Place Names of South Australia - V
Victor Harbor
- Descriptive
- Harbour, Jetties, Railway and Tramway
- Miscellany
- Schools, Churches and Institutes
- Obituaries
Victor Harbor
Descriptive
Nomenclature
Originally the name was "Victoria" Harbour but it was changed by the Captain Richard Crozier of HMS Victor when he called it Port Victor when surveying the environs in 1837. Governor Gawler named it Victor Harbor in 1838 but as time went on it became known as 'Port Victor' until 1921, when it reverted to Victor Harbor.In 1915 a proclamation was issued altering the boundaries of the port. The intention of the Harbors Board was that, at the time, the name should be changed to Victor Harbor, but in the drafting of the proclamation this was overlooked.
On 2 January 1921 the French barque Eugene Schneider narrowly escaped shipwreck at Port Victoria. Her master had been given orders to proceed to Port Victor but, confused by the similarity of the names, took his vessel to Port Victoria, where he struck the Eclipse Reef . The change to Victor Harbor was subsequently effected.
General Notes
An 1838 letter fom Captain John Hart is reproduced in the Register,28 August 1909, page 12f.
An editorial headed "Victor Harbour" is in the Register,
27 October 1863, page 2f.
"A Southern Pioneer - Reminiscences of H.B. Welch" is in the Advertiser,
9 July 1925, page 12a.
"Nearly Half a Century Ago", together with a contemporary photograph, is in the Advertiser,
2 July 1925, page 12g.
Sketches are in the Pictorial Australian in
June 1878,
July 1879,
Frearson's Weekly,
28 August 1880, page 388 and
photographs of the 1860s and 1870s in the Observer,
24 July 1926, page 34.
A history of the town and photographs are in the Chronicle,
20 April 1933, pages 33 and 44.
The town is described in the Observer,
2 January 1864, page 7b,
Register,
22 August 1865, page 3c,
Advertiser,
18 May 1866, page 3a,
Express,
14 July 1869, page 2b,
Register,
21 May 1866, page 3f,
23 March 1867, page 3c,
26 May 1883, page 6b,
16 December 1886, page 7b,
it and the district on
27 April 1892, page 6c,
4 May 1892, page 6b,
Chronicle,
21 December 1895, page 41a,
Register,
25 February 1899, page 6c,
8 December 1902, page 4h.
"Victor Harbour Improvements" is in the Observer,
4 September 1875, page 13b.
"The Wants of Victor Harbour" is in the Register,
26 January 1881, page 6e.
A trip from Willunga to Port Victor is described in the Register,
15 November 1887, page 7c.
"The Holidays at Port Victor" is in the Register,
6 January 1897, page 7c.
"A Summer Resort" is in the Observer,
25 February 1899, page 33c.
The reminiscences of Watts Newland are in the Register,
22 September 1903, page 5a.
An article "By the Silver Sea" is in the Register,
26 January 1907, page 11c,
"Down in Arcady - Honeymoon Town" on
18 January 1910, page 10a:
-
It might have stepped out of a story book, or a love lyric, this pretty south-coast haven, where the world frequently first meets his wife and strolls back casually a few years later to work off the honeymoon... Girls in search of a husband cannot do better than try Victor Harbor when the season is in full swing. It is a love town...
3 January 1911, page 8b; also see
4 July 1911, page 8h,
25 August 1911, page 3d.
Photographs are in the Observer,
18 May 1907, page 30,
28 January 1911, page 29.
The reminiscences of Robert Jagger are in the Register,
17 March 1914, page 16e and
an obituary on
6 June 1914, page 17a.
"Prosperous Arcadia" is in the Observer,
25 July 1914, page 51d.
"The Land of the Lotus" is in The Mail,
30 January 1915, page 7.
The country "On the Other Side of The Bluff" is described in the Register,
21 March 1919, page 6e.
"Victor Harbor Today - Its Progress and Memory Gardens" on
7 July 1920, page 7e,
2 November 1923, page 11d.
A proposed "fallen soldiers' memorial" is discussed in the Register,
31 December 1918, page 3h,
Observer,
4 January 1919, page 9b.
Its unveiling is reported in the Observer,
4 March 1922, page 8d.
A photograph of the Soldiers' Memorial Garden is in The Critic,
20 December 1922, page 14.
Also see South Australia - World War I - Memorials to the Fallen.
"Charms of Port Victor" is in the Register,
17 February 1922, page 8f,
reminiscences of Port Victor and neighbourhood on
2 March 1923, page 13c,
"Wonderful Victor Harbour" on
2 November 1923, page 11d.
Photographs of flooding are in the Observer,
9 June 1923, page 30.
"Some Recollections and Reflections" is in the Register,
22 February 1924, page 11f,
3 April 1924, page 5d; also see
11 October 1926, page 6,
2 April 1927, page 13a,
10 October 1927, page 12,
13 April 1928, page 14d.
"Prosperous Victor Harbor" is in the Advertiser,
17 June 1925, page 15c,
"An Energetic Town" on
6 January 1927, page 8f,
"An Ideal Holiday Resort" on
11 October 1927, page 20.
"The Progress of Victor Harbour is in the Register,
7 July 1926, page 5h.
A "Back to Victor Harbour" is in the Register,
8, 25 and 28 September 1928, pages 6f, 10h and 11f,
4 and 9 October 1928, pages 14-15 and 10b,
"Romance of the South" on
13 September 1928, page 13g,
20 October 1928, page 5d.
Photographs are in the Observer,
13 and 20 October 1928, pages 35 and 35.
The reminiscences of Mrs A. Fielding are in the Advertiser,
29 September 1931, page 10h and
A.H. Warland on
8 June 1933, page 10h.
Victor Harbor
Vale Park - Von Doussa
V
Place Names
Victor Harbor
Harbour, Jetties, Railway and Tramway
Also see South Australia - Maritime Affairs and South Australia - Transport - Railways - Miscellany.
The Register of 30 June 1838, page 2c says, inter alia:
-
Victoria [sic] Harbor, under Granite Island, now declared a Port, must become the port of Lake Alexandrina and of the great River Murray.
22 October 1927, page 49e.
- Originally the name was "Victoria" Harbour but it was changed by the captain of HMS Victor when he called it Port Victor. (Register, 6/1/1838) (Observer, 22 October 1927, page 49.)
[Port Victor] was so gazetted in July 1865. This was repealed and the port was enlarged (see Government Gazette, in 1893). In 1915 a "harbour was proclaimed under the Harbours Act of 1913, but no mention was made in the official notice of what the harbour was called in the proclamation of 1915...
16 September 1857, page 3c.
The matter was later debated in parliament the report of which prompted a citizen of Port Elliot to comment on the "sad exhibition of senatorial ignorance, misrepresentation, prejudice and folly." - See Register,
2 October 1857, page 3d and
Parliamentary Paper
114/1857,
207/1857 and
211/1857.
"Victor Harbour as a Port" is in the Register,
4 July 1910, page 8f.
An interesting letter re the Victor Harbor tramway is in the Register,
9 December 1861, page 3b.
An editorial on its jetty is in the Register,
8 August 1862, page 2e; also see
29 August 1862, page 2c,
2 and 11 September 1862, pages 3b and 2h,
while in an editorial which appears on
27 October 1863, page 2f it is said:
-
...the idea of seceding from the colony rather than accept a short jetty in the place of a long one tickled their fancies and the cry "extension or secession" was at once raised.
27 and 30 October 1863, pages 3f and 3a respectively and
5 and 10 November 1863, pages 2h and 3d and
Observer,
9 October 1869, page 10c.
"Southern Port - Victor Harbor a Costly Duffer" is in The Mail,
17 August 1929, page 30f.
The opening of the tramway and Victoria jetty are described in the Register,
9 and 15 August 1864, pages 3e and 3e respectively,
while Parliamentary Paper
139/1864 traverses the "Improvements at Victor Harbor".
A trip on the tramway is described on
18 April 1866, page 3a in the Register.
For details of the Strathalbyn-Victor Harbor Tramway see Register,
30 July 1865, page 2f;
3, 10 and 24 July 1865, pages 3e, 3e and 3c respectively and
9 April 1870, page 5b.
An informative and interesting letter describing a trip on the railway is in the Register,
20 January 1871, page 5e; also see
26 February 1885, page 3g and
3 March 1885, page 4h for a further graphic tale of an immemorable excursion and
20 April 1885, page 5b-h,
27 and 28 April 1885, pages 7f.
The area is described in the Register,
22 August 1865, page 3c and
the town and district on
21 May 1866, page 3f; also see
23 March 1867, page 3c,
26 May 1883, page 6b,
25 February 1899, page 6c.
"To Victor Harbor in Three Hours" by rail is in the Register,
12 October 1907, page 14f.
"A call for railway reform" is made on
9 and 10 February 1909, pages 7d and 7g.
Also see South Australia - Transport - Railways - Miscellany.
A commemorative dinner in respect of the breakwater is reported in the Observer,
9 February 1878, page 3a.
An editorial on the "Breakwater" is in the Observer,
27 July 1878, page 3c; also see
22 March 1879, page 21b;
Register,
7, 8, 9 and 21 February 1878, pages 5f, 5b-5e, 4d and 6g,
26 November 1878, page 6a,
12 and 21 April 1879, pages 5e and 5f,
26 May 1879, page 5a,
8 January 1880, page 5g,
26 September 1881, page 4e,
Observer,
1 October 1881, pages 25b-33a,
21 and 28 October 1882, pages 33e and 26e.
A train trip from Adelaide is described in the Register,
20 April 1885, page 5h.
"A Week-End Express - A Smart Railway Run" is in the Register,
17 December 1908, page 8f; also see
9 February 1909, page 7d.
Victor Harbor
Vale Park - Von Doussa
V
Place Names
Victor Harbor
Miscellany
The controversy over the names "Port Victor" and "Victor Harbor" and confusion with Port Victoria together with background history is in the Register,
8 January 1921, page 6f; also see
21 January 1921, page 4e.
"Victoria or Victor Harbour?" is in the Observer,
22 October 1927, page 49e.
The reminiscences of a whaler are in the Register,
25 April 1866, page 2h.
Also see Place Names - Encounter Bay.
A letter about "Foot Police" is in the Register,
13 December 1869, page 3a.
Also see South Australia - Police.
Flax culture is discussed in the Chronicle,
19 April 1873, page 9f.
Also see South Australia - Industries - Rural, Primary and Secondary - Flax.
"Victor Harbour Improvements" is in the Observer,
4 September 1875, page 13b,
30 November 1878, page 22e.
A regatta and sports day are reported upon in the Chronicle,
8 January 1876, page 19a.
Photographs are in the Observer,
10 January 1914, page 32,
Chronicle,
9 January 1915, page 30,
15 January 1921, page 25.
A Show is reported in the Express,
18 February 1876, page 3b,
Observer,
12 February 1881, page 285c,
Chronicle,
30 October 1886, page 23c.
Also see South Australia - Miscellany - Agricultural, Floricultural & Horticultural Shows .
"Mr Landseer's Granite Island Store" is in the Observer,
11 May 1878, page 3b.
Also see Place Names - Granite Island.
"Hospital for the South" is in the Register,
3 and 13 June 1879, pages 6b and 5b.
The laying of the foundation stone of a hospital is reported in the Observer,
30 March 1929, page 49c.
"Wool-Loading at Port Victor" is in the Register,
11 January 1883, page 5c.
"To Port Victor by a New Route" is in the Observer,
31 May 1884, page 42c,
7 June 1884, page 42b.
A sports day is reported in the Chronicle,
7 January 1882, page 9c,
11 April 1885, page 15c.
Information on life-saving rocket apparatus practice is reported in the Register,
29 January 1889, page 6a,
Observer,
23 January 1897, page 29e.
A photograph of a life boat crew is in the Chronicle,
25 November 1911, page 29.
Also see South Australia - Maritime Affairs - Lighthouses and Lightships.
A coal discovery and alleged impropriety by members of parliament are discussed in the Register,
4, 5 and 6 October 1892, pages 4h-7f, 5c and 6h,
15 November 1892, page 5c,
19 and 21 December 1892, pages 6h and 5b,
26 April 1893, page 5d,
23 and 25 October 1893, pages 5c and 5c,
25 November 1893, page 5a,
4 August 1894, page 5b.
Also see South Australia - Mining - Coal.
"Wreck-Work at Port Victor" is in the Register,
29 January 1889, page 6a.
A life saving boat crew exercise is reported in the Register,
20 January 1897, page 5c.
An Old Boys' Institute camp is reported in the Observer,
24 April 1897, page 31c.
A photograph "Port Victor From Granite Island" is in the Chronicle,
18 December 1897 (supplement),
of "An Ancient Tramway" on
17 April 1926, page 40.
A photograph of the old horse tram which plied to the island is in the Chronicle,
30 May 1935, page 33.
Information on town baths is in the Register,
20 September 1899, page 5a.
A field naturalists excursion is reported in the Register,
18 November 1899, page 9h.
"The Canal Scheme" is in the Chronicle,
19 October 1901, page 33e.
The Glen Brook Estate on the road to Inman Valley is described in the Observer,
6 December 1902, page 36a.
An article and a photograph concerning the Grosvenor Hotel are in the Observer,
22 November 1902, page 23e.
"Easter at Victor Harbor" is in the Advertiser,
15 April 1904, page 6g.
The laying of the foundation stone of a new institute is reported in the Advertiser,
2 September 1904, page 5h and
its opening on
22 June 1905, page 6d.
Photographs are in the Chronicle,
10 September 1904, page 41,
1 July 1905, page 29.
A flower show is reported upon in the Register,
2 December 1904, page 2g.
A nature study school camp is reported in the Register,
3, 6, 8, 11 and 26 October 1906, pages 7e, 10h, 6h, 4b and 3a.
"To Victor Harbour in Three Hours [by train]" is in the Register,
12 October 1907, page 14f.
A photograph of the opening of a bowling green is in the Chronicle,
5 February 1910, page 30,
of the old police station on
27 September 1913, page 13,
of members of the first council on
1 August 1914, page 31,
of a football team on
10 October 1914, page 29,
of a brass band on
11 November 1916, page 30,
of an Australia Day celebration on
5 August 1916, page 27.
The opening of a golf club is reported in the Observer,
5 October 1912, page 25b.
Also see South Australia - Sport - Golf.
"Larrikinism at Victor Harbour is in the Register,
3 December 1913, page 5g.
Also see Adelaide - Larrikinism.
Biographical details of O.A. Baaner are in the Register,
28 April 1914, page 8a.
Biographical details of a Mayor, W.J. Northey, are in the Observer,
9 December 1916, page 48a.
The golden wedding of Mr & Mrs H. McDougall is reported in the Register,
25 May 1920, page 7c.
A photograph of Australia Day celebrations is in the Observer,
14 August 1915, page 29,
of a fete on
3 February 1917, page 25,
of the erection of a new post office on
20 August 1921, page 26.
The opening ceremony of the town's water supply is reported in the
Register,
27 June 1917, page 6c (8c?).
Also see South Australia - Water Conservation.
"Old Families of Victor Harbor" is in the Register,
19 December 1918, page 6f,
6 and 13 January 1919, pages 6e and 4e.
"Is It Oil?" is in the Advertiser,
27 May 1920, page 6d,
"Oil on the Beaches" on
9 July 1920, page 5a.
Also see South Australia - Mining - Petroleum.
Information on a State hostel is in the Register,
11 October 1920, page 9d.
"Achievements and Hopes" is in the Advertiser,
10 June 1922, page 14f.
"Electric Light for Victor Harbour" is in the Register,
8 October 1923, page 6e.
Information on a bus service from Adelaide is in the Register,
25 August 1926, page 9e.
"Victor Harbor Motor Service" is in The Mail,
26 March 1927, page 29.
Photographs of the "new road" are in the Observer,
19 May 1928, page 36.
Also see South Australia - Transport - Motor Cars and Cycles.
Biographical details of Mrs H. McDougall are in the Observer,
16 July 1927, page 10c.
A photograph of surfing at Petrel Cove is in the Observer,
3 March 1928, page 37.
"The Lifeboat, Arthur Searcy" is in the Observer,
17 March 1928, page 18c.
The opening of a branch of the Savings Bank of SA is reported in the Register,
27 March 1928, page 11d.
Photographs are in the Chronicle,
31 March 1928, page 13.
"Bitumen Right From the City" is in the Register,
12 May 1928, pages 11a-12.
Also see South Australia - Transport - Roads.
The laying of the foundation stone of a Scouts Hall is reported in the Observer,
26 May 1928, page 21a.
Victor Harbor
Vale Park - Von Doussa
V
Place Names
Victor Harbor
Schools, Churches and Institutes
Also see South Australia - Education.
"Burial Ground Where Pioneers Sleep" is in The Mail,
8 May 1926, page 17c.
The laying of the foundation stone of a Wesleyan church is reported in the Register,
16 October 1865, page 3e and
its opening on
2 March 1866, page 3g.
The opening of Newland Church is reported in the Register,
23 July 1869, page 3c; also see
28 June 1926, page 11d,
18 April 1927, page 8b,
24 October 1927, page 11d for information on the Newland Memorial Church.
A photograph of the ladies' guild is in the Observer,
29 October 1927, page 37.
The Port Victor School opened in 1874 and became "Victor Harbor" in 1891.
A "Hoisting the Flag" ceremony is reported in the Chronicle,
25 May 1901, page 19c.
The Port Victor Institute is described in the Register,
15 February 1878, page 6c.
The opening of the Institute is reported in the Register,
22 June 1905, page 7h.
A school nature study excursion in the Inman Valley is described in the Advertiser,
8 and 26 October 1906.
A photograph of school cadets is in the Observer,
3 September 1910, page 31.
The laying of the foundation stone of the hospital is reported in the Observer,
30 March 1929, page 49c.
Victor Harbor
Obituaries
An obituary of F.W. Lindrum, hotelier, is in the Register,
7 February 1880, page 2e (supp.),
of Shephard Mayfield on 18 April 1883, page 5a,
of Charles Draper on 14 February 1890, page 5b,
of George Smith on 25 April 1892, page 5c,
of Mrs Charlotte Cropley on 29 January 1900, page 5b.
An obituary of Mrs George Smith, hotelier, is in the Register,
10 March 1900, page 5c,
of George S. Read on 24 August 1900, page 5a,
of W.S. Reid on 24 March 1908, page 5b,
of F.S. Field on 19 September 1908, page 9c,
of J.R. Cakebread on 13 August 1914, page 11a,
of Mrs Ezra Robinson on 15 September 1914, page 4f.
An obituary of George S, Read is in the Observer,
1 September 1900, page 22c,
of G.W. Beresford on 11 July 1903, page 34d,
of W.S. Reid on 28 March 1908, page 40e,
of Mrs Humberstone, hotelier, on 4 July 1908, page 40a,
of F.S. Field on 26 September 1908, page 40c,
of Lavington Y. Tite on 9 August 1913, page 41b,
of A.R.F. Lindsay on 4 October 1913, page 41b.
An obituary of Mrs M. Bleechmore, hotelier, is in the Observer,
25 April 1914, page 39a,
of Robert Jagger on 13 June 1914, page 39b,
of T.Parsons on 25 July 1914, page 39a,
of Mrs Charlotte H. Lindsay on 13 February 1915, page 40b,
of John Oliver on 4 September 1915, page 46a,
of William Battye on 9 September 1916, page 20e,
of Edwin Pearce on 18 November 1916, page 34c,
of E.H. Wainwright on 3 May 1919, page 18a,
of Edward Warland on 19 August 1922, page 20b,
of Rev R.F. Jagger on 22 December 1923, page 43a,
of Dr M.P. O'Leary on 14 November 1925, page 45c-d,
of H. McDougal on 15 September 1928, page 50b.
An obituary of Mrs Charlotte H. Lindsay is in the Register,
9 February 1915, page 4g,
of Mrs Mary Bird on 15 February 1915, page 9d,
of Mrs E.R. Bolger on 21 April 1920, page 7c,
of Edward Davies on 15 May 1920, page 9b,
of Hugh McDougall on 11 January 1921, page 4i,
of Walter H. Marsden on 28 June 1921, page 4h.
An obituary of Charlotte McLean, "the most interesting and oldest survivor of the original Encounter Bay blacks", is in the Register,
9 August 1919, page 5g,
of Edward Warland on 15 August 1922, page 6g,
of Mrs John Bruce on 7 October 1922, page 10g,
of Norman W. Whiting on 6 April 1923, page 8g,
of Hugh J. Bird on 22 April 1924, page 6f,
of Dr H.C.C. Rennie on 3 September 1925, page 8g,
of Dr M.P. O'Leary on 7 November 1925, page 8h.
An obituary of Mrs Ann Dennis is in the Register,
1 June 1926, page 8f,
of John R. Coote on 9 August 1926, page 11e,
of Stephen Carter on 13 August 1926, page 13g,
of Thomas Wilton on 7 April 1927, page 8g,
of H.J. Henderson on 23 May 1927, page 8g.
Victor Harbor
Vale Park - Von Doussa
V
