Vivonne Bay

Vivonne Bay (French: Baie Vivonne) is a bay in the Australian state of South Australia located on the south coast of Kangaroo Island about 61 kilometres (38 mi) from Kingscote, the island's main town, and which was named by the members of Baudin expedition to Australia who visited the bay in January 1803.

Vivonne Bay (French: Baie Vivonne) is a bay in the Australian state of South Australia located on the south coast of Kangaroo Island about 61 kilometres (38 mi) from Kingscote, the island's main town, and which was named by the members of Baudin expedition to Australia who visited the bay in January 1803.In a survey of 10,000 beaches by Professor Andrew Short, director of Sydney University's marine studies centre, the beach at Vivonne Bay was adjudged as one of the best in Australia.

The bay was named by a member of the Baudin expedition to Australia in January 1803 after one of the following persons - Louis Victor de Rochechouart de Mortemart (1636-1688), a Marshal of France or Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de Rambouillet (1588-1665), a member of the French nobility. Two sources state that the bay was named by Nicolas Baudin while a third source states that Baudin himself did not visit the southern coast of Kangaroo Island and that it was explored by the Casuarina commanded by Louis de Freycinet and a fourth which states that the bay was named by François Péron and Freycinet.

Vivonne Bay is recognised as having a significant undertow and at times a sizeable swell, and is therefore suited only to experienced swimmers. In April 2011, two Australian tourists drowned when a large wave swept them out to sea as they posed for a photograph with their backs to the water at Point Ellen at the western end of the bay.

Vivonne Bay was impacted by bushfires in January 2020 which necessitated the evacuation of Vivonne Bay township and surrounding areas on Thursday 9 January 2020