With a coastline stretching around 4,000 kilometres and a vast array of inland waterways, South Australia has a diverse and unique aquatic environment. This environment, coupled with an appealing Mediterranean climate and first class boating facilities, the majority of South Australians are never far from the water – whether along our glorious coastline or inland.

The South Australia's Waters, an Atlas and Guide, provides the South Australian boating community and those visiting South Australia with an authoritative document capturing the State’s entire coastal and inland waterways.

Whether you want to go fishing, sailing, holidaying on a boat or swimming, South Australia's Waters will show you how, when and where. This comprehensive atlas presents 175 detailed maps of key locations, together with essential tourism, safety and emergency information.

The guide also covers accommodation, dining, activities, ramps, fuel/pumpout stations, bait, and recommended environmental practice.

Key features include:

• 175 A4 detailed, full-colour maps, developed by the State Government's mapping branch using state-of-the-art GIS technology, covering all of SA's coastline, rivers and lakes.
• Maps include everything from navigation aids, snags, aquatic reserves, dive sites, wrecks, reefs, bird colonies, as well as relevant land and estuarine features, including topography, ramps, roads, mangroves, towns and railway tracks.
• Map scales start at 1:500,000 and move through to 1:50,000 for coastal waters and 1:20,000 for inland waters. The maps cover the 50 top recreational boating destinations.

 And a dozen stunning oblique photographs

The organisation responsible for the coordination of the development of the Atlas is the peak industry body for recreational boating in South Australia, the Boating Industry Association of SA (BIASA), the peak industry body representing Recreational and Light Commercial Boating in South Australia.  

BIASA promotes holiday and recreational boating and related marine/riverine activities as safe, environmentally sound and responsible past-times for all members of the community.  The economic benefits delivered to the community, by our industry, particularly to regional areas is enormous, valued at over $400 million annually.

The boaties of South Australia, after years of research by BIASA and its partners from both public and private sectors, are now able to get their first comprehensive guide of the magnificent waterways of South Australia.

Copies of the Atlas have been keenly sought by hundreds of boaties over the past twelve months, but in the interest of being completely up-to-date at release date, final publication of the Atlas was delayed until current day survey work in many areas, covering several disciplines, had been completed.

It is the most comprehensive boating guide of its kind in Australia and provides exceptional maps of the State’s aquatic environment.

With in excess of 52,000 registered recreational motorboats and more than 130,000 licensed boat operators, South Australians enjoy diverse aquatic activities ranging from fishing, sailing, holiday houseboats, swimming or engaging in more active pursuits like water skiing, kite surfing or riding personal watercraft.

South Australians have fallen in love with the water and increasing numbers are retiring near the water to enjoy the lifestyle that it offers. Tourists from interstate and overseas recognise that South Australia has an enormous amount to offer the person seeking a holiday near or on the water.

The SA Waters Atlas will be an invaluable resource to all of these persons, and for those just interested in our State and what it has to offer.

This publication will provide hours of enjoyable reading and prompt many to visit the locations described in the Atlas.

In addition, the publication is intended to promote marine safety and provide a greater understanding of the aquatic environment available to all South Australians.

Unfortunately we are out of stock at this point in time. This site will advise when new stock is available.

You can order online or print an order form by clicking here.