Geologists have a pronounced “Sense of Place”. It means that specific field localities hold special significance for research, teaching, public interest in geology as well as history. In this paper four geological localities from South Australia will be discussed that illustrates this concept.

Hallett Cove offers the best example in South Australia of this phenomenon as it provides a classic locality demonstrating Late Palaeozoic glaciation in Australia. The glacial pavement at Black Cliff was discovered by Ralph Tate in 1877 who later led “the largest scientific excursion in the southern hemisphere” to the site in 1893. The site has become an essential geology teaching locality whilst in the 1970s it was the site of a vigorous conservation battle until a wide area was preserved around it. Over more than a century it has also excited controversy as geologists have queried its glacial origin and have variously attributed a Carboniferous, Permian, Cretaceous and Pleistocene age to the glaciation.

The coast along Maslin Bay / Port Willunga offers the primary reference section for Late Eocene and Oligocene time in Australia. Ralph Tate also demonstrated its importance as early as 1877 through the description of numerous fossils coupled with recognition of its time significance. Since the 1940s, a legion of geologists, led by Martin Glaessner, have also studied the coastal cliffs. They have been followed by students and even accompanied by artists who are attracted by the beauty of the high, yet readily accessible cliffs.

Another long-recognised iconic geological region is the Flinders Ranges, centred initially on Wilpena Pound and more recently on the nearby Brachina Gorge transect. Since 2004, this region also holds the international GSSP site defining the base of the Ediacaran Period.

Also of importance are the Quaternary coastal environments of the Coorong in the SE of South Australia which have also interested geologists since the 19th century and most especially since the mid 20th century.