Old Noarlunga is a small town approximately 40 minutes drive south of Adelaide, South Australia. Originally settled around 1840, the town retains its village atmosphere in spite of encroaching suburbia. At the 2006 census, Old Noarlunga had a population of 1,252.
History
In 1850 the South Australia Company laid out the 'No-orlunga Township' at the 'Horseshoe', Onkaparinga River. The name "No-orlunga" supposedly comes from the Kaurna word meaning 'fishing place'.
In the early years of settlement, the surrounding area was cleared for wheat farming, and a flour mill was built in the town in 1843 along with wharves used to transport produce down the Onkaparinga River to Port Noarlunga via barge. The town still has a stone bridge across the Onkaparinga, making the town a focal point for travel further down the Fleurieu Peninsula. 1856 saw the formation of the Noarlunga district council.
By the 1860s the town had a post office, council chamber, 2 churches, a public pound, 2 hotels, a mill, a brewery and brickworks.
Old Noarlunga became a well known sporting venue, visited by cycling clubs and throughout the 20th century the town was a popular stopping point for tourists on the way to beaches in the region.
1972 saw Main South Road bypass the town and in 1978, by council resolution it became Old Noarlunga. Many local residents at the time were not in favour of the townships name change.