Middle Beach, South Australia

Middle Beach
Town
Looking north along the beachfront shacks
Middle Beach
Coordinates: 34°36′27″S138°24′38″E / 34.607565°S 138.410588°E / -34.607565; 138.410588 [1]
Country	Australia
State	South Australia
Region	Barossa Light and Lower North [1]
LGA	Adelaide Plains Council [1]
Location	40 km (25 mi) from Adelaide
Established	5 June 1997 (locality) [2]
Government
•  State electorate	Taylor
•  Federal division	Grey
Population
• Total	94 (SAL 2021) [3]
Time zone	UTC+9:30 (ACST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+10:30 (ACST)
Postcode	5501
County	Gawler [1]
Mean max temp	22.7 °C (72.9 °F) [4]
Mean min temp	11.2 °C (52.2 °F) [4]
Annual rainfall	431.0 mm (16.97 in) [4]
Localities around Middle Beach Gulf St Vincent Lower Light Korunye Two Wells Gulf St Vincent Middle Beach Two Wells Gulf St Vincent Port Gawler Port Gawler
Adjoining localities [1]

Middle Beach is a small town in South Australia located about 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of the Adelaide city centre in the State of Southern Australia. It is located in the Adelaide Plains Council.

As of 2021, the population of Middle Beach was 94.

Demographics

The 2006 Census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics counted 366 persons on Middle Beach on census night. Of these, 55.2% were male and 44.8% were female. ^[5]

The majority of residents (66.1%) are of Australian birth, with other common census responses being England (4.6%) and Netherlands (3.0%). ^[5]

The age distribution of Middle Beach residents is comparable to that of the greater Australian population. 68.8% of residents were over 25 years in 2006, compared to the Australian average of 66.5%; and 31.2% were younger than 25 years, compared to the Australian average of 33.5%. ^[5]

Community

The local newspaper is the Plains Producer.

Attractions

Middle Beach is notable for its samphire swamplands and fishing in the mangroves. A boat ramp and small creek are located at the southern end of the shellgrit beach.

Transport

Middle Beach is located beside Port Wakefield Road.

Discovery of Peter Stogneff's remains

In August 1981, 14 year old Peter Stogneff took a day off school to meet a cousin in Rundle Mall, but the plans were cancelled. After being reported missing by his parents, his skeletal remains were discovered in June 1982 after a local farmer lit a fire to clear land near Middle Beach. ^[6] The coroner noted that Peter's body had been sawn through in at least three places. His murder is one of the five cases known as The Family Murders.

References

1. "Search results for 'Middle Beach, LOCB' with the following datasets selected – 'Suburbs and localities', 'Counties', 'Government Towns', 'Hundreds', 'Local Government Areas', 'SA Government Regions' and 'Gazetteer'". Location SA Map Viewer. South Australian Government. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
2. Kentish, P.M. (5 June 1997). "GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES ACT 1991 Notice to Assign Boundaries to Places" (PDF). The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. p. 2803. Retrieved 12 April 2019. assign the names MIDDLE BEACH, TWO WELLS, LOWER LIGHT, KORUNYE, REEVES PLAINS, FISCHER, REDBANKS, MALLALA, DUBLIN, THOMPSON BEACH, WEBB BEACH, PARHAM, WINDSOR, WILD HORSE PLAINS, LONG PLAIN, CALOMBA, GRACE PLAINS and BARABBA to those areas indicated on Rack Plan 802
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Middle Beach (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
4. "Monthly climate statistics: Summary statistics EDINBURGH RAAF (nearest weather station)". Commonwealth of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
5. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Middle Beach (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
6. Schriever, Jordanna (30 November 2025). "Chapter closes on 'The Family' murders that stole Adelaide's innocence". ABC News. Retrieved 9 October 2026.