South Arm Jetties

Up until the first jetties were built in the area, farmers would pile their goods on raised heaps of stones in the shallow bays while the tide was low and then transfer onto barges during high tide. One of these can still be seen as you cross the Neck.

Opossum Bay jetty was built in 1890 and quickly became crucial to farmers both for the transportation of items such as farm equipment up to Hobart for repairs and to bring supplies to the area. It also became a meeting place on Thursday as farmers would await the ferry's arrival.

The construction of the South Arm jetty was completed in 1918. As the Peninsula became a destination for shack-owners in the 30s ferries would deposit "shackies" on the jetty on Friday and pick them up again on Sunday. Maurice Potter would be waiting for them with his rabbits, providing many a shackie with ingredients for their Saturday night dinner.

The ferry would sometimes carry goods that not everyone would have been pleased to know were onboard. An Opossum bay shackie transported a bag filled with gelignite in order to blast a pool area in the rock shelf which can still be found today.

Nowadays of course the jetties have a completely different function. They are where many a South Arm/Opossum Bay child has honed their skill in the fine art of jetty jumping...

First time

Jetty jumping

So good

Six word memoir, Ruby (12 years)

Feeling the power

Of the freezing flowing blast

Jumping off jetty

Haiku, Lana (11 years)