Port Adelaide Anchor Trail Update
by Steve Reynolds
Our Port Adelaide Anchor Trail guide was completed at the end of March 2020, just as COVID-19 restrictions were starting to be enforced. Those restrictions meant that we were unable to hold an official launch of the trail at that time. We weren’t even able to distribute the guide to any great extent. Now that restrictions are easing, we are starting to distribute the guide.
We have already made the guide available at a number of relevant locations. We hope to be able to complete the distribution soon, as more venues open up to the public again. Lighter restrictions are currently being touted to be in place in time for the June holiday long weekend (6-8th).
When announcing the release of the guide on Facebook, I accidentally stated that there were 15 anchors on the trail. There are actually 19 anchors at 15 sites, with four sites having a couple of anchors there.
There used to be three anchors at the Largs Bay RSL, but the RSL swapped one of them with the RAAF base at Edinburgh for a propeller. So there must be an anchor up at the Edinburgh air base.
The No.1 anchor on the trail is located at North Haven Marine. The owners there say that the anchor came from the fire boat Gallantry. They are planning on renovating the anchor to improve the look of it.
The anchor at North Haven Marine came from the fire boat Gallantry
They also say that the large anchor at Quin Marine used to be at their North Haven site before being moved to Quin’s old site in Port Adelaide.
Stan Quin says that he intends to place a large brass plaque alongside his large anchor, now at the new Quin Marine site. He had that anchor renovated last year prior to placing it alongside the entrance to Quin Marine.
Quin Marine’s large anchor undergoing renovation
Quin Marine’s large anchor in place after renovation
The large anchor close to the Port Environment Centre used to be located alongside the Birkenhead bridge before the Quest apartments were built there.
The anchor besides the Birkenhead Bridge
(before the Quest apartments were built there)
The anchor near the Port Environment Centre
The large anchor from Mathew Flinders’ Investigator at the SA Maritime Museum was raised at Middle Island by UEC members in 1973.
The large anchor from Mathew Flinders’ Investigator at the SA Maritime Museum
The Star of Greece anchor at Semaphore jetty used to be located alongside the nearby Palais.
The Star of Greece anchor by the Palais before being moved to Semaphore jetty
The anchor is now at the Semaphore jetty