Ned Thomas, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

After months of repair works, Ardrossan Jetty is on track to re-open next month, just as another of Yorke Peninsula’s iconic jetties is set for a lengthy closure.

Edithburgh Jetty will close to the public from July 24 until mid-2027 while major structural renewal works are undertaken as part of a joint $10 million investment between Yorke Peninsula Council and the state government.

Yorke Peninsula Council says the reopening of Ardrossan Jetty will mark an important milestone for both the local community and visitors.

“Our jetties are the lifeblood of many of Yorke Peninsula’s coastal towns, supporting recreation, tourism and community life,” a council spokesperson said.

The project has included extensive structural repairs, including pile replacement and the renewal of key timber components such as crossheads, corbels, cross bracing and girders. Council expects the jetty to re-open in August.

Essential repairs

Edithburgh Progress Association president Stan Szczypiorski said the need for repairs to the local jetty becomes obvious once you look beneath the structure.

“It’s not until you actually get underneath or have a look down the sides that you realise the magnitude of the damage,” he said.

“Even if you stand from the side, you can see the crossbars are all gone. There’s some significant repair work to be done, which is why it’s been identified as one of the jetties that needs urgent care.”

While disappointed to lose access to one of Australia’s premier diving jetties during the busy season, Mr Szczypiorski said the work simply couldn’t wait.

“We’d much rather have a jetty that’s being repaired as opposed to one that’s being ignored and actually falls over and we’ve got nothing going into the future,” he said.

“It’s like a car. You need to service a car. Everything needs to be renewed.”

Mr Szczypiorski acknowledged the timing was less than ideal, particularly after the harmful algal bloom had already impacted tourism.

“There’s no question that we’ve copped it from the algae bloom,” he said.

“We’re down typically on the peninsula about 16 or 17 per cent (of tourism numbers), but it’s stabilising now.”

Despite the closure, he believes Edithburgh still has plenty to offer visitors.

“There’s so many other things that Edithburgh offers,” he said.

“It’s not just about the jetty and fishing.”

Council is encouraging visitors to continue supporting the town throughout the works, highlighting attractions including the Fishermen’s Jetty, tidal pool, walking trails, cafés, accommodation and local businesses.

The two jetty projects form part of a 70:30 funding partnership between council and the South Australian Government.

Mr Szczypiorski praised both levels of government for securing the investment.

“Congratulations to the council working with the State Government to come up with the funds for this because there’s significant money associated with fixing the jetty,” he said.

“It hasn’t been as fast as we wanted, but at the end of the day it’s going to be fixed. Before you know it, it’ll all be over and people will be storming onto the jetty again.

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 14 July 2026.