Moana Beach

Moana Beach is a long sandy beach in the suburb of Moana within the City of Onkaparinga, about 35 kilometres south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia. Fronting Gulf St Vincent, it is notable as one of the few beaches in South Australia where vehicles are permitted to drive on the sand with a permit. The beach is backed by dunes of Moana Sands Conservation Park and is popular for swimming, surfing, fishing and family recreation.

Visitors can expect a wide, sandy beach stretching along Gulf St Vincent with gentle to moderate surf, backed by dunes and the Moana Sands Conservation Park. The foreshore has a paved promenade, grassed reserves, playgrounds and picnic areas along the Esplanade. The beach is open for swimming, surfing, fishing, walking and photography, and a designated section allows permitted vehicles to drive on the sand. Facilities and cafes are located near the Moana foreshore and Seaford Moana area.

The Moana area is on Kaurna Country. European settlement in the Onkaparinga district developed from the mid-19th century. The name Moana, a Maori and Polynesian word meaning ocean or sea, was applied to the subdivision in 1927 and adopted for the beach and suburb. The beach has long been used for recreation and fishing and later became known for managed vehicle access.

The beach lies on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people, the Traditional Owners of the Adelaide Plains and Fleurieu Peninsula region. It is a valued community recreation area for the City of Onkaparinga and a coastal destination for the Fleurieu Peninsula.