The locality’s boundaries were created in March 2002 for the “long established name” which is derived from Pelican Lagoon, the seawater lagoon which adjoins the locality to the west.[1]
As of 2014, Pelican Lagoon consisted of land at the western end of Dudley Peninsula which adjoins the seawater lagoon of Pelican Lagoon on its north, east and west sides including the isthmus to the south that connects the peninsula to the west part of Kangaroo Island and which adjoins the island’s southern coastline.[1] Land within the locality is zoned for agriculture, conservation including the Pelican Lagoon Conservation Park and residential use.[10]
^For the 2011 census, the State Suburb of Island Beach covered the full extent of the Dudley Peninsula with the exception of Penneshaw - refer Dudley Peninsula#Demographics for more information