Port Adelaide Festival: Ron explores some of the Port in the Adelaide Coast region of South Australia
The old Port Dock Brewery Hotel is just one of many in the historic Port Adelaide precinct and its photo collection is proof of why Port Adelaide sustained so many pubs. In its heyday the Port was a thriving bustling centre of commerce and trade providing work for many a thirsty wharfie and sailor.
In 1909 the Reverend Joshua Kirby led a campaign against the excesses of drink. He was determined to close down the port's 45 five hotels. The local authorities, who were under some pressure at the time, held a referendum and it was decided to revoke the licences of 15 pubs. The Port Dock was one of them. But the reverend ultimately lost his battle - the Port Dock was operating as a restaurant by 1986 and had its full pub licence back by 1999.
Head down into the cellar on one of the Port Dock's tours and you head down to what was the original ground floor level of many of the port's earliest buildings. And like the Port Dock... many were made from bluestone ballast brought out on ships from faraway places like South Africa. And it's down here that our guide, Lynn Paterson shares another of the pub's many secrets.
"When our good friend the Reverend Kirby had the place de-licenced in 1909 the building was therefore used for other purposes - including a bordello. You'd have to say the wages of sin are in many colours."
The charms of the Port are waiting for all of us to uncover, when the inaugural Port Festival gets underway this week. The pubs will stage comedy and cabaret acts.
A legend of the Port, Peter Karellas will also return to his old stomping ground for fish'n'chip Sunday in Light House Square.
From 1961 to 2001 Peter Karellas and his wife Toula ran the Ozone Fish Cafe in Commercial Road, Port Adelaide. Peter came out from the Peloponnese in Greece to start work as a bootmaker but soon found himself making chips here at the Ozone.
Word of mouth ensured the Ozone become one of the most popular eateries in the Port. And over the years, Peter and Toula's reputation spread far and wide even as far as Buckingham Palace after Peter delivered some king prawns to her majesty the Queen.
"She really like it," said Peter. "We got a letter and it said thank you very much." Next Sunday the inviting aromas of fresh fish and chips will waft over Lighthouse Square as Peter Karellas and wife Toula take many us to the days when the Ozone Fish Cafe was the place to be on a Friday and Saturday night.
Fish'n'Chip Sunday with Peter Karellas is on at Lighthouse Square on April 22nd. For more details concerning the Port Festival go their website www.portfestival.com.au or call the Port Adelaide Visitor Information Centre on 8405 6560.
Port Adelaide Festival
Fish'n'Chip Sunday
Lighthouse Square
Sunday April 22nd
www.portfestival.com.au
Port Adelaide Visitor Information Centre 8405 6560Published 15th April 2007
