Port Rickaby, South Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Port Rickaby South Australia
Port Rickaby jetty
Port Rickaby Location in Yorke Peninsula Council
Postcode(s)	5576
LGA(s)	Yorke Peninsula Council
State electorate(s)	Narungga
Federal Division(s)	Grey

Port Rickaby is a small town located on the coast of Spencer Gulf in South Australia. It's part of the beautiful Yorke Peninsula region. This quiet town has a rich history, especially as a busy port in the past.

Port Rickaby is governed by the Yorke Peninsula Council. For state government matters, it's in the Electoral district of Narungga. For federal government, it's part of the Division of Grey.

Port Rickaby's Past

Port Rickaby was officially started as a shipping port in 1876. It was named after Thomas Rickaby, an important early settler from Ireland. Thomas came to South Australia in 1858. He first joined the South Australian Mounted Police. Later, he moved to Yorke Peninsula and became the first president of the Minlaton Agricultural Show.

The wider area around Port Rickaby is known as Koolywurtie. This name comes from an Aboriginal language. It means "Where rocks meet the sea."

The Jetty's Story

A long wooden jetty was built in 1879. It was first 405 feet (123 m) long. Over the years, it was made longer three times. By 1949, it reached a total length of 820 ft (250 m).

The jetty was very important for the local farmers. They grew grain on about 34,000 acres (140 km²) of land. This grain was brought to the port in bags. First, horse-drawn wagons carried the bags. Later, motor trucks were used. The grain was weighed and stored in large sheds. These sheds were built to keep mice out.

The grain was then loaded onto smaller ships called ketches. Some famous ketches included the Falie, Waimana, Coringle, and Eva Lita. These ketches would carry the grain to larger sailing ships. These huge ships were called "windjammers." They had names like the Passat, København, and Pamir. The windjammers would anchor off Port Victoria. From there, they would sail across the ocean to Europe. They often went around Cape Horn, a very famous and challenging route. The last windjammer to leave Port Victoria was the Passat in 1949. The last windjammer to visit Port Rickaby itself was the five-masted Kobenhaven in 1924. It carried a massive 65,000 bags of wheat.

The jetty wasn't just for grain. It was also used to bring in many other things. These included fencing materials, cement, livestock, and cornsacks. All these items were needed for the new settlement to grow.

In 1964, the government decided to make the jetty shorter. This was done to save money on repair costs.

Images for kids

• H.L. Chambers unloading bagged grain
• Stackingsiteasseenfromlookout.jpg

  Stacking site as seen from lookout