The healing power of Semaphore

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08 Sep 2011

Written by Paula Doran

While British royalty spanning decades (though perhaps not this one) have fled to Bath for the healing powers of the town’s famous mineral springs, when I want to ‘take in the waters’ I go to Semaphore, in South Australia.

Ever heard of it?

Well you should have, and here’s why...

Perhaps overshadowed by its neighbour, Port Adelaide, Semaphore is slowly reawakening from its salty, seafaring past to become the funky up-and-comer on Adelaide’s northern beaches.

It still has that unaffected feel of a suburb without an ego, but that’s exactly the beauty of it.

Every turn of the eye on the Esplanade has adventure in store…

From the carousel and fun park that opens in the warmer months, to the fabulous walking track parallel to the esplanade and the beach which will take the serious power walker all the way from Semaphore Park to Largs Bay, and the heavy duty docks of Adelaide’s shipping hub.

It really is the type of place that is totally family friendly, and actually, it’s just downright friendly. There’s not a café you can wander into without having a chat; and spend a little time on the pier and you’re sure to find a random conversation about the beauty of the Gulf St Vincent beyond, the ships bulky, coming into port, and the sandy dunes below.

And all the while you’re watching the sea, and feeling full of bliss, the historic Time Ball Tower, on the corner of Semaphore Road and the Esplanade watches over you, the gatekeeper perhaps and the stone reminder of how significant this place once was to those ship captains who used the tower to glean exactly the time and place they had arrived…more on that later…

Below the tower, the humble foreshore still boasts the oldest working carousel in the southern hemisphere.  In summer a tiny train ferries happy babes and their parents up and down tracks that lead south, and the Palais bathing pavilion now makes for a great place to ‘whet the whistle’ after all that walking!

Semaphore Road is one of Adelaide’s widest boulevards, and amongst the gourmet lemon tarts you’ll find fortune tellers, fish and chips, expensive boutiques, two dollar shops and the odd smoky bar just waiting for renewal.

The place has all the charm of a seaside holiday of old, but its proximity to the city of Adelaide (30 minutes) makes it so much more attractive.

Me, I just like fantasising about which particular beach front home I’m going to retire in!!




Accommodation:

There is a raft of options to stay on your Semaphore pilgrimage, from private home rentals to B&Bs on the Esplanade.  I chose to stay at Timeball Apartments, right behind the historic time ball tower, overlooking the jetty and the sea.  It’s a beautiful, stylish option for decent rates.

Quick facts

• Semaphore hosts Australia’s largest kite festival in March.
• The Semaphore Street Fair in November sees the community get together on Semaphore Road to celebrate everything Semaphore!

History

• In 1856 an official government signal station was set up at the corner of Semaphore Road and The Esplanade. Signalmen on watch recorded the identity, arrival, departure and destination of all ships in the Gulf.  They also relayed information on water depth, tides and instructions for loading and discharging cargoes.
• The Time Ball Tower was erected in 1875.  Before wireless time-signals were invented these towers were found at all main ports throughout the world.
• The district was very isolated until a precarious wooden bridge, later replaced by the Jervois Bridge, was opened in 1859.
• The Semaphore Jetty was completed in 1860, but it was two years before the bridge and jetty were connected by a hard surfaced road.

Related Links:

- More on the history of the Time Ball Tower: http://www.seasidelights.com.au/au/sa/semaphore.asp?fState=SA

- Timeball apartments: http://www.timeballapartments.com.au/features.php