Largs Bay Jetty
Largs Pier Hotel
Semaphore Palais
Waterslide Complex
Carousel
Tourist Train
Semaphore Jetty
War Memorial Clock
Timeball Tower
Semaphore Hotels
Semaphore Library
Churches
Odeon Star Cinemas

The Time Ball Tower

Right-click here to save the podcast for this audio

The Time Ball Tower

The Time Ball Tower is a heritage building. It is a building that was used to help sailors navigate their ships. The Time Ball Tower in Semaphore has been out of service since 1932 and was replaced by radio technology. Since then, time ball towers were not used as much and slowly went out of service.

It was thanks to Mr. Henry Burge that the Time Ball Tower in Semaphore was constructed. The Time Ball Tower would set its time according to the telegraphic transmissions they would receive from the Observatory in Adelaide .

In each time ball tower around the world there were several men, known as Timeball Keepers usually living on the third floor.

The ball on the Time Ball Tower would rise at 12:57pm and a large, black ball was lifted up the Time Ball Tower 's mast and was dropped at 1:00pm. It would rise to help sailors and fishermen set their chronometers which is a measuring device used to help them navigate. The Time Ball Tower was restored later by the South Australian Harbours Board. It was built between 1874 and 1875.

Here is a more detailed sequence used by the Timeball Keeper:

12.55pm: The ball would rise to a halfway position warning the sailors to get ready.

12.57pm: The keeper in the tower would rise the ball to its highest point locking it in place.

1.00pm: The keeper would get a transmission saying it was exactly 1.00pm in which dropping the ball would warn sailors to set their chronometers to 1.00pm.

The Time Ball Tower located in Semaphore is still standing as a reminder of the past and our changing technology.

Brandon & Eddie