Ballast Head, South Australia — interactive Google street map, satellite and terrain views, Street View, live local weather conditions and 7-day forecasts, real-time local and world news, and an editorial description of Ballast Head, in the Kangaroo Island Council local government area.
| Locality | Ballast Head |
| State | South Australia (SA) |
| Local Government Area | Kangaroo Island Council |
| Country | Australia |
| Timezone | Australian Central Time (ACST/ACDT) |
| Remoteness | Remote Australia |
| Latitude | -35.75591 |
| Longitude | 137.77007 |
| Population | 20 |
| Density | 0.8 /km² |
| Area | 23.5 km² |
| Elevation | 120 m |
| Postcode | 5221 |
| Area Code | 08 |
| Distance to Adelaide | 119 km southwest |
Ballast Head is a locality in the Kangaroo Island Council local government area of South Australia, Australia. It is a small community with a population of 20. The locality covers an area of 23.5 km², giving a population density of about 0.8 people per km². It sits at an elevation of around 120 m above sea level. It lies approximately 119 km southwest of Adelaide. Ballast Head is located at 35.7559°S, 137.7701°E. It observes Australian Central Time (ACST/ACDT). Postcode: 5221. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies the area as Remote Australia.
Ballast Head spills down rugged slopes towards the Southern Ocean, a wild meeting of land and sea where hardy coastal scrub clings to wind-scoured earth. It lies 98.5 km south-west of Morphett Vale, SA (from Morphett Vale, SA: bearing 224°T), and is situated 18.1 km south-east of Kingscote. The air here carries a constant, invigorating tang of salt, a whisper of the vastness that lies beyond the horizon. Below, the coastline fragments into dramatic cliffs and hidden coves, the relentless surf gnawing at ancient rock formations, each wave a testament to the ocean's enduring power. The light, particularly as it begins to fade, paints the weathered landscape in hues of ochre and deep violet, a spectacle that stills the hurried breath.
The story of Ballast Head is intrinsically tied to the sea and the island's early days as a maritime outpost and, later, a vital agricultural hub. For generations, the rich soil has yielded its bounty, supporting sheep and cattle grazing on pastures that stretch towards the coast, their fences a stark geometry against the rolling terrain. The quiet hum of agricultural life underpins the character of Ballast Head, a life lived close to the land and its seasons. While the island's broader history is rich with the stories of sealers, whalers, and early settlers, Ballast Head itself retains a raw, untamed beauty, a place where the raw materials of the land and sea have always dictated the rhythm of existence, a place that feels both ancient and perpetually renewed by the ocean's breath.
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This page provides an interactive Google map of Ballast Head, South Australia with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorially written description provides background on Ballast Head, in the Kangaroo Island Council local government area.
Detailed location data for Ballast Head includes the postcode (5221), telephone area code (08), and local government area (Kangaroo Island Council), with an ABS remoteness classification of Remote Australia. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any Australian city, town or locality.
Location data is drawn from Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020) and enriched with GeoNames and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, matched by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Ballast Head is identified even where the name is shared across multiple localities.
| Page generated | June 2026 |
| Location data | Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020); enriched with GeoNames and ABS 2021 Census data, matched by coordinate proximity |
| Description | Editorial description generated with AI assistance from verified Geoscape, ABS and GeoNames location data. |