From the 1880s to the 1970s, the Nelson Regatta was a major attraction for people across south-east South Australia and south-west Victoria. Now, a group of friends in Nelson is planning to revive the event along the Glenelg River in 2026, aiming to draw visitors to the small border town that has faced economic challenges over the past five years.
“The regatta is an opportunity for me to, like my grandparents did, give back to Nelson,” said Eathan Whitehead, one of the event’s organizers. “I long for the place that I visited as a child that was full of ice creams and fishing off every deck in the summer. I don’t see that as much anymore, especially with our kiosk closing.”
The historic Nelson Kiosk, once the town’s general store and café, closed last August due to ongoing maintenance issues and was demolished in May. The town of Nelson, located just east of the South Australia-Victoria border, was also significantly impacted by COVID-19 restrictions that affected tourism venues and border crossings during the pandemic. Nearby attractions like the Princess Margaret Rose Cave and Piccaninnie Ponds have also been closed to tourists and divers, respectively, in recent years.
Reviving a Storied Tradition
The Nelson Regatta has a rich history, with the first event reportedly held on New Year’s Day in 1886, focusing on rowing races. It later evolved into the Nelson Australia Day Aquatic Carnival, featuring rowing, swimming, speedboat races, beauty contests, parades, music, and high-diving demonstrations from the Glenelg River bridge.
Jim Millard, whose family moved to Nelson in 1962, recalls the regatta as a “massive big party,” with water-skiers forming pyramids and crowds lining the riverbanks. “I couldn’t believe the amount of people — from the kiosk to the bridge on this side of the river was just people and cars,” he said.
Christina McFarlane is organizing a photo display for the new event, scheduled for January 24–26, 2026. She noted that the event seemed to decline in the 1960s as Nelson transitioned from a permanent settlement to a holiday town, and other entertainment options became available.
“Probably by the end of the 1950s, with changes in population, people were starting to do more things, I suppose,” Ms. McFarlane said. “Whereas before they just had their cars, they didn’t have much to do, they would go to these major events.”
Inspiration and New Beginnings
The idea to revive the regatta gained momentum when lawyer Kerry Schroeder and her husband, Rob Grant, purchased the Nelson Hotel in October 2023. They met Mr. Whitehead soon after and discussed ways to boost local tourism. With historical photos of past regattas displayed at the pub, inspiration quickly struck.
Ms. Schroeder emphasized that they are not merely resurrecting the old regatta but rather capturing its spirit to create a new event. “We are taking the soul that was that regatta and what it meant to Nelson and then using that to rebuild an event that will hopefully have people go, ‘You know what? This weekend every year, go to Nelson because there’s this amazing event happening,'” she explained.
The event aims to re-establish Nelson as a desirable destination, not just for the regatta weekend but throughout the year. “We want to rebuild Nelson as a place where people go, ‘This is a great place to come to’ — not only for the regatta weekend but ‘Oh my God, we didn’t realize how beautiful this was. How good would it be to come back in winter?'”
Plans for the 2026 Event
The 2026 Nelson Regatta will kick off on Saturday afternoon with a slideshow and music at the Nelson Hotel, followed by an outdoor cinema that night. The main event, a parade of boats on the Glenelg River, will take place on Sunday, accompanied by a market and a dinner-dance at the pub. The celebration will conclude on Monday with the traditional Australia Day breakfast, a flag-raising ceremony at the tennis club, and a car show along the riverbanks.
Mr. Whitehead emphasized the importance of making the event manageable with a small team of volunteers to ensure its sustainability. “I just hope to see a lot of people having fun on the day in Nelson and particularly, that [if] it happens every single year … one day, hopefully, I have children that have memories of going to the regatta,” he said.
The return of the Nelson Regatta represents a significant effort to breathe new life into the town’s tourism sector, drawing on its rich history and community spirit to create a vibrant future.
