Port Vincent, known as the water sport centre of the Yorke Peninsula, is the ideal location for fishing, boating and sailing.
The attractive and peaceful bay provides swimming for families, while spectacular walking trails take you along the cliff top north of the town with stunning views across Gulf St Vincent and new marina. Port Vincent is one of Yorke Peninsula's most popular resorts, with a permanent population of 470, which rises dramatically at peak periods, and during this period the bay is full of boats.
The townsfolk take pride in their beautiful town and in 2004 won the KESAB tidiest town award. The marina has 90 berths and a boat ramp.
Port Vincent not only offers water sports, but a spectacular walk that takes you along the cliff tops to a lookout, past the marina and through a scenic valley. You are also able to see a pioneer well, and rocks that have been dragged from Victor Harbor by a glacier.
Initially called Surveyor's Point, the town of Port Vincent was laid out by an Adelaide Solicitor in 1877. The town, historically like most of the towns on the Yorke Peninsula, is an old port. It was once one of the old landing spots for the ketches going up and down the peninsula.
Captain Matthew Flinders explored the coast of Yorke Peninsula in 1802, naming bays and geographical features; he did not however name Port Vincent bay. Surveyor Robert Cock was commissioned to survey land around the area, he named the township, Port Vincent and called the bay Port St. Vincent. Pastoralists took up sections of land facing the bay and in 1854 some of the land was sold and wheat crops were grown. By 1869 wheat farming began replacing sheep runs, the grain needed to be shipped to Port Adelaide and 1877 the construction of a jetty at Port Vincent began.
Port Vincent differed from other ports on the peninsula coasts in two ways. Firstly the jetty was privately built and owned and secondly it was the only port on the eastern coast to have a wharf. (This was constructed in three stages between 1902 - 1909, and the jetty demolished in 1918). From 1877 -1970, Port Vincent thrived as a port by shipping bagged grain and receiving general supplies. In 1970 a grain silo opened at Port Giles and bagged grain was phased out as bulk handling of grain took over.
Port Vincent was also the homeport of full time and part time fishermen, fishing licences were introduced in 1904. The introduction of Government regulations in the late 1970's saw many changes to the local fishing industry. In 1960 there were 11 full time fishermen fishing from Port Vincent and today there is only one. The end of bagged grain handling could have seen the end of Port Vincent as a town: instead it was the beginning of a new era.
With a magnificent coastline and sheltered bay, Port Vincent became a popular retirement town and holiday destination and continues to grow in popularity today.
