Friday, December 5, 2014

the One Mile Jetty, Carnarvon, Western Australia


The One Mile Jetty was built in 1897. Carnarvon was the first port in Australia where livestock was transported regularly on a commercial basis by sea. State ships came to Carnarvon on an average of twice a week until they stopped using the jetty in 1966 due to the main road south to Perth being sealed. The first steam locomotive to run along the jetty was the Kia Ora in 1909 -- info on it here -- apparently because of the shape of its smokestack it was affectionately called the 'Coffee Pot' and this tradition has carried on to the present day. The last steamer to operate on the jetty was the Kimberley in the 1950s, after this time diesels were used.  Today the Ocean Tramway enables visitors to ride the length of the jetty to view marine life and the mouth of the Gascoyne River.

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