During the recent research into Rumbelow maritime history, I was contacted by Chris Frizell who knew the new owners of the Rumbelow fishing boat 'The Rambler' when it was based out of Kangaroo Island.  

Chris, a retired merchant seaman on ketches such as the Falie and Nelcebee, also shared an article from the History Trust of SA regarding the upcoming premiere of the King of the River documentary.

The film centers on Ian King, the late Harbor Master of American River inlet, as well as colleague and mentor of Chris. The documentary has connections to towns like Victor Harbor and especially the coastal people along the trading routes across South Australia. It also captures the inevitable changes over time from working harbour to a holiday destination.

Coincidentally, Ian King's daughter Vivien Osborn now lives in Victor and has supported our efforts to screen this documentary at the Victa Cinemas in late July.

Matt Rumbelow

King's Treasure

By Ron Kandelars, 7 News.

The story of Kangaroo Island's development has been told through the eyes of an island legend who donated historic and unseen footage in the last week of his life. The late harbor master Ian King or Kingy to the locals loved this place even if others never quite got their heads around its unique geography. It's not a river and it's not American.

The American River to a very large degree is untouched. It was more popularly referred to as a river rather than an estuary. Ian was keen to tell his town's story, from sailing outpost to tourist playground. 

Ian King was the man here on the town wharf for decades. He was one of those really hardworking and straight talking Aussie blokes who shied away from the limelight, but he had his camera at all times

Ian King was imbued with the same pioneering spirit as the American sailors who made this their base in 1803. He was forever on or near the water, guiding giant tankers in his little runabout, moving around wharf supplies and mentoring kids who lived a life on the sea who would later skipper the same sailing ketches. after first paying their dues on the wharf.

In the last week of his life, he was determined to tell his story of how this place evolved. To tell the stories. That was the important thing. He wanted to tell the world about Kangaroo Island and how it developed.

Daniel Clarke's documentary brings that story to life back to the earliest days of tourism, where people wanted to come over to an isolated place where there were real fish biting.

King was there when the first privately run fairies rolled off the slipway to support what's become the island's biggest industry, mass tourism.  That industry's grown exponentially, while others like the Salt Works with their steam driven engines are gone.

King passed away recently but his legacy and passion lives on.

Daniel Clark's documentary The King of the River will be shown at the Victor Cinema next weekend.

The King of the River documentary is a stunning visual journey into the unheralded maritime and merchant shipping history that shaped American River and Kangaroo Island. The film tells the story of the American River settlement as told by the passionate harbour master the late Mr Ian "Kingy" King and the people who knew him best. 

Walkley Award-winning filmmaker Daniel Clarke interviewed Kingy during the final week of his life, following which he donated a large collection of stunning historic imagery, most of which has never been seen publicly.

 Ian Kings daughter Vivien, now a Victor Harbor resident will be in attendance as will Chris Frizell, a retired merchant seaman and Ketch historian who sailed out of American River on vessels such as the Falie and Nelcebee.

Further Information

For further information please visit the event site (above) and follow or join the Facebook groups:

Rumbelows of Encounter Bay (Victor Harbor SA)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1170480640317102

The Rumbelow Appreciation Society

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2477252993