The Jetty

The Jetty

"Several Attempts were made to build a Jetty..."

Lack of suitable materials made jetty building haphazard. Ships impatient to unload their cargo often left the stores on the sand spit at low tide, from there to be carried ashore.

Source M C Truscott 1983

Foodstuffs and other stores were often spoiled with seawater, causing great discontent. In late 1836 a rough landing of ironstone was built to assist the off-loading of cargo. A pile driver was sent from England in 1838 and by January 1841 a rough jetty was built near the quarry. It was not the last jetty to be built, the remains here now are of a more recent jetty, but remnants of the first jetties can still be seen.

"A quay is required most imperatively. There is no wood immediately at hand suitable. Tempted to form it of stones."

McLaren May 1837

"We landed at a rude jetty forming of gravel and boughs with a few timbers that projected from the face of a shingly cliff at which some workmen were quarrying"

Lady Jane Franklin Jan 1841

From Geoff Chapman (July 2017)

After several years of research, I am no further closer to determine what happened to the first jetty.

I surmise that there was a jetty erected for the loading and unloading of people, animals and goods, the first jetty being built at Beatrice Point [east of the Mulberry tree] in 1837. It may have been just sufficient in size for holding a barge or similar size dingy steady for unloading and loading goods .

There is only one sketch of this first jetty and its exact dimensions and length are unknown. Reference of wharf & jetty July 1838 by descendant of Giles and several sketches.

As the water currents at Nepean Bay in this area is not particularly fast flowing, not enough to have caused massive amounts of erosion in a short period. However, the first jetty would have been exposed through rough weather from winds in the North-East-Southerly quarters

There is no historical information available that details why the first jetty was demolished- probably just deteriorated over the years and disappeared

As second private jetty "Jerry Martin’s Jetty" was built in about 1839, about 400 metres to the south to service the old metal quarry at the Bluff . I have a references somewhere, that the Calnan's arrange for timber to be cut and carted from Cygnet River. Captain Jerry Martin's ketches were shipping basalt up to Port River for about 10 years

I have a suggestion which may explain the circumstances- the piles in the sea would have disappeared soon after as they may have been built by unsuitable timber brought out by the first ships.

The planking from the first jetty may have been used on the Jerry Martin's jetty - the piles which are probably red gum have weathered the time. I feel that the Jerry Martin's jetty might have been a bit flimsy by the late 1850's - or he might have removed the upper structure of the jetty for sale.

Certainly by the late 1850's , the residents were using the small sheltered cove at Bear’s Point to land the boat's tenders.-they were not using the jetty at the basalt quarry. There is a reference about Roll's point at Brownlow [Nepean Bay] also being used- probably the small beach where the Yatch Club is now located

Timber was being shipped from the Cygnet River Mouth at Nepean Bay from 1857 to 1861 and small amounts until 1864.

It was not until 1884 before a jetty were constructed at Kingscote at Bear’s Point to service the local community.

From Chris Ward (July 2017)

I’m a little confused with the names of the different points around Nepean Bay and Bay of Shoals. There appears to be various names from the sealers and then other varieties from the early official settlers.

Jane Watts nee Giles who arrived on KI on the Hartley in October 1837 records how passengers, ladies at least, had to be carried ashore as there was no jetty

Lady Jane Franklin visited KI on 15 January 1841 and records that she landed on a rough jetty by the quarry area. The Jetty interpretive sign would suggest that was the first jetty.

Gouger is supposed to refer to an earlier jetty in 1836 but I’m unconvinced

Neville Cordes in his History Series shows the remains of a jetty by the quarry as well as a picture “Remaining stumps of 1836 jetty”. (Instalment 32 page 89), but I’m still unconvinced