One Mile Jetty Carnarvon

Back in Carnarvon we had one last visit to make.   

 

The One Mile Jetty is located on Babbage Island in Carnarvon (a causeway links Babbage Island and Carnarvon).  Construction of the causeway was commenced in 1897 and the 1493 metre long (or 1.6 km) jetty is the longest wooden jetty in the north west of the state. 

 

Carnarvon became the first port in Australia to transport livestock by sea and was used as a deep sea port for the shipment of local produce and wool to Perth.  Originally horses were used to pull the cargo trucks but these were replaced by steam and diesel powered wagons. 

 

The jetty has been under restoration since 1998 and the building of a visitors centre is underway and due to be opened in November 2012.  You can walk the length of the jetty or take a ride on the "coffee pot" train all the way to the end.

 

Today the train was performing maintenance on the jetty so we didn't ride it.  There is a lot of maintenance to be undertaken as in October 2011 fire damaged a section of the jetty causing $40,000 damage.  Sadly arson has not been ruled out.