October 3rd 1836 - Colonel William Light Lands
Light had placed his flagstaff on the highest sandhill after making his initial landing on the 3rd October 1836. He had then used this flagstaff as a bearing marker in relation to Mt. Lofty in constructing his chart of the gulf from on board the Rapid.

November 5th 1836
The Cygnet, despatched by Light from Rapid Bay and under the command of the Deputy Surveyor General George Strickland Kingston, landed the advanced survey party.

November 6th 1836
The first building erected - (third from the left) - was the Storehouse of Thomas Gilbert, the Colonial Storekeeper. Apart from the surveying equipment, the gunpowder magazine and supplies for the surveyors, the storehouse contained thousands of seeds for the immediate commencement of the vegetable gardens needed for the immigrant settlement.

November 8th 1836
Arrival of the Africaine with Robert Gouger, Colonial Secretary (first member of the Executive Council of Government to be resident in the Province), and John Brown, Immigration Officer, together with the Holdfast Bay pioneer immigrants.

The majority of the passengers could not land until the 10th due to the rough weather. The Cygnet's boats helped to bring them to the sand bar near the shore. From there, the ladies and children were carried on shoulders to the beach.

It was these difficulties in landing the first immigrants that influenced Colonel Light's proposal for a jetty.

By making a jetty at H (the beach by the sand bar) in the direction and form laid down as far as 3 fathoms water which can be easily done compared with other works of this kind in England, ships might unload under its shelter in Westerly winds,...
The river (Patawalonga) might be made very useful by a jetty being thrown out at H and kept always clear, for the sea weed now drifted up by the westerly gales often choke it. There are in many parts 10 feet water at low water.

November 10th 1836
The Stanhope Printing Press landed from the Africaine.

November 19th & 20th 1836
Light arranges with Captain Duff of the Africaine to collect the first mail from the settlers. Collected by Mary Thomas in her tent near the Patawalonga.

December 1st 1836
First contact between the Aboriginal inhabitants and the Europeans--visit to Gilbert's Storehouse.

December 16th 1836
The Tam O'Shanter offloaded at Holdfast Bay then proceeded with the Rapid - first ships to enter into the harbour at Port Adelaide.

December 28th 1836
Arrival of Governor John Hindmarsh, Resident Commissioner James Hurtle Fisher, (2nd and 3rd members of the Executive Council of Government) - Colonial Chaplain Reverend C.B. Howard, and Colonial Treasurer, Osmond Gilles on the Buffalo.

The Governor's camp and the Treasury Tent were set up at the foot of the sandhill guarded by 22 marines. Light's flagstaff replaced by or put on top of a spar from the Buffalo.
Two of the landing battery cannons of the Buffalo, landed from the Tam O'Shanter on the 16th, were fired on Hindmarsh's landing.

December 31st 1836
Glenelg name first used to describe the settlement at Holdfast Bay. The name was suggested by George Stevenson - the Governor's private secretary at this campsite.

January 4th 1837
The majority of the immigrants on the Buffalo are landed with the assistance of the Cygnet's boats and the landing barge built on the voyage.

January 12th 1837
Edward Stephens tent erected nearest the flagstaff (see sketch). First Methodist service held in this tent.

January 14th-16th 1837
1st Acts, Proclamations and Notices printed by Robert Thomas & Co on the Stanhope Press in the Reed Hut Printing Office, Patawalonga bank. (One of the huts in the sketch).

January 18th 1837
Charles Mann, Advocate General and 4th member of the Executive Council of Government - arrived on the Coromandel, took the Oath and his seat in Council.
(The 5th and last member of Council to arrive was The Judge, Sir John Jeffcott, who did not arrive until late April.)

January 22nd 1837
Africaine returned from Tasmania with livestock including some of the first horses imported into the colony.

January 23rd 1837
The last of the Cygnet's passengers brought up from Rapid Bay including Mrs. Finniss with her baby girl born on the 1st January.

January 26th 1837 - Arrival of the William Hutt.

January to March 1837
Governor Hindmarsh continued to live at this beach landing and on-board the Buffalo anchored 3 miles off the coast. The Buffalo was later used as a temporary emigrants quarters and also as a gaol.

February 9th 1837 - Arrival of the John Renwick.
February 11th 1837 - Arrival of Isabella.

February 10th 1837 - Light's choice for the site of Adelaide voted on by thirty landowners at the first public meeting in South Australia held in Stephen's Tent near the flagstaff. (First celebration of his choice is held in Adelaide February 22nd).

May 30 1837
Two carronade cannons on trucks from the Buffalo are placed under the flagstaff on the highest sandhill. (see sketch)

June 1st 1837
First Government contract for boat-building - 2 mud barges for use at Port Adelaide assembled in the Patawalonga.

June 14th to 16th 1837
Light at Glenelg preparing for a walking trip to Encounter Bay spends the first day rounding up strayed bullocks.

Early 1838
The Reed Hut, the first public house in South Australia erected near the corner of (Anzac Highway and Durham Street, Glenelg).

July 1838
Light, Finniss & Orsmby complete the Glenelg Survey. This included the acre Government Reserve at the corner of Adelphi Terrace.

October 12th 1838
Governor Gawler (2nd Governor) arrives at Glenelg on the Pestonjee Bomanjee. Thirty horsemen ride down from Adelaide to meet him.

March 21st 1839
The Buckinghamshire of 1,450 tons arrived at Glenelg with over 500 immigrants. She was the largest vessel to arrive in South Australia to that date.
Ships of over 300 tons, which could not enter the Port, continued to offload their passengers at Glenelg until 1841.
Two landing waiters were employed for this task. Floatable goods were pitched overboard and tided into the Patawalonga.

March 18th 1839
The Buffalo spars flagstaff replaced by a Signal Mast built from the foremast of the David Witton wrecked at Port Noarlunga.

February 9th 1839
William Finke and Osmond Gilles syndicate win the tender for the 65 acres of Glenelg. Tender called for the erection of a Customs House on the Government Reserve.

April 9th 1840
Cannons fired every day to mark noon time until the Signal Mast completed on West Terrace.

January 1841
Highest parts of the Signal Mast demolished by Harbour Master Captain Lipson (to encourage ships to use the new wharf built at Port Adelaide).

February 14th 1841
Ville De Bordeaux (a French ship), sails off from the Customs House Quay, (Patawalonga) with the Customs Officer on board. Tolmer and the police pursue in a whale boat.

October 1846
Governor Robe (3rd Governor) ordered the Glenelg Flagstaff be demolished completely.

December 28th 1857 - Attainment of Self Government
Reaching Majority Ceremony held at the historic flagstaff spot - Buffalo carronades lying rusted in the sand are restored and fired for the last time.
State celebrations held on (Wigley) Reserve in front of the Government Cottage.

November 16th 1875
Wigley and Colley Reserves gazetted for public recreational use. The flagstaff sandhill was not flattened until the following year.