Victor Harbor Horse Drawn Tram
One of the lovely features of Victor Harbor is the historic horse drawn tram that travels frequently from the mainland over the causeway to Granite Island. The island is a short – perhaps ten minute – walk across a causeway. This walk is undertaken by many hundreds of people daily, rising to many thousands in the peak tourist seasons. Over the summer months, Easter weekend, school holidays and even normal weekends the island and its causeway can be quite crowded.
Causeway from Victor Harbor to Granite Island
The alternative to walking is to take a ride either way on the historic horse drawn tram. These trams operate throughout the day, every day of the year and are very popular with tourists, visitors and locals. The Clydesdale horses willingly go through their paces throughout the day and really seem to enjoy their ‘work.’
Horse drawn tram Victor Harbor, South Australia
The trams have been a part of the cultural and tourist attractions for many years. Commencing in 1894 the tram ran until 1956 when the carriages were sold. The service recommenced in 1985 with four rebuilt carriages. Each carriage is hauled by one of 14 Clydesdale horses. It is one of only three horse drawn tramways anywhere in the world. (The others are in Japan and on the Isle of Man.)
Links:
- Victor Harbor Tramway – web page with much more information, including prices bookings and running times. It also has photos of the horses and information about them.
- Victor Harbor – more tourist and visitor information.
Horse drawn tram Victor Harbor, South Australia