| Port Beaufort | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Western Cape#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -34.3958°N 20.8236°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Western Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Garden Route |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Hessequa |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 2.71 |
| Population Total: | 321 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 9.7% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 2.2% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 87.2% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.9% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 72.3% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | English |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 26.0% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 1.6% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
Port Beaufort is a settlement in Garden Route District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
It is a seaside resort, formerly also a harbour, on the north bank of the Breede River estuary. The settlement was named after Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort, the father of Lord Charles Somerset.[2]
Joseph Barry's business had a large influence on the city. He came from London to South Africa in 1819 and quickly saw that it was easier to transport goods by sea between Cape Town and the Overberg. It took oxcarts three weeks to travel from Cape Town to Swellendam. Barry immediately built a harbour on the north shore of the Breede River, which became Port Beaufort.
Once boats crossed the sandbank by the mouth of the river, they could travel 40 km upriver to Malgas,[3] where Barry also built a wharf and warehouse. After several ships sank near the mouth of the river and lost their cargo, Barry commissioned the construction in Scotland of a 150-ton steamship called the Kadie, which proceeded to successfully navigate the estuary for six years, until November 17, 1865, when it too foundered on the rocks on the southern shore.[3] Barry's empire collapsed the following year, as the arrival of the railways eliminated the need for this sea route.
The town of Witsand is nearby.