Port Alfred

Municipality

Municipality: Ndlambe Local Municipality
District Municipality: Cacadu District Municipality

Port Alfred Tourism Bureau

Causeway Str
Port Alfred

Phone number: 046-624-1235
Fax number: 046-624-4139
Email: Email inquiry
Web: See the website

Port Alfred is named after the British Prince Alfred

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

There is a museum focusing on the Kowie River.

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History

British immigrants settled here in the 1820s. At the time the estuary consisted of swamp like islands, canals and reeds. In 1821 Port Kowie was established. The port was treacherous and abolished by 1831. A town nevertheless developed at the port and was called Port Frances after Frances Somerset, wife of Henry Somerset, who in turn was son of the Cape Governor. In 1860 the name was changed to Port Alfred, after the British Prince Alfred. William Cock, who settled here in 1836, succeeded in diverting the flow of the river to a new channel below the West Bank. In 1857 there was another attempt at establishing a port. By dredging the channel ships as large as 340 tons made use of the port. The harbor was no longer used for commercial purposes after the 1890s.

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Climate

Today's Weather Report for Port Alfred

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