View of small sailing vessels adjacent to the Glenelg jetty.

Glenelg jetty was opened in 1859 after many years of petitions. It was South Australia's first screw-pile jetty and was 1250 feet or 381 metres long. The original plans called for a 'T-head' and it was hoped that with this jetty Glenelg would become a major port in the colony. This dream never eventuated and the 'T-head' was not built because of the difficulties of screwing the piles and because a load of iron work for the jetty was lost overboard on the voyage from England.

A wooden lighthouse was added to the end of the jetty in 1871, but was destroyed by fire two years later. It was replaced with an iron lighthouse. P & O mail ships used the jetty facilities briefly between 1874 and 1888 before moving to the anchorage at Largs Bay until Outer Harbor was opened in 1908.

As the dream of a shipping terminal faded the jetty at Glenelg assumed another role, becoming a focus for holiday makers. A large kiosk and tearooms were built at the end in 1907 on an 'L-head' and later in 1929 an aquarium was added. This structure was destroyed in a heavy storm in April 1948.

A new much reduced jetty of just 215 metres was opened in 1969.

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

Glenelg illustrated, 1836-1896 Adelaide [S. Aust.]: W.K. Thomas, printers, 1896

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