Port Moorowie

History

Unknown

First People


The Narangga people traversed the land that is now Port Moorowie. The name Moorowie is an Aboriginal word which means ‘Sandy water’.

1849

Police Station Opened at Moorowie

Three years after the first sheep were brought to the Peninsula, feelings between the whites and the “natives” were strained to boiling point. Because of escalating problems including stealing of sheep and spearing of shepherds, a Police Station was set up at Moorowie.

1859

Police Station Closed

George Fowler, who had Moorowie Station then, was appointed as the local Justice of the Peace. The one constable was withdrawn and the Police Station was closed by 1859.

1859

Rabbits!

William Fowler, after whom Lake Fowler was named, occupied the lease in 1859 for the sheep station (called a ‘run’) in the Hundred of Moorowie.   It was he who first brought rabbits to Yorke Peninsula as pets. Some escaped and bred rapidly. He is said to have spent large sums of money trying to eradicate them.

1876

Grave

John Dunstall, who died on 6 August 1876, was the first to be buried in the double grave and so the subdivision had taken place before his burial. He died of consumption at age 20.

1878

Township

The township of Port Moorowie was sold in June and white settlers moved into the area. The farmers found it difficult to transport the first yield from their crops to market and this led to community pressure on the Government to build a jetty at McLeods Harbour.

1878

Mount Melville School – 1878-1880

This school, established for the children of local farmers, began in a community hall which was also used as a Church from 1878 until a new school was commissioned in 1880. 

1879

Lighhouse?

It was proposed that a lighthouse should be built but it never eventuated.

1880

Mount Melville School – 1880-1888

The Mount Melville School re-opened on a new site in 1880 and continued until 1888.

1881

Jetty Built

The jetty was built at a cost of £989. It was 285 feet long (87 metres) and was controlled by the Marine Board. It was once considered to be the best site for a deep sea port instead of Giles Point. It has always been a “nightmare” port due to exposure to the rough seas of the Southern Ocean.

1881

Grave

William Plant, who died on 24 April 1881, was the second to be buried in Section 75. There was a connection through marriage between the Dunstall & Plant families.

1883

Grave

Caroline Maude Clarke died in March 1883. She was 12 years old and it is believed that she was struck by a falling tree and was buried a few days before her parents and six siblings left for Tasmania.  It is presumed that she is the third burial in the historic Burial Site at Port Moorowie.

1888

Mount Melville School Closed

On Friday 11 March the Mount Melville School was closed owing to small attendance, and the teacher was transferred to Hayward Park School, about six miles from Stansbury, where she began her duties on the following Monday.

1908

Stranded

The “Sir Wilfred Lawson” was stranded.

1909

Ship Wreck

On 31 January the “Clan Ranald” sank in 14 fathoms of water about 400 yards west of Troubridge Hill.

1915

Jetty Damaged

A storm damaged the jetty.

1917

Ship Wreck

The “Kona” was wrecked at nearby Mozzie Flats.

1953

Jetty Damaged

A storm damaged the jetty and it became unsafe in the ensuing years and was removed.

1955

Jetty to be Demolished

A farmer won the tender to demolish the jetty.

1956

Jetty Demolished

The farmer set fire to the jetty while demolishing it. There were two sets of piles to each section of the jetty and the fire burnt three of these. A storm put out the fire.