“post boy” - District Council of Cleve

“post boy”
The ‘Post Boy’ was a wooden two masted schooner – 62 ton, 77 feet 2 inches x 18’ 8” x 7’ 2”,
(23.1m x 5.4m x 2.1m), with one deck, round stern and carvel built (with planks flush). It was built
in 1874 by John Lowen of Port Adelaide. The owners were John Kuhl and Partners.
A painting of the ‘Post Boy’ (J.F. Clements photo).
The ‘Post Boy’s’ arrival would be eagerly awaited, for she would bring the settlers news, stores and
other necessities for living. Although she was often not on schedule owing to the trade, wind and
weather, she came when she could and the settlers were used to waiting. When she did arrive
and the news spread of her arrival, the Bay would come alive with all kinds of vehicles and people
coming to get their goods.
With the arrival of the ketch a signal fire would be lit on the beach, the
smoke would be seen inland and a beacon would be lit at Ranford’s Hill,
near Cleve to let the settlers know that the ketch was in the Bay.
Wagons and drays would make the long trek down to pick up their
goods, sometimes camping on the sandhills while waiting for the high
tide to allow the ketch to tie up at the short jetty.
Mr Alf Turnbull down from Cleve, Andrew Pollock (foreman at Arno Bay
for Lewis and Reid) and others witnessed the ‘Post Boy’ laden with jetty
piles for the jetty extensions come ashore (wrecked) in September 1905.
Left: The ‘Post Boy’ Figurehead is on display at the South Australian Maritime
Museum in Port Adelaide (R.H.Haldane photo).
2.4.1912 (Eyre Peninsula Tribune), article by Bob Bowshire.
Captain Jones of the ‘Post Boy’ had four sailors as his crew, the ketch would
carry 80 to 100 tons of cargo. The ketch was buried in the sand about 150 yards
(130m) north of the Arno Bay jetty. In the early days the jetty was short and
Captain Jones generally anchored out and came in with the high tide to the jetty
and unloaded. This night they anchored out and when they woke up they were
on the beach. There were no communications at Arno Bay. Captain Jones said
by the time they got a tug from Adelaide it would be hopeless to try and shift the
ketch.
Captain Jones (J.N.Kraehe photo).
Wreck of the ‘Post Boy’ on Arno Bay beach (State Library photo).
Information compiled by Janice Clements, Editor of ‘Arno Bay and District 1883-1983’ and
‘Arno Bay and District 2008 Moving Forward’. Both books available in Arno Bay.
crane
The crane was used for the unloading and loading of goods. It was erected in 1913 and
purchased by the Cleve District Council in 1969. The above photo of Schools Picnic in 1936
(J.F.Clements photo) shows its original position in relation to the Super Shed in the left of photo.
jetty truck
1924 Jetty, photo showing the head which was wider and the jetty trucks (J.F.Clements photo).
Jetty trucks, above, ran on a railway line and were used to cart goods up and down the jetty,
pulled by a horse and later a tow motor.
bag elevator
Unloading bag wheat from the truck, up the bag elevator and then stacked by bag lumpers.
super shed
The Super Shed 65 ft x 34 ft (20m x 10m) was erected in 1912 at a cost of £407/12/1 ($815.21).
In 1946 a concrete floor was put in the super shed to raise it to truck level. 2008 A major upgrade
has just been completed to extend the life of this very useful super shed.
15.5.1915 High tide showing super shed (photo from Department of Marine and Harbours).
jetty
The Jetty was originally built in 1882 at a cost of £8,424/13/7 ($16,849.36). It was extended in
1905 by 500 ft (150m) and again in 1912 to its final length of 1,230 ft (370m), length of head being
300 ft (90m), width of head 18 ft (5m). In later years due to the fact that the port ceased to
operate on a commercial basis the jetty was shortened in August 1971 to 695 ft (210m).
Its original length was 220 metres about what it is now.
Jetty showing its full length and the timber swings and slippery dip (J.F.Clements photo).
1912 The long promised lights for the jetty have arrived and have been placed in position on two
poles. A Goods shed, 50 ft x 30 ft (15m x 9m) was also erected.
1924 Cleve District Council built public conveniences near the jetty.
Jetty with newly installed light which automatically lit up at evening (early 1930’s).
department of
marine and harbours
Before the Good’s or Cargo shed was built there was only a small goods shed on the foreshore, it
was not large enough to hold all the material from the boats, goods were left outside. Farmers had
to be there to receive their goods or a great number of items disappeared.
1913 Harbours Board area and offices on New Years Day.
There were seven agents and the farmer could choose to sell his grain to the agent offering the
best price. His grain could be sold at any time of the year, sometimes the prices improved by July,
but occasionally were lower.
Whipping wheat. Wheat was lumped about twenty bags high and from there on a whip was used
to top the remaining ten bags high. A whip consists of a very long pole six feet (2m) higher than
the required stack height. The pole had pulley blocks at the bottom and top through which a wire
rope was attached and a loop rope on the other end to put around the bag on the scales from the
farmers wagon. A horse was attached to the other end and it pulled the bag to the height required,
the bag released and the horse was backed backwards and the weigher at the scales pulled the
rope back for the farmer to attach the next bag after it had been weighed.
Wheat shipped from Arno Bay (from Department of Marine and Harbours Records).
1894 Shipped 10,000 bags. 1909 Shipped 40,000 bags. 1911 Estimate to ship 100,000 bags.
1919 1,798 tons. 1927 5,477 ton. 1938 5,074 ton. 1946 11,636 (after World War II).
1952 6,253 ton. 1961 4,413 ton. Wheat was not shipped from Arno Bay after 1964.
Mr J.George Schmitt in 1916 moved to Arno Bay and he worked on the jetty and lumped wheat. In
1939-40 he lumped 19,385 bags of wheat for £59/8/- ($118.80) and shipped the same amount for
£69 ($138).
harbour master’s house
In 1914 a weatherboard five-room house was built for the Harbour Master; it was sold in 1978 and
later removed from the site (State Library photo).
new year’s day sports
Although the Arno Bay New Year’s Day celebrations are recorded as beginning in 1911 and will
therefore attain their Golden Jubilee in 1961, a sports programme was promoted as far back as
19.1.1899. It took the form of a picnic and foot races on the beach between the jetty and the
creek.
Dinner on the wheat stacks on New Year’s Day.
In 1912 the programme consisted of the following events: Open Handicap 100 yards (91m); Boy’s
Race -16yrs; Sheffield Handicap; Three-legged Race; Old Buffer’s Race; Collar and Tie Race;
Pillow Fight; Neat Dive; Handicap Swim; Champion Swim; Tug-of-war; Cork Swim; Hack Race;
Horse Swim; Handicap Trot.
12.1.1961 ’Half Century of Organised Sport’ (from Eyre Peninsula Tribune).
Weather no bar to Arno Meeting. Despite the unpleasant weather however, about 2,000 people
faced the showers on Saturday, and on Monday a record crowd of 3,500 attended. Lifesaving
Clubs from Whyalla and Port Lincoln created great interest, as it was the first occasion that
demonstrations of life-saving techniques had been given in the district.
New Year’s Day on the beach (Eric Preiss photo).
In 1982 the programme included Yachting; Lawn Bowling; Raft Tub Derby; Beach Girl and Boy
Contests; Hotel Arno Sand Modelling; Water Sports including Swim Through Arno; Bowling at the
Stump; Stepping the Distance; Treasure Hunt; Children’s Picnic Races and Egg Throwing
Competition.
2011 It will be 100 years since New Year’s Day was officially recorded as beginning.
the gulf trip
1920’s ‘S.S.Quorna’ and ketch ‘Gerard’ at Arno Bay jetty (State Library photo).
The Adelaide Steamship Company was formed in 1915. For the next 12 years the ‘Wandana’
was chartered to run the mail around the ports.
The ‘Morialta’ arrived in 1912, and the ‘Quorna’ in 1913. She had berths for 26, certificated for
45, sometimes increased to 80. The ‘Moonta’ arrived in 1931 and opened up a new era for the
Gulf trade and despite even the depression years, her voyage for five days for £6 ($12) proved a
great and popular attraction.
Ports called at included Port Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Tumby Bay, Arno Bay, Wallaroo, Cowell, Port
Germain, Port Pirie and Port Augusta. The service is maintained by the New Steamers ‘Morialta’
1,847 tons, and ‘Paringa’ 1,310 tons, vessels of the most modern type fitted with all the latest
improvements luxuriously appointed, Hot and Cold Sea Water Baths, Electric Light, Cooling Fans,
Dining Saloon on Deck, Smoking Room, etc., etc.
The ‘Moonta’ was withdrawn from service in 1955 and the ‘Morialta’ in 1957, both vessels being
affected by the increasing competition from road and rail. The ‘Minnipa’ was withdrawn in 1960.
ketches
‘Falie’ (left) was one of the ketches that plied the gulf
carting grain, wool and many other goods for the
settlers of the district.
In 1983 the ‘Falie’ crew helped Arno Bay celebrate its
Centenary by lighting the beacon and joining in the
festivities.
1986 saw the ‘Falie’ sail straight past after losing the
use of its auxiliary engine, and miss the Grain Trade
Re-enactment held at Arno Bay. It returned at a later
date.
hotel arno
1915 Hotel Arno (J.F.Clements photo).
Hotel Arno (from Police Journals). 15.3.1909 “M.C.O’Connell interviewed Messrs Gooding and
Walker of Arno Bay who reported that the new Hotel opened on Saturday 13th March 1909 for
business but only a few people were about and all was quiet.” Michael Leonard was the first owner.
tel el kebir terrace
1920’s from right: The Butcher shop, Smallacombe’s General Store, Post Office, Bank of Adelaide building.
(J.F.Clements photo).
Butcher shop: It was built as a shop and dwelling in 1913. Charles Hazelwood continued his
business as a greengrocer and fruiterer. It was only for a short time, he re-opened it as a butcher
shop in 1917. George J.Boakes opened the shop up again as a grocer’s shop in 1931.
Smallacombe’s: In 1909 the new store was built. From 1909 to the end of 1912 William Moyse
and brother Wally were the Four Square storekeepers and Postmaster (small lean to used as a
Post Office), also the Savings Bank Agency. From the end of 1912 George J.Boakes was the
manager until 1931.
Post Office: 9.8.1912 (Eyre Peninsula Tribune). Installation of a telegraph instrument. Continuous
service between 8.30 am and 6.00 pm. Managed by the first official postmaster Francis W.Riddle.
1914 Letter boxes have been placed at the new post office.
Bank of Adelaide: Opened on 24.12.1909 with Frank B.Wreford manager. It closed in 1913.
Baker’s shop: (not in photo). In 1909 Mr A.Jones opened a new general store. In 1910, grocery,
baker, butcher and barber shop all worked by Joe H.Scarce. 1912 Aunger & Williams butcher
shop with Bakery at rear. 1909 A.J.Dickson, 1911 followed by Peter Donnelly. In 1933 Geoff
B.Gillings re-opened the bake house operated by Mr & Mrs Gordon McDonald (butcher and baker).
turnbull park
The first house built in Arno Bay in 1906, on allotment 136.
It was owned by Jim Turnbull, now belongs to G.Durston & K.Smith.
Turnbull Park was named after the Turnbull pioneers who lived in the township and farmed in the
district. The Marine and Harbours Board owned the area that is now Turnbull Park which is under
the control of the Cleve District Council. It is a beautiful shady area for locals and tourists with a
playground and new toilet facilities.
1982 Area of the Marine & Harbours Board Yard.
arno bay progress association inc
The Arno Bay Progress Association Inc. was formed on 8.5.1936. Mr E.M.Mitchell was elected
first president and held the position until 1958. First vice-presidents were T.M.Cowley, G.Boakes
and D.Sims. Mr H.Blombery was the secretary for 26 years until 1962.
1972 Progress Association was reformed with Chairman Jim Masters, secretary-treasurer Ronald
Grosser and L.G.Boakes, B.C.Smith and H.Moore.
1974 Mr Guy Boakes was commended for his work when drift fences were erected to prevent
erosion of sand and movement of the creek mouth by build-up of sandhills.
Over the years many people have been involved with many different community projects in the
township. When a job needs to be done the volunteers are ready to lend a hand when asked.
Major projects that have been completed include tree planting every year, erosion control fencing,
the Viewing Platform and the Welcome Wall at the entrance to the town.
Volunteers have spent many hours being involved in the Water Harvesting Project (Arno Bay
Progress Association, Arno Bay Community Sporting Association and Arno Bay District Bowling
Club), completed in 2008.
The Mangrove Boardwalk which extends to the mouth of the creek has been built by volunteers
from the Arno Bay Estuary Group working on Sundays.
Marine and Harbours Board Plan with jetty
on your right.
(This whole page needs to be turned with writing underneath super shed.!)
Arno bay
THE BEGINNING …
Arno Bay was known as Salt Creek Cove in the early 1880’s. It was an essential landing for sea
transport on which the early settlers of Cleve and surrounding areas were reliant.
The town of Bligh was surveyed and proclaimed by His Excellency Samuel J. Way on 18.1.1883.
The township was officially renamed Arno Bay in 1940.
Football in Arno Bay began in 1909, competing against Cleve and Boothby teams.
1912 Arno Bay school children.
The first Arno Bay Hall (above) was built in 1910. The first school was opened in the Arno Bay Hall
on 26.3.1911. The new school was opened 18.10.1921 and closed 31.12.1948.
1932 Arno Bay Methodist Church and Post Office.
In 1910 the Arno Bay Methodist Church was built and in 1926 shifted to its present location.
THE GOOD OLD DAYS!