The Landslide Legacy – Australia's Scenic Public Toilet # 34, Wool Bay

Wool Bay Jetty (and public loos) from old Limestone Kiln, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

Looking down over the steep limestone cliff into the multicoloured waters of the Southern Yorke Peninsula's Wool Bay can be a parallel universe moment as the flat and unremarkable pastoral country – often dry and arid – gives way to the vividly coloured and splendid panorama of the bay.

Wool Bay from the Jetty, Yorke Peninsula

High on the cliff the now disused limestone kiln, the only remaining one of several which once gave this tiny town its purpose towers above the jetty that gave the town its current name.

The jetty, while built for limestone transportation, is apparently wide enough to roll a bale of wool down and therefore became known as the Wool Bay Jetty. Of course whether anyone ever indulged in the (tragically) lost art of jetty-wool-bale-rolling is unknown AND irrelevant – because the fact of being able to was enough to change the town's name from Pickering to Wool Bay.

Wool Bay Limestone Kiln from Loos, Wool Bay, Yorke Peninsula

Just as well it wasn't re-named 'Limestone Bay'.

Despite the fanfare and great expectations of the opening ceremony on 11 August 1910, the variable wind conditions meant that although Miller's Lime Kiln Co became the main supplier of lime for the Adelaide building industry, the three clifftop kilns were not successful. 



Wool Bay's Limestone Landslide Legacy, the Temporary Toilets! South Australia

So what's a nice temporary toilet doing in a place like this?



Clifftop sign, Wool Bay

Previous Loo site, Wool Bay

A couple of years ago, an uncharacteristically heavy storm dumped so much rain in the area that the fragile limestone cliff above the previous 'permanent' public amenities collapsed and took out the loo. 

BUT … every cloud has a silver lining!
The magnificent coastal views from the new amenities for the many visitors who use the jetty for fishing, diving to spot leafy seadragons and other recreational pursuits are far more extensive than from the old site!



The waters of Wool Bay

The panorama from the top of the old limestone kiln is enhanced by the distinctive 'building site blocks' that add a focal point to the car park and wharf!!

Limestone Kiln, Landslide and Loos from the Wool Bay Jetty

And the temporary toilet's convenient location virtually on the jetty ensures far less 'down time' when nature calls!!!

What's NOT to love?!?!

SO … who needs a lasting loo when these fine fly-by-night fixtures are already a semi-permanent part of the Wool Bay jetty landscape?

The legacy of Wool Bay's limestone landslide might just turn out to be permanent after all!!

Watch this space ...

Read MORE:

• Wool Bay, South Australia
• Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
• MORE Australian Scenic Public Toilets

The Conveniences Context:  Wool Bay Jetty, Loos and Limestone Kiln with Pt Giles Jetty in the background