Victor Harbor, Encounter Bay. sic

Rare map of Victor Harbour and Encounter Bay showing the proposed improvements  by Emil Wentzel.

Shown is the location of Customs House marked as, “Gov. Cottage” , now the National Trust Museum which was built in 1866-67 for the collector of customs and harbour master. Causeway, Victor Harbor Commenced 1862. A jetty, including the Victoria Pier spur and its structures, was constructed and officially opened in 1864 where cranes loaded cargo onto ships.

1862 Construction of Jetty (Causeway) commenced and reached 640 ft from the shore in 1862. In 1863 a further 60 ft was added, it was finally extended to the Island in 1875 the final length being 2,073 ft (632 metres).

In 1861 the decision was made to extend the tramway to Victor Harbor and to develop the harbour in the lee of Granite Island. Prior to this period the cutters and ketches which had serviced the community had beached at low tide to facilitate loading and unloading; then in 1854 a small jetty was built beneath the Bluff. In 1857 Captain Bloomfield Douglas, Colonial Harbourmaster was commissioned to do an accurate survey, noting the best places for moorings to be placed. By 1862 something better was wanted and a report was made on the requirements for a jetty and other cargo handling facilities. Work began in July 1862 for a jetty and pier. There were difficulties and delays as work proceeded across the bay due to the limestone reef. The contractor Mr Gouge declared himself bankrupt, but the government insisted on the work going ahead. The jetty was completed by June 1864 and the tramway extension to Victor Harbor was opened on 4 August. This time the port was defined by the eastward side of Granite Island, the jetty itself and a stretch of the mainland: it was named Port Victor. The jetty was named the Victoria Pier: it was described as ‘entirely constructed of colonial gum. The pier consists of 89 bays each 20 ft. long, making a total length of 1,780 ft. Each bay is supported by 3 piles at each end…..The erection of the pier took nearly two years and cost about 8,800 pounds. The railway continues up to the end of the jetty where cranes are to be placed for loading and unloading cargo.’ Extensions to this jetty were completed in 1875. It was continued across to Granite Island becoming the current causeway, and continued along the eastern side of the island to a wharf, which in time became known as the Working Jetty. This still did not solve the problems at Port Victor as larger vessels could not tie up to the Working Jetty. Goods still needed to be lightered out to these ships at their anchorage. The jetty was used predominantly by the smaller coasting vessels.