Holdfast Bay
Encyclopedia
Holdfast Bay is a small bay in Gulf St Vincent, next to Adelaide
, South Australia
. Along its shores lie the City of Holdfast Bay
and the popular beach-side suburb of Glenelg
.
, South Australian surveyor general, in mid 1836. In his journal he expressed his pleasure at the quality of the anchorage after riding out a storm.
Holdfast Bay was the site of the landings in 1836 and 1837 by pioneers who were to set up the colony of South Australia. On 8 November 1836 Robert Gouger
, Colonial Secretary and Chief Magistrate, arrived there aboard the Africaine and set up camp near The Old Gum Tree
. With the arrival of Governor Hindmarsh
on 28 December and the proclamation
of the new colony, the Holdfast Bay settlement became the first seat of government of South Australia. (It remained the seat of government until mid-March 1837.) On 31 December 1836 the Holdfast Bay settlement was renamed Glenelg
.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Along its shores lie the City of Holdfast Bay
City of Holdfast Bay
The City of Holdfast Bay is a Local Government Area in the south western coastal suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia.-Origins:The council was formed 1 January 1997, when the former councils of Glenelg and Brighton were amalgamated by the State government...
and the popular beach-side suburb of Glenelg
Glenelg, South Australia
Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants.Established in 1836, it is...
.
European settlement
The bay was named by Colonel William LightWilliam Light
Colonel William Light was a British military officer and the first Surveyor-General of the Colony of South Australia...
, South Australian surveyor general, in mid 1836. In his journal he expressed his pleasure at the quality of the anchorage after riding out a storm.
Holdfast Bay was the site of the landings in 1836 and 1837 by pioneers who were to set up the colony of South Australia. On 8 November 1836 Robert Gouger
Robert Gouger
Robert Gouger was one of the founders of South Australia and colonial secretary.-Early life:Gouger was the fifth son of nine children of George Gouger , who was a prosperous city merchant, and his wife Anne, née Sibley. Robert was educated at Nottingham, England, and on leaving school he entered...
, Colonial Secretary and Chief Magistrate, arrived there aboard the Africaine and set up camp near The Old Gum Tree
The Old Gum Tree
The Old Gum Tree is an historic site in Glenelg North, Australia. On 28 December 1836, the British governor John Hindmarsh delivered the proclamation creating the colony of South Australia. A ceremony is held on each year on Proclamation Day, with the current Governor reading out Hindmarsh's...
. With the arrival of Governor Hindmarsh
John Hindmarsh
Rear-Admiral Sir John Hindmarsh KH RN was a naval officer and the first Governor of South Australia, from 28 December 1836 to 16 July 1838.-Early life:...
on 28 December and the proclamation
Proclamation Day
Proclamation Day is the name of a number of official or unofficial holidays or other anniversaries which commemorate or mark an important proclamation. In some cases it may be the day of, or the anniversary of, the proclamation of a monarch's accession to the throne...
of the new colony, the Holdfast Bay settlement became the first seat of government of South Australia. (It remained the seat of government until mid-March 1837.) On 31 December 1836 the Holdfast Bay settlement was renamed Glenelg
Glenelg, South Australia
Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants.Established in 1836, it is...
.