04-Feb-2007 -- S33 E138 Confluence Visited by Stephen and Fiona Langman Sunday 4th February 2007

After a very quick and enjoyable weekend in Port Lincoln, it was time to head home back to Clare. It was on our way home that we were to log our second confluence for the weekend. Studying my maps prior to the weekend, I knew that I had to turn off the main highway, north of the confluence and take the old road, which would take us very close to the confluence. 400 metres before reaching the confluence, there was a dirt road to our left, that then turned due south, and was travelling parrel with the railway line, and would now take us to within 70 metres of the confluence .Getting out of the air conditioned car, we quickly grabbed the camera, tripod and GPS and headed across the railway line and straight to the confluence.

Owing to a very hot day of 45°C, this was to be our quickest confluence visit that we have logged so far, from the time that we stopped, until the time that we were on our way again was only 20 minutes. As others have stated, the confluence lies in an open area surrounded by Mallee Gums and the ground covered in small salt bush. With photos in hand, we then headed south and headed into Port Germein, only a few kilometres away.

Port Germein is important for its old jetty. At one stage, it was the longest jetty in Australia and one of the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. The jetty was opened in 1881 and had its length extended by 122 metres in 1883, giving it a total length of 1680 metres. The jetty was used for loading grain onto sailing ships from all over the world. In it’s hey days, over 100,000 bags of wheat were loaded per year. Following storm damage, the jetty had its length shortened to its current length of 1532 metres.

In 1884, an iron lighthouse was erected at the end of the jetty. The lighthouse showed a fixed light with 2 white sectors and 1 red sector. The lighthouse was manned until it was replaced by an AGA Flashing Light in 1917. The Lighthouse was placed at its current location in 1975.

If you are passing by, make sure that you drop into Port Germein, and if you are feeling fit, take a long stroll to the end of the jetty and check out the old buildings in the town.