Irish Orphan Girls in Victor Harbor

During this fascinating one-hour walk and tall around the centre of Victor Harbor you will hear about the inspiring stories of the young Irish women who settled around Victor Harbor. The tour takes you to sites related to the the young girls stories.

In 1845, the Irish potato crop was infested with a blight for the first time in history, resulting in widespread starvation among Irish peasants. Many experiencing starvation had no option but to seek shelter and food from the overcrowded Irish workhouses. An assisted emigration scheme bought 4,000 Irish orphans from the workhouses to Australia between 1848-50. A total of 621 girls arrived in Adelaide. Subsequent assisted immigration schemes followed of which 90 young Irish women came to Victor Harbor between 1853-55. Despite the large numbers of the young women settling across Australia, many of their stories are overlooked in our history. They were rarely seen or known in the public domain. When they are written about it is largely through the lens of marriage, mother, or the migration scheme, rather than as an asset. Due to popular demand during the South Australia History Festival in 2024, this tour returns!