One of the great things about traveling in Australia is exploring the historic towns that dot the landscape. Robe, South Australia is a perfect case of this. Robe is a small coastal town on South Australia's Limestone Coast. Located 217 miles (350 kilometers) from Adelaide on Guichen Bay, it was a thriving port town during its initial years and then was suddenly forgotten for almost a century. Today, Rob has been rediscovered and is a vibrant and popular tourist getaway.

Nicolas Baudin, the French explorer discovered Robe in 1802. By 1847, it had become a significant Australian port city, primarily catering to South Australia's flourishing wool producers. There was such a lot of work available in Robe at the time that over 17,000 Chinese workers moved from Victoria to Robe in order to work and avoid having to pay the heavy poll tax imposed by the Victorian government. There were more workers than even the busy port could utilize, though, so the majority of them made their way back into Victoria to work in the gold fields.

In the 1870s, Robe began to shrink as quickly as it had initially developed. Declining wool prices as well as the uncertainty over the renewal of pastoral leases led to a decline in port activity. For almost three-quarters of a century, from the late 1870s until the 1940s, when the roads in South Australia were upgraded, Robe lay inactive, a strange relic of the 19th century.

These days, Robe is thriving again, due to its buoyant tourist industry. The town's main thoroughfares play host to many hundreds of tourists every year, who come to enjoy everything which is on offer in its many restaurants, boutiques and shops. Robe's seafood fare, especially the crayfish and barramundi, is legendary and the restaurants are well stocked with equally legendary wines from South Australia's Barossa Valley area.

Lovers of the outdoors also love Robe. Whether you take to the water or prefer your adventures on terra firma, there's something for everybody in this natural paradise. Water skiers flock to nearby Lake Fellmongery, surfers vie for waves at Long Beach and hikers find endless trails to explore in and around the town. Little Dip Conservation Park is a 4WD enthusiast's paradise, while those whose image of paradise is the chirping of birds on a quiet walking track or the crashing of waves at an remote beach find everything their hearts desire at their Robe doorstep.

Robe is on the scenic Adelaide to Melbourne route and is a popular stopover for drivers between these two main Australian cities. Just an hour and a half's drive south of Robe on the Princes Highway is the amazing Mt. Gambier. Known as a city of craters, caves and lakes, Mt. Gambier is found at the base of a long extinct volcano. Just south of Mt. Gambier is the Victorian border and the countless scenic wonders of the Great Ocean Road.

Driving north from Robe, there are still more scenic wonders in store for travelers. In fact, Robe's position and facilities make it a very welcome stopover for weary long distance travelers. All it takes is a couple of nights in a comfortable Robe accommodation and you're ready for the road again. Whether you're headed north to Adelaide, south to Melbourne or your destination is Robe itself, Robe will be one of the big highlights of your trip. You will see the best of the magnificent South Australian coast and enjoy the hospitality of Robe's welcoming locals. No doubt your first stay in Robe, South Australia will not be your last.