Curlew Island (South Australia)
 Curlew Island
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| Location | Spencer Gulf |
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Australia
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Curlew Island is a low mangrove-dominated island located near the head of Spencer Gulf, South Australia. It lies between Port Augusta and Point Lowly and is adjacent to the Playford B Power Station. Several ships ran aground in the shallow waters surrounding the island during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Several recreational boating accidents have also occurred in the vicinity (some involving fatalities). The locality is known for its fishing and for occasional whale sightings in the winter.
In 1863, the island was described to mariners as "merely a large, thick patch of mangroves, separated from the point by a narrow channel, dry at low water... has a small sandy knoll at its north end, which only covers at high water springs."
On June 29, 1882, the Government approved of a recommendation to construct a magazine for powder and a smaller one for dynamite at Port Augusta to be placed on Curlew Island.
In July 1889, the first load of sea shells removed from Curlew Island was shipped to Port Pirie for use at the smelters.
In 1932, the Port Augusta Yacht Club sailed to Curlew Island and held a picnic ashore there. Picnics have been enjoyed there by many social groups, businesses and residents of nearby towns including Wilmington and Quorn. Picnics were sometimes held to farewell a community member who was leaving the region.
In June 1950, the possibility of 'dredging away' Curlew Island was announced. A swinging basin was determined to provide deep-water access to the newly proposed northern power station. Such a basin would allow ships to turn easily and unload equipment imported from England.
On March 28, 1878 the steamer Governor Musgrave en route to Port Augusta ran aground opposite Curlew Island. This prompted a request for a dredge to work in the channel.
On December 2, 1885, the barque Sedwell Jane was aground at Curlew Island.
On March 14, 1894, the steamer Melbourne, loaded with coal, ran aground at the Double Beacon near Curlew Island.
On February 18, 1930 the Broken Hill Proprietary Company's steamer Iron Monarch ran aground on a sandbank inside No.6 Beacon near Curlew Island while en route to Port Augusta. She had aboard 6,500 tonnes of coal to deliver for the use of Commonwealth Railways. After it was realized that the vessel would not float on the rising tide, tugs and barges were sent from Port Pirie to unload the cargo and transship it to its destination. After unloading 1,600 tonnes of cargo, the vessel was freed on February 27, only to demolish a beacon and strand again on another sand bank 18 kilometres (11 miles) out from Port Augusta (Commissariat Point). Once freed again with assistance from the tug Yacka, the vessel proceeded to Port Augusta to finish unloading its cargo. Its next consignment was to transport iron ore from Whyalla to Newcastle for steel-making.
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Wikipedia