Port Germein, South Australia

{{Use Australian English|date=March 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Port Germein | state = sa | image = Port_Germein_jetty,_Dec_2008.JPG | caption = Port Germein jetty, Dec 2008 | coordinates = {{coord|33|01|0|S|138|00|0|E|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_label_position = | lga = District Council of Mount Remarkable | postcode = 5495<ref name=postcode>{{cite web|title= Postcode for Port Germein, South Australia |url= http://www.postcodes-australia.com/areas/sa/country+south+australia/port+germein |publisher= postcodes-australia.com |accessdate=17 September 2016}}</ref> | est = 1878 | pop = 249 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2006}} | pop_footnotes=<ref name="ABS"/> | elevation= | elevation_footnotes= | maxtemp = | mintemp = | rainfall = | stategov = Stuart<ref name=Stuart>{{cite web|title=District of Stuart Background Profile|url= http://www.ecsa.sa.gov.au/component/edocman/?task=document.download&id=527&Itemid=0 |publisher=Electoral Commission SA|accessdate=20 August 2015}}</ref> | fedgov = Grey<ref name=AEC>{{cite web|title=Federal electoral division of Grey|url=http://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/sa/files/2011/2011-aec-a4-map-sa-grey.pdf |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission|accessdate=24 July 2015}}</ref> | dist1 = 219 | dir1 = N | location1= Adelaide | dist2 = 19 | dir2 = N | location2= Port Pirie | dist3 = 15 | dir3 = N | location3= Weeroona Island | near-n = Baroota | near-ne = Bangor | near-e = Bangor<br/>Telowie | near-se = Telowie | near-s = Germein Bay<br/>Telowie | near-sw = ''Germein Bay (body of water)'' | near-w = ''Spencer Gulf'' | near-nw = ''Spencer Gulf'' |footnotes=Adjoining localities<ref name=PLB>{{cite web |title=Search result for "Port Germein (Locality Bounded)" (Record no SA0044206) with the following layers selected - "Suburbs and Localities" |url=http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/# |work=Property Location Browser |publisher=Government of South Australia |accessdate=28 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012010923/http://maps.sa.gov.au/plb/ |archive-date=12 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> }} '''Port Germein''' is a small sea-side town in the Australian state of South Australia located about {{convert|219|km}} north of the state capital of Adelaide and about {{convert|19|km}} north of the city of Port Pirie on the eastern side of South Australia's Spencer Gulf overlooking Germein Bay. Port Germein was named after Samuel Germein, who moved into the territory in 1840,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60344179 |title="Port Adelaide in 1867". |newspaper=The Register |location=Adelaide |date=13 April 1918 |accessdate=18 February 2013 |page=10 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> although some credit his brother John to be the first European to traverse the area.<ref name="SMHTravel">{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/South-Australia/Port-Germein/2005/02/17/1108500204595.html |title=Port Germein |date=8 February 2004 |accessdate=21 January 2007 |series=Travel |work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> The township was proclaimed in 1878. Port Germein's population in the {{CensusAU|2006}} was 249.<ref name="ABS">{{Census 2006 AUS|id=UCL421600 |name=Port Germein (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)|accessdate=18 November 2007|quick=on}}</ref>

==History== Port Germein was once an important transport hub for the surrounding districts following the opening of its jetty in 1881 – at the time known as the longest jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. Due to the shallow water along the coast, the long jetty was built to allow sailing ships to be loaded with grain from surrounding districts. 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 jetty was extended to its full length of 1680m in 1883.<ref>''The Port Germein Jetty Tramway'' Eardley, Gifford Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, February 1974 pp44-47</ref> With the opening of the port came an influx of workers from Adelaide, and by 1900 the town's population had grown to over 300. Use of the port declined when rail was extended to Port Germein in 1934, and the jetty was later reduced to its present length of 1532m due to storm damage.<ref name="justimagine">{{cite web |url=http://www.justimagine.com.au/au/sa/portgermein.asp?fState=SA |work=Seaside Lights |title=Port Germein |accessdate=21 January 2007 |year=2005 |publisher=Garry Searle}}</ref> The historic Port Germein Jetty Site is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://apps.planning.sa.gov.au/HeritageSearch/HeritageItem.aspx?p_heritageno=16488 | title=Port Germein Jetty Site, including Jetty and Two Railway Sheds | publisher=Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources | work=South Australian Heritage Register | accessdate=12 February 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

It formerly had its own municipality, the District Council of Port Germein; since 1980, it has been part of the District Council of Mount Remarkable.

==Transport== The Augusta Highway and the Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line both pass the east side of the township. The railway line has an 1800m passing loop and a goods siding was commissioned in 2015 and is operated by SCT Logistics.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sa-trackandsignal.net/Logs/ARTC%20SA%20log.htm |title=CHANGE LOG - ARTC DIN Corridor (South Australia - Western Australia) |accessdate=6 June 2018 |work=SA Track and Signal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613013543/http://www.sa-trackandsignal.net/Logs/ARTC%20SA%20log.htm |archive-date=13 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Lighthouse ==

A lighthouse was erected at the end of the jetty in 1894, replacing the Port Germein Lightship. The lighthouse was staffed until July 1917, when it was replaced by an AGA flashing light. The lighthouse was re-established at its current site in 1975.

== Jetty == The Port Germein jetty opened in 1881, and in 1883 it was extended to a length of 1680 metres.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seasidelights.com.au/au/sa/portgermein.asp?fState=SA |title=Port Germein |last=Searle |first=Garry|website=SeaSide Lights|access-date=April 22, 2021}}</ref> This length, which was necessary because of the town's extremely shallow beach, briefly made it the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere.<ref>{{cite episode |title=An evening over the water at Port Germein |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/offtrack/port-germein-jetty/6021166|series=Off Track |first=Ann |last=Jones |network=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=31 January 2015}}</ref> Currently, following storm damage and subsequent repairs, the jetty is 1532 metres long, still the longest jetty in South Australia. Previously it had a narrow-gauge railway line extending into the township.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article96037041 |title=PORT GERMEIN NEWS. |newspaper=The Recorder |location=Port Pirie, SA |date=17 December 1935 |accessdate=25 November 2014 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Port Germein, South Australia}} * [http://www.portgermeinhistory.com/PortGermeinTimeline.html Port Germein development timeline]. Viewed 4 June 2014.

Category:Populated places established in 1878 Category:Coastal towns in South Australia Category:Spencer Gulf