Initially called Surveyor’s Point, the town of Port Vincent is now a popular holiday destination and retirement town.
History
of Port Vincent
Early Days
Port Vincent’s beginnings were agricultural, but the lack of serviceable road to transport the grain to market brought challenges. The jetty was erected in 1877 as a private enterprise to simplify the loading of grain. With the establishment of a railroad track on the jetty, loading of grain became more streamlined. The jetty enabled steamers and ketches to come alongside in the appropriate tide, load and leave again.
The remains of that jetty can still be seen at low tide directly off Main Street.
The jetty changed hands, but was still privately owned. There was quite a tussle between private enterprise and council as the future of both purchase and transportation of grain was decided. In 1902, the construction of the wharf, as it is now, began under council control. It was erected in three stages and completed in 1909 with the dredging of the channel.
The wharf became a hive of activity during grain season and the infrastructure built to accommodate the bagged grain and its transportation was impressive, with large sheds and covered storage areas which extended far beyond the wharf.
The fisherman’s jetty was added in 1937, and while the transition from bagged to bulk grain handling began, Port Vincent was still a viable port with a deep wharf for the bagged grain.
By 1970, Port Vincent was no longer a commercial port and the wharf is now a recreational attraction, having reduced from 450 feet in its heyday to 120 feet today.
Most of the year, anglers can be found successfully dropping a line or crab net at the wharf. Its a perfect vantage point to watch the sailing or kids enjoying the time honoured activity of jetty jumping.
The sea is regularly dotted with kayaks, paddleboards, jet skis, sail boats and fishing boats.
In the late 1870’s, steamers were a commons sight in Port Vincent, carrying cargo and passengers to and from Port Adelaide.
The Ceres and Wakefield visited twice a week until the early 1900’s. Other steamers were Juno, Karatta and Ruby. Bag lumping provided employment, as did carting the grain from farm to the seaside with horse and cart.
Agriculture
Settlers were drawn to Port Vincent during the time of settlement, due to the good cropping land. Wheat and barley were primary crops. Farming back in the early 1900’s required farmhands to assist with horses and bagging of grain. The harvest was a long, drawn out process with small machinery, manual work and battling of the elements. In the early 1900’s to the 1950’s most farms were mixed with sheep, cattle, pigs and chickens. Today, many farms concentrate solely on cropping. In addition to wheat and barley, canola, lentils, beans and peas are grown.
Sailing
When affordable 14 foot sailboats came on the market in the early 1930’s the concept of the Pt Vincent Sailing Club was mooted.
Sailing across the gulf was achievable, so clubs from Adelaide and the SA Yacht Squadron became familiar sights. Sunday afternoon was the time to see the colour on the water and friendly races. In 1959, the clubhouse was built with three extensions added over the years. Several classes of sailing competition are still run today.
