New dock, Port Adelaide with the Waimate at anchor.

A fine iron clipper, Waimate was launched from Blumer's Yard at Sunderland in 1874, and was considered the number one ship of the New Zealand Shipping Company's fleet. After a distinguished career she was sold in 1896 to the Russians and renamed Valkyrian. Sadly, in 1899 she sailed from Newcastle, N.S.W., with a coal cargo for Iquique, Chile, and was never heard of again.

The Port Adelaide Dock or New Dock was opened in September 1880, supplying much needed additional wharf space in Port Adelaide. It was an eastern extension of the South Australian Company's Basin and covered nine acres. The dock was dug by hand by hundreds of men and the spoil used to build up the adjoining land. Along this embankment Santo Parade was constructed and in time many commercial buildings were built, including Elder's wool store (1881) taking advantage of the proximity of the dock.

In the 1930s the dock was filled in and Ocean Steamers Road was built over the site.

Waimate (Ship)

Price, A. Grenfell Elder, Smith & Co., Limited : the first hundred years [Adelaide: Elder, Smith & Co., 1940] (Adelaide: The Advertiser Printing Office)

Ritter, Ron Spanning time and tide: the bridges of the Port Adelaide River [Para Vista, S.A.]: R.C. Ritter, 1996

Couper-Smartt, John Port Adelaide: tales from a "commodious harbour" Port Adelaide: Friends of the South Australian Maritime Museum, 2003

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing exhibitions. Wooden Walls and Iron Sides August 2004-