A new era of riverport storytelling has begun on the South Coast, with the official opening of the Goolwa Riverport Heritage Centre at the historic Goolwa Wharf.
The volunteer group Friends of the Oscar W have spent the past 14 months managing the project, transforming part of the Wharf Shed into an interactive space celebrating the town’s maritime heritage.
Member and spokesperson Nigel Robinson told ARN’s Craig Pitman and Jennie Lenman the new centre offers a hands-on experience for visitors.
“It’s an incredible state-of-the-art museum – there’s eight touch screens, four giant TV screens, a model of the Goolwa Wharf Railway as it was in the 1900s, a steering simulation, and you can even turn on the beam engine, one of the oldest industrial artefacts in South Australia,” he said.
The centre was officially unveiled on Monday the 6th of October, following an open weekend that drew strong community interest with around 200 attendees.
Minister Lucy Hood, Alexandrina Mayor Keith Parkes and Friends of the Oscar W President George Kaiser gave speeches at the event, and took part in the unveiling of a plaque, cutting the ribbon and cutting a birthday cake for the 117th birthday celebration for the PS Oscar W, the paddle steamer lovingly maintained by the volunteer group.
Guests were also treated to performances from the Morris Dancers at Wharf and the Ladies of Distinction at Wharf in period costume.
Mayor Keith Parkes acknowledged to the Fleurieu Sun that the journey to completion hadn’t been smooth, referencing a protracted dispute over the use of the Wharf Shed.
“The fight that happened before was unbelievable and it cost us a lot of money – millions of dollars in delays – but Oscar had to be with the shed. It’s where it belonged and that’s where it is staying,” he told the Fleurieu Sun.
Built in 1908, the PS Oscar W remains one of Goolwa’s best-loved attractions, offering wood-fired steam cruises along the Lower Murray and preserving a tangible connection to the region’s river trade heritage.
Hear the full chat with Nigel Robinson from Friends of the Oscar W with Craig Pitman and Jennie Lenman via the play window below:
