Robe Customs House Maritime Museum

This iconic Robe building was erected in 1863 to serve one of the busiest ports on the southern coast of Australia – for several years the customs revenue collected here was second only to Port Adelaide, and some 16,500 Chinese landed here on their way to the Victorian goldfields in the mid 1800s. Designed by colonial architect William Hanson, the Customs House was built of limestone with striking red-brick quoins by local contractors, Pearce and Savage. It is set in what was the heart of the working port and the administrative centre, with panoramic views of Guichen Bay. This is where the transfer of goods between land and sea routes took place, and bonds and customs duties were paid. The front door faces the Royal Circus, which functioned as a roundabout for teamsters delivering wool for export. Run by the Robe Branch of the National Trust SA, it became a museum in 1969 after being the local council offices for many years. The Branch also provide school programs and bus tour guides. The displays in the museum tell the stories of gold fever and the Chinese migrants as well as the many shipwrecks and general everyday life for the early settlers of the period. There are several display cases of interesting artefacts from the area, and a slide show of historical photographs .