SA Newspapers: Port Adelaide

This newspaper was aimed at readers at Port Adelaide and Woodville.

This was a weekly handwritten newsletter published by men of German background interred on Torrens Island during the First World War. There were three issues. The camp on Torrens Island contained 300 men. Under the strict supervision of Major Hawkes they were not allowed access to newspapers. The third issue refers to two re-captured escapees being flogged, which later brought an official enquiry into Major Hawkes’ running of the camp. As a result the camp was closed in August 1915, the prisoners being transferred to Holdsworthy camp near Liverpool in New South Wales. The title Kamerad translates as ‘Comrade’ or ‘Mate’. The editor was a young man named Walter Emde. The newsletters include articles, some fine drawings of the camp and inmates, humour and comic songs, and advertisements for the makeshift shops in the camp.

Port Adelaide courier, Roger Baynes, took over the free magazine newspaper of the Largs North Progressive Association and converted it into the first free Port Adelaide Messenger in 1951. With partner Len Craker, the company continued to acquire suburban newspapers and turn them into Messenger titles, funding the venture by selling shares to the Advertiser. By 1964, there was a free Messenger Press paper being delivered to every home in suburban Adelaide.

Although only lasting a few months, this newspaper is interesting for its regular inclusion of songs and music by Jack Fewster and Tom King.

The founding editor of the Port Adelaide News was Captain David Scott. But after the bankruptcy of the founding company an experienced printer and journalist, Edwin Derrington, took over and doubled the newspaper’s size. From late in 1878 advertisements appear for a literary supplement, but copies of this were not retained in the State Library set. The newspaper contains editorials regarding topical issues such as the proposal for an Outer Harbour in 1878, the question of Chinese immigration to South Australia, and the activities of the Kelly Gang in the eastern colonies. It had regular sports reports, and news summaries. Under Derrington news items were printed on the front page – an unusual practice at the time, when advertisements generally appeared there. Proposals to build port facilities at Marino in competition with Port Adelaide brought fiery condemnation in the newspaper.

The founding editor of the Port Adelaide News was Captain David Scott. But after the bankruptcy of the founding company an experienced printer and journalist, Edwin Derrington, took over and doubled the newspaper’s size. From late in 1878 advertisements appear for a literary supplement, but copies of this were not retained in the State Library set. The newspaper contains editorials regarding topical issues such as the proposal for an Outer Harbour in 1878, the question of Chinese immigration to South Australia, and the activities of the Kelly Gang in the eastern colonies. It had regular sports reports, and news summaries. Under Derrington news items were printed on the front page – an unusual practice at the time, when advertisements generally appeared there. Proposals to build port facilities at Marino in competition with Port Adelaide brought fiery condemnation in the newspaper.

The Port Adelaide post was produced by partners James Young and Charles Morris, both of whom had prior association with the Adelaide press. Although intended to represent the interests of ‘Port Adelaideans’, the first issue had almost no local news apart from a report of the local police court and the newspaper continued to feature mainly English news. The newspaper survived for approximately six issues only.

The Portonian was founded by the eccentric South African Duncan Moodie. The intention was to provide a news reporting forum for Port Adelaide. However, most space was given to criticising the South Australian Parliament. Politicians, including local M.P. John Hart, religious leaders and the governor were targeted. The journalist Spencer Skipper wrote for the Portonian and John Eden Savill ('Cerberus') provided cartoons. The Portonian articles were of a high quality and Savill's political cartoons were a major attraction. (Some of these were re-published as a book.) W. Pyndar Willis was a later cartoonist. South African news filled the columns later, in particular news of the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. The Portonian ceased without notice in May 1879.

The Progressive Times began as the organ of the Largs North Progress Association. By 1951 it was the official organ of the Taperoo and District Progressive Association, and the Ozone Kine Club for Port Adelaide, Semaphore and Alberton. It took the format of a 'magazine paper'. It was taken over in 1951 as the basis for the first Messenger newspaper.

A small newspaper for Port Adelaide, Semaphore and parts of Woodville. It contained snippets of local news and advertisements. There are many references to the visit of the young Queen Elizabeth to Adelaide in 1954.