Port Louis

On Saturday 7th November 2026, 26 children and five adults from Past Finders embarked on a fascinating journey through time at Port Louis Farm. With its remarkable layers of French, Spanish, United Provinces and British history, Port Louis provided the perfect setting for a day of exploration, discovery and bringing the past to life.

From former colonial residences and military fortifications to forgotten settlements, historic cemeteries and the footprints of early farming life, every corner of Port Louis held another story waiting to be uncovered.

Our day began at the home of Mr Pete Gilding, a building with a particularly interesting past. Originally constructed as barracks, the building was built by a detachment of Royal Sappers and Miners who arrived in the Falkland Islands in 1842 alongside Governor Richard Clement Moody. This military connection provided an ideal introduction to the early British presence at Port Louis.

Pete showed the group around the exterior of the historic barracks, drawing attention to a very special wooden plaque made by Darren Christie. Bearing the gold inscription 'VR' (Victoria Regina), the plaque is a lovely reminder of the building's royal and military associations.

From the barracks, Pete led the group towards the foundations of the Governor's House, believed to have been the residence of the French and Spanish Governors during their respective periods of occupation.

Sandra encouraged everyone to look closely at the uneven ground, affectionately referring to the mysterious bumps and hollows as the "humpy bumpies". These seemingly ordinary features of the landscape are actually clues to the buildings and structures that once stood here. Standing among the remains, it was easy to imagine the Governor's grand saloon and picture what life might have been like in this important colonial settlement.

A tree now stands in the centre of the old foundations, while a stone cellar can still be glimpsed beneath the surrounding remains. Nearby is a stone corral and stable, recorded as having been associated with Luis Vernet's residence. One particularly intriguing feature is a filled-in window. In Mrs Vernet's diary, she refers to looking out of this window and seeing a church. This raises an interesting question: where exactly was the church situated?

Pete suspects that the French church may have stood near the new stables, where an interesting stone structure remains to be explored. It is another fascinating piece of the Port Louis puzzle, reminding us that there is still much to discover.

Looking across the landscape, the group could also see Yates Valley, named after Thomas Yates, a Royal Sapper and Miner. His house and gardens were established in this area, extending towards the gorse bush on the hillside. These remnants of early settlement help us understand how the landscape was once organised and used.

The group continued down past Pig's Brook, where they examined ground impressions believed to mark the locations of original pig enclosures, with the possibility of further garden areas nearby.

By now, it was time for a well-earned snack. The group made their way down to the cottages once occupied by gauchos, providing the perfect opportunity to explore another important chapter in the history of Port Louis and the Falkland Islands.

The gauchos played a significant role in the development of farming and cattle management. Their horsemanship, knowledge and ability to handle livestock were invaluable during the early days of the settlement.

The children heard about Antonina Roxa, remembered for her remarkable horse-riding and cattle-handling abilities. Her story offers an important reminder of the contribution women made to the early pastoral communities of the Falkland Islands.

We also discussed Andrez Pitaluga, a gaucho who arrived from Gibraltar in 1838. After initially working in the Islands, he returned home before coming back to the Falklands, where he went on to lease and purchase land.

His family's connection with farming continues today through Salvador Farm, still owned and operated by Nick and Anne Pitaluga. It was wonderful to see how the stories of early settlers and gauchos remain connected to the working farms of the present day.

After our snack, the group continued to the foundations of the Spanish church before making their way to the shearing shed, where shelter provided the perfect setting for Sandra to deliver a more detailed account of Port Louis's fascinating and often complicated history.

Port Louis has witnessed several changes of ownership, administration and settlement. French, Spanish, United Provinces and British influences have all left their mark on the landscape, making it one of the most historically significant places in the Falkland Islands.

Sandra handed out activity sheets to help the children explore and understand some of the stories they were discovering. Shortly afterwards, the group inspected the impressions of the Government corral, another reminder of the importance of livestock and agricultural activity in the settlement's development.

But history isn't always found in buildings and foundations. Sometimes, it is hidden beneath our feet!

No Past Finders visit to Port Louis would be complete without a little fossil hunting.

The children searched enthusiastically, carefully examining the ground for evidence of the area's ancient past and the people who had lived and worked here.

Their efforts were rewarded with an exciting collection of finds, including small fossils, sea glass, marine remains and pottery fragments.

One particularly exciting discovery came from Marty, whose sharp eyes spotted half of a cannonball! This was a fantastic find and certainly created plenty of excitement within the group.

These little discoveries help demonstrate that archaeology is not just about finding spectacular objects. Even the smallest fragment can provide a clue about the natural environment, historic occupation and everyday life of those who came before us.

The next part of our journey took us up to Dickson's Store before continuing further east to view the cannon and the remains of the French Battery.

These military features provide a glimpse into the strategic importance of Port Louis and the need to defend its harbour during earlier periods of settlement.

From here, the group made their way towards the cemetery. Along the old fence line, there was plenty to admire in the natural environment too. The children had the opportunity to look at the local flora, including flowering pale maidens, Christmas bush and scurvy grass.

The cemetery itself holds some of the most poignant stories associated with Port Louis.

Sandra explained the differences between the smaller walled enclosure constructed during the French period and the larger enclosure built later by the British. Historical records suggest that approximately 200 people may be buried within the cemetery walls. However, the precise locations and identities of many of those buried there remain unknown.

Standing beside the tombstone of Matthew Brisbane, Sandra shared his story and explained the tragic massacre that took place at Port Louis, together with the fate of those who survived and escaped to Hog Island.

It was a powerful moment in the day, providing an opportunity to reflect on the hardships, conflicts and human experiences that form part of the Islands' history.

Our exploration continued to the Spanish Fort, an impressive historical feature situated on the highest point overlooking the harbour.

Here, the children could clearly see the enormous ground impression left by the fortifications. The outline reveals the distinctive pentagonal shape of the fort, with its entrance still visible and the depth of the original excavation clearly apparent.

Its position was no accident. From this elevated vantage point, those stationed at the fort would have had an excellent view across the harbour, allowing them to watch for approaching vessels.

The fort also aligned strategically with the Spanish Battery near the coastline at the entrance to the harbour. Together, these defensive positions formed an important part of the settlement's military landscape, providing the opportunity to observe and respond to potential threats arriving by sea.

It was fascinating to imagine the activity that would once have taken place here and to consider how different the harbour must have looked during the Spanish occupation.

As the day began to draw to a close, some of the group headed to Amy's house for a quick pit stop, while Sandra led the remaining children on a final exploration of the French Fort.

After a full day of walking, learning and discovering, everyone eventually returned to the minibus for a very well-deserved smoko.

We finished the day on a particularly happy note by celebrating Letwanah's birthday. She very kindly shared her wonderful birthday cake, generously donated by her Nan, with everyone. A lovely way to end an unforgettable day!

Port Louis is so much more than a collection of old buildings, foundations and military remains. It is a place where the stories of different nations, governors, soldiers, settlers, gauchos, farmers and families come together.

Every stone, earthwork, old wall and forgotten impression offers another piece of the story. Some of the history is well documented, while other parts remain a mystery, waiting for further exploration and research.

For our Past Finders, the day was about more than simply learning dates and historical facts. It was about looking closely, asking questions, imagining the lives of people who came before us and understanding how the past has shaped the Falkland Islands we know today.

Most importantly, it was about encouraging the next generation to take an interest in their heritage, appreciate the importance of protecting historic places and develop a curiosity about the stories hidden within our landscape.

A very special thank you to Pete and Amy Gilding for so generously allowing Past Finders to explore Port Louis and for sharing their knowledge and access to such an extraordinary historic site. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity.

Thank you also to The Lodges for providing the packed lunches.

Our sincere thanks go to Alison Barton, Marty Pole-Evans, Robyn Berntsen and Dion Betts for volunteering their time and helping make the day such a success. Your support was very much appreciated.

And finally, a big thank you to everyone who contributed to smoko. It was delicious and very much appreciated after such a busy day!

Twenty-six children, five adults, countless discoveries and centuries of history — what a fantastic day at Port Louis!

We look forward to our next adventure with Past Finders.