History
Hallett Cove is named after John Hallett who discovered the area while searching for lost cattle in 1837. In the 1840s the cove was used by smugglers to gather goods at night which were then taken to Adelaide by boat. In 1847, the Worthing Mining Company purchased a large portion of land from the Hallett family and built a copper mine on the northern side of Hallett's creek. The ground proved to be too hard and water kept flooding the mines. In 1852 the miners left for the gold rush and the mine was finally abandoned in 1857. Farming began in what is now the eastern section of the park in the 1850s. In the 1880s the cove was used for exercises conducted by the navy and the southern area of beach was cleared of rocks to allow landings.
Professor Ralph Tate realised that South Australia had been subjected to an ice age when in 1877 he discovered the area's smoothed and striated glacial formation. In 1893, the largest scientific excursion ever held in the Southern Hemisphere explored the area with Professor Walter Howchin, discovering that the deposits were of Permian age and that Australia was closer to the south pole than today while part of the Gondwanan mass-continent. During that time the south-western two-thirds of Australia, including much of South Australia was covered by an ice sheet.
In 1957 Professor A.R. Alderman from the University of Adelaide wrote to the National Trust of South Australia recommending that the glacial pavements along the coastal cliff tops of Hallett Cove be preserved. His recommendation was successful and it is now protected.
Professor Ralph Tate realised that South Australia had been subjected to an ice age when in 1877 he discovered the area's smoothed and striated glacial formation. In 1893, the largest scientific excursion ever held in the Southern Hemisphere explored the area with Professor Walter Howchin, discovering that the deposits were of Permian age and that Australia was closer to the south pole than today while part of the Gondwanan mass-continent. During that time the south-western two-thirds of Australia, including much of South Australia was covered by an ice sheet.
In 1957 Professor A.R. Alderman from the University of Adelaide wrote to the National Trust of South Australia recommending that the glacial pavements along the coastal cliff tops of Hallett Cove be preserved. His recommendation was successful and it is now protected.