 In his journal he expressed his pleasure at the quality of the anchorage after riding out a storm.Holdfast Bay was the site of the landings in 1836 and 1837 by pioneers who were to set up the colony of South Australia.On 8 November 1836 Robert Gouger, Colonial Secretary and Chief Magistrate, arrived there aboard the "Africaine" and set up camp near The Old Gum Tree.