Early this century much of South Australia's produce such as wheat and wool was transported to the major ports by sailing ship.

In South Australia the trading ketches became the lifeblood of the growing country centers and their back cargo of building materials and fertilizer allowed the opening up of many new areas for farming. For remote communities, the arrival of the ketches was a major event.

Today, the single most tangible link with this trade of the past are the scores of jetties that dot the South Australian coastline.

At the turn of the century, there were dozens of ketches such as the Falie plying the waters off the coast of South Australia, carrying wool and wheat and livestock and just about anything else that would pay.

The Falie was built in Holland and launched in 1920, costing the Spencer Gulf Transport Company the grand sum of £3,600. She was a regular visitor to grain ports in Southern Australia, and took part in the New Guinea campaign in World War II. She is credited with helping to sink one of the submarines that attacked Sydney Harbour in 1942. 

Eventually, steam ships, rail and then road transport and that could keep more or less to a timetable took the place of sail.

King of the River screens in Victor 

EMMA HEIDENREICH 

On July 26 at 2pm, Walkley Award-winning filmmaker Daniel Clarke’s ‘King of the River’, a documentary exploring the life of harbour master and maritime legend, Ian ‘Kingy’ King, will have it’s first mainland screening at Victa Cinema. 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. 

In the documentary, Mr Clarke interviews Kingy during the final week of his life, during which he donated his large collection of stunning historic imagery, most of which had never been seen publicly. 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 Ameri can River settlement as told by the passionate harbour master and the people who knew him best, including colleague and mentor Chris Frizell. 

Coincidentally, Ian King’s daughter, Vivien Osborn, now lives in Victor and will be in attendance at the screening, as will Mr Frizell, a retired merchant seaman and Ketch historian who sailed out of American River on vessels such as the Falie and Nelcebee. “I’m beyond excited and honoured to announce that King of the River will be shown at the Victa Cinema,“ Ms Osborn said. “Many thanks to Daniel Clarke for weaving his magic and bringing this to life. Dad would be grinning from ear to ear.“ 

The documentary first premiered in May at American River as part of the 2025 SA History Festival. Tickets $15 per person, run time is 1 hour 7 minutes. Book tickets online at www.victacinemas.com.au/ limited tickets will be available at the door.