Two of Robe's jetties photographed about 1870. Robe was proclaimed a port in 1847, but its first privately built jetty was not erected until 1855. In this year too another jetty was built by the South Australian government but was of such poor standard that a third jetty was begun in 1866 but not completed for two years.

Robe reached its peak during the 1850s and 1860s. In this period over 1 million pounds of wool were shipped from the port. The port was also the main port of debarkation for the many Chinese who came to the Victorian goldfields, but because of that colony's poll taxes chose to disembark in South Austyralia and walk overland to the gold fields.

Robe's sea borne trade dwindled as railways attracted more and more goods. Portland in Victoria eventually became the main port for the south eastern region of South Australia. The last vessel to visit Robe was SS Kintore in 1917.

In 1949 a fourth jetty was built, and in 1964 Lake Butler was opened to the sea and became the main harbour for Robe's cray fishing fleet and a marina for private boats.