Port Germein Lighthouse

Port Germein was first served by a lightship

History

Between 1881 and the arrival of the railway in 1934, Port Germein was the scene of much activity. Its population was 364 in 1901. The jetty was opened in 1881 and extended by 122 metres to a length of 1680 metres in 1883. The present length, following storm damage, is 1532 metres.

The jetty was the longest in Australia, and one of the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. It was used for the loading of grain onto sailing ships from all over the world. Bagged wheat came from the local area, the eastern side of the Southern Flinders Ranges via Port Germein Gorge (opened in 1879), and from the West coast in smaller boats. About 100,000 bags of wheat were loaded per year.

The old lighthouse was erected at the end of the jetty in 1894, replacing the Port Germein Lightship. Showing a fixed light with 2 white sectors and 1 red sector, it was manned until replaced by an AGA flashing light in July 1917.It was re-erected at its present site in 1975. The clock-face tide gauge, which indicated the depth of water, was restored and relocated in 1989. It was originally near the entrance to the Port Pirie shipping channel.

Keepers

We need your help in compiling a list of keepers for this lighthouse. If you have any information then send it to keeper@lighthouses.org.au.

Please include this lighthouse’s name, the keepers full name and what years they were keepers. Also include the same information for any other lights they were on.