Queen’s Wharf, at the pontoon close to the Port Adelaide Lighthouse.

Code of practice
All South Australian Maritime Museum boating and marine activities on the Port River are conducted in accordance with Marine Safety Guidelines. We respect the environment and wildlife in the Port River area and operate in accordance with the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and the National Parks and Wildlife (Protected Animals – Marine Mammals) Regulation 2010 and viewing marine mammals regulations.

Free with museum entry.

Step aboard the full-size trading ketch Active II for a guided exploration suitable for all ages.

Investigate how a crew lived and worked — from sleeping and eating to navigating the seas. Peek into the past, handle real equipment, and imagine the sights, sounds, and challenges of life on board. It’s a hands-on glimpse into seafaring stories — all without ever leaving dry land!

Session times:
Daily at 10.30am & 1.30pm.
Duration 30 mins.
Bookings not required.

Check out our other school holiday activities.

Let your imagination set sail these school holidays with the Lost & Found LEGO® Trail at the SA Maritime Museum.

Designed especially for children aged 5-15, this exciting activity brings the museum to life with a fun and interactive twist.

Collect the letters to reveal a secret word. Once you’ve cracked the code, enter the draw to win an awesome LEGO® prize!

A great way to explore, learn and have fun at the SA Maritime Museum these school holidays.

Check out our other school holiday activities.

What visitors say about the trail and visiting the museum:

“So much fun and educational; never, never seen a museum this interesting!”

“I really loved how you had a lot to touch, feel and see. Thank you.”

“Brilliantly researched and displayed. Great interactivity.”

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorise, or endorse this site. 

Our waterways connect people, places and time. Something dropped into a drain, river or ocean can be found somewhere completely different a long time later.

The museum has a bottle on display which was dropped off of a boat sailing to Western Australia and found 83 years later on a beach in South Australia! Inside was a fragile note that was written in the 1930s.

Visit the SA Maritime Museum during the October school holidays to learn about our waterways, investigate the exhibits and be creative with our own message-in-a-bottle activity.

Welcome to Opal’s Room! She’s so excited to have visitors.  

Opal has been learning all about how people travelled to South Australia on a ship. She asks her Granopie, “Did any of my family travel here by ship?”  

Around the room are the answers that will tell Opal all about her family’s past. Can you help her find them? 

Tucked away within the Bound for South Australia exhibition, Opal’s room is a vibrant, cosy nook made just for children and families, with activities to do, things to make, and books to read.  

Let your imagination set sail these school holidays with the Epic Journeys LEGO® Trail at the SA Maritime Museum.

Designed especially for children aged 5-13, this exciting activity brings the museum to life with a fun and interactive twist.

Collect the letters to reveal a secret word. Once you’ve cracked the code, enter the draw to win an awesome LEGO® prize!

A great way to explore, learn and have fun at the SA Maritime Museum these school holidays.

What visitors say about the trail and visiting the museum:

“So much fun and educational; never, never seen a museum this interesting!”

“I really loved how you had a lot to touch, feel and see. Thank you.”

“Brilliantly researched and displayed. Great interactivity.”

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorise, or endorse this site. 

The fully guided tour visits the many areas of the Quarantine Station, including the bathing blocks that separated first and second-class passengers, the boiler house used to power fumigation, the morgue and the isolation hospital. The character of the buildings, the history of the site and the ambience of the natural environment make visiting the Quarantine Station a moving experience.

Torrens Island Quarantine Station was built in 1879 to stop passengers bringing diseases such as smallpox into Adelaide. Today, the site is remarkably intact and evokes the experiences of passengers placed in quarantine from the 1880s to the 1960s.

Included in your ticket is same-day admission to the South Australian Maritime Museum including our exhibitions relating to historic Port Adelaide.

These tours are seasonal, operating between June and September.

Check here for next tour dates

Duration
90 minutes

Cost including same-day entry to the SA Maritime Museum
General Admission: $36.50 per person

Meeting point
Access to Torrens Island Quarantine Station is via the Torrens Island Power Station, which has strict security. Please meet on the Grand Trunkway, Gillman 15 mins prior to start time. Park on the left-hand side before the bridge to Torrens Island, just after the intersection of Grand Trunkway and Moorhouse Road. A Museum staff member will meet you at this location to confirm your arrival. You will then proceed in your own vehicle in convoy through the Power Station to the Torrens Island Quarantine Station.

Please note

Port Adelaide’s got a new sound. New Found Sound is taking over Yartapuulti | Port Adelaide on Saturday, May 9 – and we’re excited to be part of it.

Free entry. All ages. One massive night of live music.

Now in its third year, New Found Sound has grown into one of South Australia’s most loved free cultural events, attracting more than 5,500 music lovers to the historic postcode that is Port Adelaide.

The festival returns with an expanded scope, championing live and local music in an immersive atmosphere as the streets, laneways, and waterways of Port Adelaide come alive with sound.

Presented by City of Port Adelaide Enfield

Facebook @newfoundsoundfestival
Instagram @newfoundsoundfestival

Learn about the historical areas of the waterfront, and viewpoints of interest along the Port River including Hart’s Mill, the lifting Tom ‘Diver’ Derrick Bridge, the 1864 clipper ship City of Adelaide – and perhaps even a dolphin!

Take a tour along the Port River on the historic vessel MV Archie Badenoch. Built during WWII by General Motors Holden for the Royal Australian Navy, the vessel was commissioned by the South Australian Police in December 1946. Named in honour of Constable Archibald Badenoch, Archie served the South Australian Police as the Number 1 Water Police Launch until 1978. The vessel is now owned and operated by the South Australian Maritime Museum.

Thursday 7 May 11am & 12:30pm
Sunday 10 May 11am & 12:30pm
Friday 29 May 11am & 12:30pm

Meeting Point: Queen’s Wharf (near Port Adelaide Lighthouse)
Duration: 60 mins

Adult: $31.50
Child (5-15): $16.50
Please note: Price is for tour only

Here’s your chance to explore inside a Port Adelaide icon with a guided tour!

Experience the magic of the iconic lighthouse, first illuminated in 1869 and still operational today after being relocated several times. Learn historical facts, discover captivating stories and ascend the 83 steps to the top to witness the lantern mechanism in action. Step out onto the deck and enjoy unique views of the river and Port Adelaide from above.

Join us for an unforgettable exploration of the past!

Saturday 2 May 11am, 12pm & 1pm
Wednesday 13 May 11am, 12pm & 1pm
Thursday 21 May 11am, 12pm & 1pm

Meeting Point: Port Adelaide Lighthouse, Black Diamond Square, Port Adelaide
Duration: 30-45 mins. Limited to 10 people per tour.
Note that our tours involve stairs, tight spaces, and heights, and are not suitable for young children (under 5) or those with mobility issues.

Adults $18.50
Children (5-17) $9.50
Please note: Price is for tour only