Rosetta Head

Rosetta Head
Rosetta Head, west side
Rosetta Head, west side
Rosetta Head is located in South Australia
Rosetta Head
Rosetta Head
Coordinates: 35°35′29″S 138°36′14″E / 35.59139°S 138.60389°E / -35.59139; 138.60389
CountryAustralia
StateSouth Australia
LGA
Elevation
97 m (318 ft)
Postcode
5211

Rosetta Head, commonly known as The Bluff, known as Longkewar or Kongkengguwar by the Ramindjeri people, is a headland located on the south coast of Fleurieu Peninsula in the Encounter Bay, South Australia, within the local government area of the City of Victor Harbor. To its north-west is Rosetta Harbour, and to the south-east, Petrel Cove. The Bluff is a prominent landmark on the coast, about 77 kilometres (48 miles) south of the state capital of Adelaide, and used as a recreational reserve. It was formed by glaciation.

History

Aboriginal occupation

Although traditional ownership of Encounter Bay has long been ascribed to the Ramindjeri clan of the Ngarrindjeri people, linguist Rob Amery of the University of Adelaide suggested in a 1998 paper that Kaurna traditional lands "may have extended as far eastward as Encounter Bay and that the occupation of Encounter Bay by the Ramindjeri in the late 1830s may have been a response to the activities of whalers in the area". He also notes that the "Encounter Bay people" mentioned in 1836 by Colonel Light and his party at Rapid Bay in 1836 spoke the Kaurna language.

The Ramindjeri people settled in the area owing to the abundance of food.

Around 2020, Aboriginal skeletal remains were found that were dated to 200 years earlier.

European discovery and use

Painting by George French Angas c.1846 depicting Rosetta Head from the east

Rosetta Head was the site of a whaling station, with its peak used as a look-out point to locate whales. The station was established in 1837 and operated until the early 1860s, and was also referred to as Rosetta Harbour. Aboriginal people were employed at the station, which is now a heritage-listed site.

In December 1837 three ships ran into trouble at Rosetta Harbour, as it was referred to then: South Australian, which is the oldest known shipwreck in South Australia; Solway was wrecked, with all crew saved; and John Pirie was blown ashore in a storm while anchored, but was able to be refloated. The wharf, an adjacent sea wall and the connecting road were completed in 1856 by the Government of South Australia to assist whaling industry activity. The wharf was known as the "Lilliputian Jetty" due to its relatively small size, i.e. 12.7 metres (42 feet) wide by 4.6 metres (15 feet) deep.

The Coolanine mine was established on Rosetta Head in 1863, after some copper and gold had been found. It closed a year later, but reopened in 1882 when lead was discovered, and this was mined along with silver and tin oxide.

Plaque unveiled on 8 April 1902 to commemorate the meeting of Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin in 1802

A tablet set into a granite boulder located near Rosetta Head's summit was unveiled on 8 April 1902 by the Governor of South Australia, The Right Honourable Hallam, Baron Tennyson to commemorate the centenary of the meeting of the European explorers, Matthew Flinders and Nicolas Baudin, in nearby waters.

In 2023 a master plan for The Bluff was published. The plan, undertaken in consultation with traditional owners and local community, is a guide to guide development on The Bluff until 2043, and takes into account social, community, cultural, environmental, and economic impacts.

View of Victor Harbor from Rosetta Head

Naming

The Bluff is known as Longkuwar/ Longkewar, or Kongkengguwar in the Ramindjeri language. The Ramindjeri name for Encounter Bay was Ramong, although some sources ascribe this name to The Bluff only.

Rosetta Head was given its modern name in 1839 after Rosetta French, the wife of George Fife Angas, reportedly by George Gawler, the second Governor of South Australia.

The use of the name "The Bluff", which is the most commonly used name for the headland, is attributed to whalers operating in the locality prior to the adoption of the name Rosetta Head.

Description

View of Rosetta Head from the north

Rosetta Head is located in the suburb of Encounter Bay about 3.9 kilometres (2.4 miles) south-west by south of the centre of Victor Harbor and about 77 kilometres (48 miles) south of Adelaide. When viewed from a platform such as a ship, it appears as being "a grassy mound, 97 metres (318 feet) high, cliffy on its E[ast] side, and covered with granite boulders; it is steep-to on its E[ast] and S[outh] sides." Its southern tip is considered by Australian authorities as being the western extent of Encounter Bay.

On its north (western) side, there is a small wharf which is connected to the adjoining urban area by a road and which adjoins a body of water is known as Rosetta Harbour to the west.

On its southern (eastern) side, there is a small cove called Petrel Cove.

Formation, geology, and oceanography

View of coastline west of Rosetta Head

Rosetta Head as a headland was formed when the sea reached its present level (97 m (318 ft) above sea level) 7,500 years ago after sea levels started to rise at the start of the Holocene. As a landform, it is a large domed inselberg which is considered to be "the most prominent feature along Encounter Bay coastline" and whose form is due to its origins via the geological processes of metamorphism and intrusion followed by two phases of erosion; firstly via the action of a northward-moving glacier during the Permian which created the distinctive dome shape and then by wave action from the south due to the sea level rise during the Holocene. When viewed from the adjoining coastline, it is considered to be a typical example of a glacial terrain known as a roche moutonnee.

Geologically, Rosetta Head is the result of the intrusion of molten granite (known as Encounter Bay Granite) into a grey metamorphic rock (known as the Kanmantoo group), which was subsequently elevated as part of a mountain-building event known as the Delamerian Orogeny between 475 and 500 million years ago.

The water adjoining the base of Rosetta Head drops to a maximum depth of 12.8 metres (42 feet) within a distance of 100 metres (330 feet) of its shore.

Heritage listings

Rosetta Head was listed on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate on 21 October 1980.

It was listed on the South Australian Heritage Register on 1 September 1983.

The Rosetta Head Well and Whaling Station Site (former Encounter Bay Whaling Station) was designated as a place of archaeological significance by Victor Harbor Council, and confirmed as a State Heritage Place in the SA Heritage Register on 5 August 2021. The statement supporting its designation reads: "As one of the first examples of a shore-based whaling station operated by the South Australian Company and one of the State's earliest organised industries, the Rosetta Head Whaling Station played a significant role in the State's early economic development. In an industry where such establishments rarely lasted longer than five years, and most for considerably less time, Rosetta Head's continuous operation for 15 years was the longest of South Australia's known whaling stations". The 200-year-old Aboriginal skeletal remains discovered around 2020 further shows the significance of the site, as it may yield further evidence of interactions between the Ramindjeri people (some of whom were employed at the station) and the early whalers.

Land use and recreation

Rosetta Head is used as a public recreation reserve which is managed by the City of Victor Harbor. A 600-metre (2,000 ft) walking and cycling trail ascends to the summit where views of the adjoining coastline including the Victor Harbor urban area and the nearby islands are available as well as the opportunity to observe southern right whales in the nearby waters between the months of June and October. Dogs are allowed on the trail.

The Heysen Trail starts at Petrel Cove. There is also a designated half-day hike of around 6 km (3.7 mi) from The Bluff via Petrel Cove along the Victor Harbor Heritage Trail onto Kings Beach, then past King Head

A sandy beach on the north side of Rosetta Head is notable as a site for swimming while the wharf is used for recreational fishing. A sandy beach on the south side of the head at Petrel Cove is known for its surfing and surf fishing, but is considered to be a hazardous location for swimming. The sea around Rosetta Head is a popular site for recreational diving and is notable as a place to see Leafy sea dragons.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 South Australia. Department of Marine and Harbors (1985), The Waters of South Australia a series of charts, sailing notes and coastal photographs, Dept. of Marine and Harbors, South Australia, pp. Charts 10, ISBN 978-0-7243-7603-2
  2. ↑ "Map of Indigenous Australia". AIATSIS. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  3. ↑ Amery, Rob (2016). Warraparna Kaurna!: Reclaiming an Australian language (PDF). University of Adelaide Press. p. 5. doi:10.20851/kaurna. ISBN 978-1-925261-25-7. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Encounter Bay, Attraction". South Australia. 4 August 2026. Archived from the original on 11 April 2026. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "Rosetta Head Well and Whaling Station Site". The South Australia Heritage Places database. Government of South Australia. Archived from the original on 15 August 2026. Retrieved 16 August 2026. SA.GOV.AU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Licence.
  6. 1 2 Webb, Lucy (10 October 1936). "Historic Victor Harbor". The Mail. p. 10. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "South Australian Company". South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register. 3 June 1837. p. 4. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "The Romantic South, some early history, part III". The Register. 15 September 1928. p. 5. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "Uncovering South Australia's oldest known shipwreck". Australian National Maritime Museum. 14 August 2023. Archived from the original on 19 April 2026. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "From the depths to display: Rediscovering South Australia's oldest known shipwreck". Good Living. 27 April 2026. Archived from the original on 10 July 2026. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Shipwrecks". South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register. Vol. I, no. 10. South Australia. 20 January 1838. p. 3. Retrieved 15 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ↑ "Real Life Stories of South Australia". The Chronicle. Vol. LXXVIII, no. 4, 143. South Australia. 9 April 1936. p. 17. Retrieved 15 August 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ↑ "Shipping Intelligence". The Morning Chronicle. No. 21393. London. 7 June 1838.
  14. ↑ "Two More Ships Wrecked". Cornwall Chronicle. Launceston, Van Diemen's Land. 13 January 1838. p. 2.
  15. ↑ "Loss of the Solway". Bent's News and Tasmanian Register. Hobart. 20 January 1838. p. 2.
  16. ↑ Collins, Neville C (2005), The jetties of South Australia : past and present, Neville Collins, p. 192, ISBN 978-0-9580482-2-4
  17. 1 2 "The Bluff Summit Walk" (PDF). City of Victor Harbor. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 May 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  18. ↑ "The meeting of Flinders and Baudin, Commemorated at the Bluff, An interesting event". The Register. 9 April 1902. p. 6. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  19. 1 2 "The Bluff Master Plan". Victor Harbor City Council. 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2026. The Bluff Master Plan 2023-2043
  20. 1 2 "Day hikes". National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  21. ↑ "Places". Great Southern Reef. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  22. ↑ Victor Harbor Council (20 June 2017). "Development Plan". Government of South Australia.
  23. ↑ "The Romantic South, some early history, part IV". The Register. 22 September 1928. p. 5. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  24. ↑ "Kongkengguwar". Gazetteer of Australia online. Geoscience Australia, Australian Government.
  25. ↑ "Ramindjeri". Mobile Language Team. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  26. ↑ "Ramindjeri (SA)". South Australian Museum. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  27. ↑ "Encounter Bay (1840-1848)". German Missionaries in Australia. Griffith University. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  28. ↑ "Commemoration Address". The Register. 15 April 1927. p. 8. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  29. ↑ Newland, Simpson (2 December 1893). "Paving the way, A romance of the Australian bush, Part 1 - On the coast". South Australian Chronicle. p. 10. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  30. ↑ "'Paving the way', The romance of Victor Harbor". The Register. 19 September 1924. p. 11. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  31. ↑ "Suburbs Map - District" (PDF). City of Victor Harbor. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  32. ↑ Sailing Directions (Enroute), Pub. 175: North, West, and South Coasts of Australia (PDF). Sailing Directions. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2017. p. 227.
  33. ↑ "Seas and Submerged Lands (Historic Bays) Proclamation 2006". Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  34. ↑ "Log books of a forgotten shipwreck". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  35. ↑ "Southern Fleurieu Action Plan Cells" (map). Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  36. ↑ Robinson, A. C.; Armstrong, D. M., eds. (1999). A Biological Survey of Kangaroo Island, South Australia, 1989 & 1990 (PDF). Adelaide, SA: Heritage and Biodiversity Section, Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, South Australia. p. 26. ISBN 0-7308-5862-6. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  37. ↑ "Rosetta Head, Franklin Pde, Encounter Bay, SA, Australia (Register of the National Estate (Non-statutory archive))". Department of the Environment. 21 October 1980. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  38. 1 2 Hiern, Noel (2012). "Geological trail VICTOR HARBOR, A self-drive geological trail" (PDF). Government of South Australia, Department for Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy. pp. 2–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  39. ↑ "Geological Sites, The Bluff". City of Victor Harbor. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  40. ↑ "Rosetta Head, Franklin Pde, Encounter Bay, SA, Australia - listing on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate (Place ID 7472)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. 21 October 1980. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  41. ↑ "The Bluff Historic Site". Government of South Australia. 1 September 1983. Retrieved 11 January 2019. Quote - "The Bluff (Rosetta Head) Historic Site, including the Jetty & Whaling Station Site"
  42. ↑ "Hike on the Rosetta Trail up the Bluff, Victor Harbor". Walking SA. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  43. ↑ "Petrel Cove, unpatrolled beach". Surf Life Saving Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  44. ↑ "Rosetta Head, unpatrolled beach". Surf Life Saving Australia. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  45. ↑ Neville Coleman; Nigel Marsh. "Victor Harbour (sic)". Underwater Australia. Neville Coleman. Archived from the original on 24 November 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2014.