"Melfort Pier"

An interesting overview on the origins of Melfort Pier, one of Melfort's best known landmarks.

By the middle of the 19th century, steamboats were well established on routes all along the West Coast and around the islands. This picture depicts a steamship which seems to be making a delivery to Fearnach Pier, now known as Melfort Pier, and being met by local estate workers in what must have been a very precious possession, a car! The Pier is one of many such
deep water piers on Loch Melfort, each serving a separate village or large Estate. Similar piers exist at Arduaine, Isle of Shuna , Lunga & Toberonochy, all of which would have been serviced by the same ships with their vital supplies.

Loch Melfort was deep enough for large vessels to carry out deliveries of raw materials involved in the manufacture of gunpowder at nearby Melfort Estate and to collect the finished product for distribution around the country. A tram-way connected the Pier with the gunpowder works east of Melfort House in addition to the road, which, until the early 20th century was nothing more than a cart track.

In recent years, Melfort Pier has been used for leisure-based activities – yachting, wind-surfing and fishing but is still recognisable as the Pier in this photo.

More on the history of Melfort and the surrounding lands.