Pre bridge days! This six car punt was towed around from Melbourne by the ferry Alvina in 1929. It was towed by a motor boat skippered by Reg Justice. The punt ran until 1940 when the bridge opened.
This two car punt built by Newhaven fisherman Charlie Newman in 1928 began operating between Newhaven and San Remo in that year. It was driven by two paddle wheels. The punt was bought by ferry owner A. K. T. Sambell in December 1928. It was found to be too small, however, and a six car punt was towed around from Melbourne by the ferry Alvina in 1929. This punt was towed by a motor boat skippered by Reg Justice. It ran until 1940 when the bridge opened.
The first punt on Western Port was the Maggie owned by the ferry company and used for carrying livestock around the bay from 1878. Its loading facility at Cowes was known as the Tide Gauge, a ramp at Erehwon Point. It was towed by the ferry. By 1928 it was rotting in the sand at San Remo according to the Argus newspaper.
The post and rail stock yard, pictured at the top of Erehwon Point, was built to hold livestock while waiting to be loaded on to the punt.
Remains of the Tide Gauge at Erehwon Point.
A contract was let to demolish the suspension bridge, after the second one was opened in 1969, and despite local rumours of the day, it was not re—assembled in Adelaide or Japan.
Due to the original use of so much second hand material and the effects of the elements, not a great deal was worth salvaging.
What could be, was sold, and it is of interest to note that some of the metal and decking was bought or acquired by local people.
Pieces of metal cable reappeared from time to time at the old Phillip Island Shire tip site, where much of it was buried.
The Shire purchased steel girders – difficult to work with — which were used for structuring at the Shire depot.
Islanders found many uses for the old wooden decking, including tables and chairs.
And a small bridge across a waterway at the Phillip Island Golf Club was made from it.
The worst part of the demolition for locals on both sides was the continuous blasting out of the old foundations.
Before each detonation, a boat with a man standing in it with a loud hooter would travel up and down the San Remo beaches warning people to leave the water for fear of broken ear drums and/or death.
Many fish died.
Others were frightened away from the area and fishing conditions did not return to normal for at least two seasons.
