Photos

My friends and I took a trip down to Victor Harbor a couple of weeks back. I have travelled on this tram before and it was an enjoyable experience. However this day we just observed the Clydesdale Horse. They seem to be such large but gentle creatures. First there is a bit about the history of the bridge between Victor Harbor and Granite Island and then some information about the horse drawn tram.
A railway line was constructed across the causeway in 1875 linking Victor Harbor with Granite Island in order to allow loading of produce onto ships, as Encounter Bay was too shallow for ships to come in close. The first passenger tram commenced operation across the causeway on 27 December 1894. This operation continued until 1956. In 1985, the horse tram service recommenced with upgraded track and trams. The service is now operated by the Council.
The Victor Harbor Horse Drawn Trams are a South Australian icon and have a long history of serving visitors to Victor Harbor since 1894. Today, an experience aboard the tramway enables visitors to capture the efforts of one gentle Clydesdale Horse that powers the transportation of visitors in a heritage double-decker tram across the 630 metre wooden Causeway to Granite Island.
The Victor Harbor Horse Drawn Tram uses 14 Clydesdale Horses on a rotational basis with the trams accommodating approximately 50 passengers. Each horse works only two shifts a week with the trams running on roller bearings, to make it easy work for them. It is one of the very few horse-drawn tram routes remaining in public transit service anywhere in the world, and provides service every day throughout the year. The service was originally introduced in 1894 and ran until 1956, when the cars were disposed of. Service recommenced in 1985 with replica tram cars.