5 / 25
PORT ADELAIDE-A RETROSPECT.
CHAPTER I.
On October 14, 1899, Port Adelaide
a^s
bush t
it is now known to Soiitk Ausli-alians,
entered upon its sixtiebli year of existeiue
•Sixtv years ac;o, where the leading seaport
town of the colony now stands, was no-
t.'iing but a sliallow stream and a man
grove swamp. How great the transforma-
rion effected during the interval must be
apparent to the most casual observer, who
now walks through the well-paved
n
and
macadamized streets, lined by substantial
and commodious buildings; or visits the
wharfs frequented by the largest of cargo
vc.ssels. And yet it was so comparatively
re<*ently a.s October 14, 1840, that upon the
fompietion of ilaclareii IVharf Port Ade
laide was formally declared oi>en to the
commerce of the world. In 18:16 Colonel
laght to whom the province is indebted
for the .selection of the site of its capital
and chief port, arrived in the Ciulf, and in
an oHicial report dated l^ehriiary, 1837, he
referred to the inlet, now known as the
Port River, a.s follows:-"! have no hesita
tion in saying that, with the entrance
Imoved, ships drawing IG ft. of water may
go ill with ease, and when in there is no
.safer or more commodious harbour
rid for merchant ships."
necessary to say
port must not
be confounded with the first settlement
further up the river, near what is now
known as old Qiicenstown. The "Old" Port,
so named in contradistinction to the
"New," was situated about a mile above
the present Jervois Rridge, and nearly op
posite Ruck's Flat. It was selected by the
early pioneers as oft'ering greater facilnie.s
of access from the river than any olhei
spot in the immediate neighhoiirhood, the
intervening belt of mangroves being
.scarcely 400 wards through. Across this a
ditch about 30 ft. wide by 5 ft. deep was
cut to the foot of the sandhills. This was
piled at the end with pine poles, capped
with quartering, and backed with teatree
in the worli
It is scarcely
that the present
o prevent the sand from falling in.
The silt dug out formed an embankment.
The creek was available for small craft of
light draught only, and at low water it was
dry. There were no mechanical appliances
for landing heavy goods on this primitive
wharf, and delays and disputes among cap-
Ir.ins, sailors, and the shipping fraternity
were by no means rare. The trade of the
colony, at tkat time carried on by means
of .small sailing craft, was principally
of an intercolonial character. The damage
to cargo by exposure on the wharf and
by. high tides was considerable, and when
about £3 per ton for cartage by bullock-
drays to .\delaide had been added it is
small wonder that the cost to the con
sumer was considerable. The drawbacks of
the place did not e.scape attention at
head-quarteis, for on August 21, 1839, the
Governor officially notified that in order to
remove the diftioulty experienced in carry
ing goods over the sandhills at the
head of the wharf, and also to improve the
road across the swamp to the canal, all
carter.5 using the road would be required
to take down a load of sand in their cart*
to be discharged where the oflicer super
intending the work might deem desirable.
To facilitate the operation men were
stationed on the sandhills to assist
in loading and unloading the carts
Altogether the Old Fort—Fort iMisery, as it
was called by some—was anything but a
success, and in 1839 an enterprise was be
gun whereby, according to a notice which
appeared in the "Government Gazette,"
"the principal source of complaint, annqy-
anee, and loss in this fair province will
thus be effectively and permanently remov
ed, and one most important means of its
future and increa.sed prosperity afforded."
This enterprise was no other than the for
mation of a new port. On IMay 2.1, 1839,
Governor Gawler. by digging the first spado
of eaith, approved the formation of tho
I'oad which was to cppneot the Fort River