10 April 1839   Establishment of Port Lincoln

On 10 April 1839 the Port Lincoln Herald reported that the Special Survey of 15 000 acres of land adjoining Boston Bay at Port Lincoln, undertaken in February by Messrs Smith and Hawson, had already resulted in nearly 300 people settling in the area.

A magistrate had been appointed and constables sworn in, plans for the city begun, preparations for whale fishing were in hand and a journal had been established, all within the space of six weeks. Osmond Gilles had presented an acre of town land for the purpose of erecting a building in which to greet new immigrants on their arrival.

The article also sang the praises of the magnificent harbour and its position at the foot of Spencer Gulf which would make the city a major port of call for ships trading in South Australia. There was a good supply of building materials, stone and lime, in the area and the fertile land, it was believed, would grow everything from oranges and lemons to bananas and pineapples.

The writer concluded that as far as the future of Port Lincoln was concerned it was eligible to become the commercial city of South Australia and in all probability it could become 'at no distant day, the capital of the continent of New Holland'.

The South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register, 13, 20 April 1839,
pp. 3-4.