Semaphore Style

Keith Conlon visits Semaphore and was impressed with the changes taking place there.

"Sun, sea and sand ... Semaphores' grand !" The old advertisements weren't coy about this colonial beach resort once isolated on the sand hills by the swamps of Le Fevre Peninsula.

Now Semaphore can add another "S" for Style. For a century the railway brought holidaymakers and day-trippers right down the middle of the seaside town's main street. After a decade or two in decline, Semaphore has bounced back with a collection of cafes, galleries and antique shops taking over a fine collection of nineteenth century buildings reminiscent of a big country town. The park down the middle of the shopping street adds to the atmosphere. "Semaphore is heading for another heyday" Once it was a pivotal communications centre for the isolated colony of South Australia. The mail office on the Semaphore Road / Esplanade corner sorted the bags off the pilot boats. Vital commercial messages from London and precious personal news had taken months to arrive on the sailing ships coming into Semaphore Anchorage.

High on the sand hill still stands the Timeball Tower. Up to twenty or more ship's captains anchored offshore would wait for the big black disc to drop down its high pole at precisely 1.00pm each day. They needed to rate their chronometers to navigate their way across the oceans with South Australian wheat and wool.

The early shipping gave the town-to-be its name. "The father of Australian Theatre" George Coppin, was also a hotelier. He built the first in the area high on a sandhill. He added a tall flagpole nearby to signal to his Port Adelaide establishment, The White Horse Cellars, that a dingy of thirsty shipload of passengers were on their way into the Port River. He called it "The Semaphore".

Promenading along the main street is back in vogue. Two nineteenth century pubs underwent extensions and facelifts in the twenties, and now the Federal Hotel in particular is more likely to give a bed to backpackers from Birmingham than holiday farmers from Booborowie.

Semaphore Road has its own East End. Around the old Wondergraph picture palace - now in full swing again as a three cinema complex- is another cluster of shops and eateries that give the strip a distinctive feel.
"It's gained an alternative, arty air that the older residents seem very comfortable with. They love the buzz-and the new shops opening up." Ten years ago, for instance, a stretch of nine shops was closed and empty. Now the old baker, draper and ironmongers have new tenants and the row is full again.

Off Semaphore Road there is a fascinating collection of fine old stone buildings - churches, grand homes, and humble cottages. They tell a story of a solid and separate town with its own strong identity. Its isolation across the swamps contributed to that. One strange octagonal tower in Semaphore is symbolic of those colonial days.

The water tower was built in 1880 after the much needed Jervois Bridge was completed to link with Port Adelaide. When it opened for ships to come into the new port, however, the water supply it carried was shut down. The towers high tank tided the residents over.

The Semaphore Road renaissance is giving a boost to the resorts esplanade area too. The Palais is refurbished, and after a lazy lunch there, the traditional carousel, the miniature steam train ride, and a jetty stroll await. A main street stroll is a must too- with plenty of coffee shops and detours encouraged by an excellent walkers guide called "Explore the Semaphore" The Port Adelaide Visitors Information Centre has copies, along with brochures on the cafe scene, the galleries, and the growing antique hub. It all adds up to something new...Semaphore Style.

Contact details for the Visitors Centre are ph (08) 8405 656 fax 08 8447 4112 and email jmarr@portenf.sa.gov.au