Port Augusta

Port Augusta is a small city in South Australia.

Port Augusta is a small city in South Australia. Formerly a seaport, it is now a road traffic and railway junction city mainly located on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf immediately south of the gulf's head and about 322 kilometres (200 mi) north of the state capital, Adelaide. The suburb of Port Augusta West is located on the west side of the gulf on the Eyre Peninsula. Other major industries included, up until the mid-2010s, electricity generation. At June 2018, the estimated urban population was 13,799, having declined at an average annual rate of -0.53% over the preceding five years.

Port Augusta is part of the Barngarla Aboriginal country.It is a natural harbour, which was proclaimed on 24 May 1852 by Alexander Elder (brother of Thomas Elder) and John Grainger, having discovered it while aboard the Government schooner Yatala, captained by Edward Dowsett. The port was named after Augusta Sophia, Lady Young, the wife of the Governor of South Australia, Sir Henry Edward Fox Young. Lady Young was the daughter of Charles Marryat Snr., who had been a slaveholder in the British West Indies. Her brother was the Anglican minister Dean of Adelaide Charles Marryat.

Port Augusta has a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh); however, some authors define it as semi-arid steppe climate (BSk). In terms of vegetation the same is given as desert, although counterintuitively the city maintains with governmental aid with some plants adapted to aridity. Considered desert also by the city hall. Summers are very hot and dry, while winters are damp with generally mild days and cool nights. A record high temperature of 49.5 °C was recorded on 24 January 2019.