Friday, 24 October 2025

Port Germein.

Port Germein is 70 km south of Port August South Australia overlooking Germein Bay, the community of around 400 or so boasts great fishing and crabbing, wonderful walks, good markets with lovely beaches, mountains, national parks, wineries and a cute village.  We travelled there in 2004 and again in latter years, so the first visit is a long time ago and photos I took are from that year.

Port Germein was put on the map back in 1881 when its jetty was built to allow sailing ships to be loaded with grain. Because of its shallow beach, the jetty was extended a couple of years later which made it 1,680 meters.  Since that time it has been shortened a little by storm damage and various repairs, it is still the longest jetty in South Australia.  When the railway arrived some years late the larger ships could no longer moor, Port Germein went into something of a decline and things closed.

The AI below is of The Blue Swimmer Crab as I didn't have a photo of one, nor could I find a decent one and of course they are not as blue as the AI made it.  However, it gives us an idea of what they are like.  

The Blue Swimmer Crab is an edible, wild caught crustacean found in Australia and Indo-Pacific coastal water. They are also called the 'blue manna' or 'sandy', it is a popular food with a mild, sweet, nutty flavour, typically caught in bays and estuaries and used in dishes like boiling, salads, and pasta.



The Hotel above years ago and the photo below I took when we passed through which has now been renovated.  I noticed the balcony is the same as in the railing but very different now apparently.  



Mud flat which are not that attractive. If you click on the photos you can see the wooden bridge.



The Big Thong near or a bit inland in Port Germein.



Crystal Brook is a sweet town and we always had lunch at the Bakery there when passing through.   Crystal Brook is before Germein and is 197 km from the Capital of South Australia, Adelaide. 
'During WW11, Crystal Brook was the location of RAAF No. 32 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot, built in 1942 and closed on June 14, 1944.  Usually consisting of 4 tanks, 31 fuel depots were built across Australia for the storage and supple of aircraft fuel for the RAAF and the US Army Air Forces at a total cost of 900,000 pounds ($1,800,000).'  Wikipedia


Crystal Brook (or creek) supplied water to the town until 1890 when the Beetaloo Reservoir was completed, which at the time was the largest concrete dam in the southern hemisphere.


34 comments:

  1. That is the biggest thong I ever did see. Neato!

    Interesting (and a little sad), to see the before and after of the hotel.

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    1. It sure is a big thong. I believe the Hotel is looking much better these days by photos of it on the internet.

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  2. Ohhh what a lovely post. If I was able I would go there to live. It is incredibly beautiful. Either on of those towns. How things change, as in the hotel, but keeps some sort of beauty in it's decay. I'm so happy you stopped by my blog. I will put yours on my side bar. Have a very nice day.

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    1. Thank you. I've done the same.
      The hotel is looking ok these days according to photos on the internet, so that's good news.

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  3. I really liked the blue crab that AI made. It turned out so nice :)
    I could see the wooden bridge far out there. It must be nice to walk on when the weather is nice.

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    1. Yes, that crab is rather pretty and big! Be lovely to take a walk along the jetty but the end of it is damaged at the moment so that area of course is closed.

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  4. Replies
    1. I was rather taken with the AI crab. I was wondering how I could show a blue one and I thought of AI, so that solved my problem.

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  5. Hello Margaret,
    Nice pictures of a nice place. Very special that kind of lobster.
    And a beautiful artwork on that place of the slipper.

    Many greetings,
    Marco

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    1. excuse me butting in here: "lobster"? It's a crab.

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    2. Thank you, Marco. Your English is good but as River says, it's a Crab not a Lobster as there is quite a bit of difference between the two creatures. That is not a slipper but a 'Thong'.

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  6. Dear Margaret, the crab 🦀 is amazing. ❤️ Beautiful photos once again.

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  7. Bella Margaret, maravillosas fotografías, y bellísimo ese cangrejo azul, no lo conocía.
    Un pueblo digno para el descanso y recrearse con la naturaleza.
    Besos

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  8. The town looks very South Australian. I like the look of Crystal Brook.

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    1. Yes very much so, Andrew. We loved Crystal Brook, I suppose it's still as lovely these days.

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  9. Bello cangrejo. Linda playa. te mando un beso.

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  10. I am usually not a fan of AI pictures...but that blue crab looks incredible!!

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  11. Crystal Brook is before Port Germein and also BEFORE Port Pirie, I know both places well having grown up in Port Pirie and attending the Port Pirie Gasworks Family Picnic days each year at Port Germein and the Port Pirie Smelters Picnic at Crystal Brook each year. Friends and classmates from both places attended Port Pirie High School when I was there.

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    1. Memories for you then River. You certainly know the whole area well.

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  12. P.S. Blue swimmer crabs make excellent curry, quiche, crab puffs.

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    1. Guess you have had some R, they really sound tasty according to what I read.

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  13. It looks a nice little town. Love the trees in the street.

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    Replies
    1. I like those trees, nice and cool to sit under on a warm day.

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  14. Hi Margaret,
    This is a beautiful series of photos.
    The AI ​​photo of the crab is really nice, but you can tell it's not real.
    I wish you a lovely weekend.
    Greetings Irma

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  15. Amazing photos, I didn't know the blue crab was a thing

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  16. Clever girl! I looked blue swimmers, and you certainly improved that one's looks! I really enjoyed this post. The pictures are great, and the subjects made me wish I could spend time there.

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  17. The crab is truly amazing, I would love to come across one of those when patrolling the mud flats, upon which I could spend days of discovery. The ocean shore is the home of so much fascinating life, unseen by most, only because they don’t take the time to look.

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  18. Beautiful photos and interesting history of Port Germein.
    Fantastic and beautiful AI creation of the blue crab.
    It really is a huge thong.
    Hugs and a great weekend

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