"What’s this," you say, "It’s not Christmas yet, surely!" Dear member, I assure you that I have spotted Christmas stockings and foil covered Father Christmases in the local supermarket, so it’s closer than this September date may infer. And it won’t be too long before you’ll need to get out the gift list and get down to considering just what you need to give

This interest-filled book is offered for sale by the Port Adelaide Historical Society for $7.50 recommended retail price. BUT, as a SPECIAL MEMBER’S ONLY PRICE you can purchase copies at $5.50 plus postage (one book $1, two $1.50, three $1.75, four $2.60). But if you’re going to use this offer to spread good cheer for the Christmas season you’ll need more than that – like that well-worn saying, they’re cheaper by the dozen!

Another interesting and busy year in which the Society has combined with Heritage SA in planning a walking trail along the Jervois Basin shores to view the river and hulks. Visits to our neighbouring Historical Societies were made – the size of the Hindmarsh collection surprising some of our members, while a well-organised and friendly outing at Sunnybrae Farm cemented friendships. Many visitors have been welcomed in our rooms – Mr Kevin Jones, Director of the SA Maritime Museum, being very impressed. Members represented the Society at the launch of the book "Garden Island, Ship’s Graveyard" published by Heritage SA and launched at the Speedboat Clubrooms on North Arm. An exhibition of material from Bronson’s Dry Cleaners was mounted at the Black Diamond Corner area of the SA Maritime Museum and received many comments.

The Federation Dinner was an enjoyable evening, and the Guest Speaker, Dr R. Reynolds, was well received while our Master of Ceremonies, Vice-President Errol Chinner, performed his usual excellent duties. The raffle conducted in conjunction with the Dinner was won by a prominent member of the Society who won’t be named.

All the members were surprised when a large piece of our room’s ceiling fell and landed on top of our fixtures. The room was closed for several weeks and caused a great deal of difficulty in trying to conduct business without access. Committee and volunteers met in the foyer area on the usual Friday afternoons and, although there was little that could be done for the collection, much discussion and historical detail was exchanged.

The Executive, and all members of the Society, were sorry to lose our Honorary Historian, Yvonne Reynolds, who has moved to Queensland but is still very much a Portonian. This year’s Semaphore Road Street Fair was cancelled and the Society missed out on its usual display. Our Vice-President, Mr Errol Chinner, is to be congratulated on being named "Citizen of the Year 2002" at a function in Sunnybrae Farm. A much-valued Society worker.

I take this opportunity to say "Thank You" to all the members for their continuing support and interest as well as special thanks to Mr Bruce Roberts, our Treasurer, Mr Lawrie Shields, our Secretary, and to each of the Committee Members.

The year 2002, the 162nd year of Port Adelaide's history and the 30th year of this Society is again marked by many events and continuing changes, but surely the most overpowering subject that continued over the entire period was what the media has named the "Third River Crossing". The last time we counted the number was much higher than three - but everyone seems to be satisfied with this oversight of fact and prepared to go along with it. We continue to hear and read how the decision for the site is wrong, that those who will be most inconvenienced were not consulted, and the question has been posed, "Do we need another river crossing?". Our Society for one was never consulted on the siting of the proposed crossing, although we have been invited to be part of the process of re-development of the river banks. It would seem more logical to us that if a direct route for transport to present day shipping was required a site well down from the Inner Harbor would be a better choice. While there is no doubt that another bridge is needed - if for no other reason than to lighten the load on the aging and troubled Birkenhead Bridge - a replacement positioned to deliver the major volume of traffic to within a very few metres of its present Peninsula arrival is puzzling to most. History cannot offer solutions, but can only give direction gained from past experience. The present bridge plan seems only to replicate the worst outcomes of previous attempts and shows no acknowledgment of future needs and, as before, offers a plan that is beyond doubt the cheapest solution.

Structures continue to be erected on the sites of Nos 2 and 3 Sheds, or what land agents refer to as "Lipson Wharf", and almost without exception we have not heard a complimentary remark regarding them. Perhaps this is a new trend that we should try to understand. Oddly, after condemning the state of moldering Central Buildings, our Council decided in April that the building was not so bad after all. Many want the site levelled - we hope sanity prevails and a utilisation of this historic building is put in place.

One of the losses of the year was the fire that destroyed the old Wood Sons store on Bower Crescent. A plus in the building scene was the re-vamping of the Port Adelaide railway viaduct and the replacement of the sleepers on the Outer Harbor line.

Contention is still present in a plan to construct a breakwater at Semaphore South using a great deal of the dunes from Semaphore beach. Our continued advice that these growing Semaphore dunes are a comparatively recent development falls upon disinterested ears and the currents and sea continue to deposit the very expensively removed material right back where it started.

Shocking plans to curb one of Port Adelaide’s best PR avenues surfaced in Council when plans to force the Port Power team to purchase Alberton Oval was announced early in 2001. Letters referring to "Sacred Site" were published and it seems the matter has gone quiet. Not so fortunate were our very own Port Adelaide Magpies. Shorn of income and supporters the club was forced to ask for public support to continue. There must be enough local, state and national support to keep both teams alive and successful - we hope common sense prevails.

A whiff of rejuvenation came with the news of a new purchaser for the Port Mall, and the utilisation of the Harbors Board building on the corner of Lipson Street and McLaren Parade as a computer cafe called Harborbytes. (McLaren Parade was so named because it backed McLaren Wharf - a fact that developers are keen to overlook.)

Ship visits continued with the R.A.N., the French Navy, and our local tall ships visiting the Inner Harbor, while luxury liners, among them QEII, moored at Outer Harbor.

Debate was fired with a proposal to change the name of Taperoo (a Kaurna word for a small drum) to Ocean View to coincide with the name chosen for the local school. Thankfully public opinion was against the idea.

A revival of the past was the re-activation of Bronson’s Dry Cleaning plant at Ethelton, which fell afoul of local complaint. And a sad report was the deferral of repairs to the Semaphore War Memorial. This was despite a nation-wide increase in honouring our war service personnel and the death of our last ANZAC. But Semaphore bloomed with the re-opening of the open air markets and the Kite Festival, although the Street Fair did not eventuate. Never as popular as the Carnivals of the past, but good family entertainment to complement the Railway Museum's train ride.

The most successful person in our Society for this year must be our Vice President, Mr Errol Chinner, who was named as Citizen of the Year, 2002, in January. Publicity and honours were given to another of our members, Mr Lloyd Lawrence (or Gundi), for his war years and service to the community. The City’s Mayor, Johanna McLusky, was elected as Local Government Association President, bringing honour to the district, and the well-remembered Goat Lady, Kate Hutton, was remembered in a mural at North Haven Primary School. Local residents were honoured with the Order of Australia Awards and our Worker’s Memorial gained more names of value.

Many anniversaries were celebrated, among them the 135th Anniversary of Semaphore Uniting Church, the Port Adelaide Uniting Church celebrated its restoration and the 50th anniversary of the Christmas group photograph at the Alberton Hotel was marked with a similar photograph.