Steamships berthed at Ocean Steamers' wharf, on the Port River, Port Adelaide, South Australia; the vessels are, left to right: Hurunui, Malvolio, Port Pirie, Hyson, City of Sydney, Clan MacIndoe.

Ocean Steamers' Wharf was on the eastern side of the Port River downstream from the Gawler Reach, north of Number 1 Quay and opposite the extensive wharves on the west side of the river at Birkenhead. After 1938 when the South Australian Harbors Board renamed all the wharves in the Port, Ocean Steamers' Wharf became Berths 18, 19 and 20.

A large dredging schedule was undertaken in the Port from 1920. This would enable the larger ships which were then being built to use the wharves in Port Adelaide. However it was found that deepening of the channel and the berths had passed the safe depth at the wharf in a number of cases, with resultant weakening of the structure. A program of wharf rebuilding followed, which included Ocean Steamers Wharf which was rebuilt between 1930-32.

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

Parsons, Ronald, Southern passages: a maritime history of South Australia Netley, S. Aust.: Wakefield Press, 1986

Mudflats to metropolis: Port Adelaide 1836-1986 [Port Adelaide, S. Aust.: B. & T. Publishers, 1986]

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