Steamers and sailing ships berthed at Wallaroo jetty where trucks of bagged grain wait for loading. The first jetty was built at the port in 1862, and was extended four years later to give a length of 244 metres with a depth of water of 4.8 metres. By 1881 a second jetty had been built, adjacent to the first, which continued to be used by smaller ships. A swimming enclosure was later added to this and it is known today as the swimming jetty.

The second jetty completed in 1881 was generally known as Price's jetty; this was 488 metres long and gave a depth of 7.3 metres at low tide. By this time Wallaroo was one of the busiest ports in the state exporting copper ore and grain. The jetty shown in this photograph was demolished in 1973.

A third jetty was built at Wallaroo in 1927: this was 862 metres and provided a maximum depth of 8.5 metres at low water. Bulk handling facilities were added in 1958, and improvements have continued to be made.

This jetty sustained severe damage in 1977 when the Chinese ship Wuzhau went ahead instead of astern. The overhead grain loading structure was brought down and repairs took 10 months.

Today the port of Wallaroo is managed by Flinders Ports and the main exports are fertilizers and grains.

Fyfe, Dorothy M. Maritime history of Wallaroo: an outline, 1802-1978 Wallaroo, S.A.: D.M Fyfe, 1979

Collins, Neville C. The jetties of South Australia: past and present Woodside, S.A.: Neville Collins, 2005

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

Flinders Ports: Port Facilities. Wallaroo

Yorke Peninsula Town Directory: Wallaroo

SA Memory Wooden walls and iron sides - South Australia's maritime history

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