Port Stephens lies on the far south coast of West Falklands, on a large sheltered harbour in a rugged and scenic area. Mount Alice is east of Port Stephens and south of Mount Young. Colonies of Rockhopper penguins and cormorants breed on the wild and dramatic coasts and all 5 species of Falklands penguins including Macaronis can be seen on Port Stephens. Kings, Magellanic, Gentoos and Rockhoppers breed at Wood Cove and Stephens Peak. It is a good place to see other birdlife and marine mammals can be spotted.

About 14 miles (9km) from the settlement is Cape Meredith where there is an old lighthouse which was in service between the 1936 and 1959.

Port Stephens was one of the few areas in the islands fortunate enough no to have been occupied during the 1982 conflict.

Until 1989, when the Falkland Islands Company divided it into 5 units and sold it to former employees, Port Stephens was one of the Company’s largest sheep stations.

In 1874 George Markham Dean accepted he land of Port Edgar in settlement of a debt from C H Williams (£5000). In1892 Dean leased Port Stephens and Albemarle from the Government. At the time there was a dairy at Albemarle and sheep were also being farmed. The first farm manager was J F Huntziker, a Swiss who had previously been a missionary in South America. A manager’s house was built for him (the old store building). In 1945 Dean sold Port Stephens to the Falkland Islands Company.

Port Stephens has been largely managed and in the care of the Robertson family from 1909 when Jim Robertson accepted the position of manager or Port Stephens and Port Edgar for WM Dean succeeding HH Hennah. He introduced New Zealand Romney Marsh sheep improving stock and dividing large camps up. After he and his wife retired to Stanley in 1934 their son Charles ‘Charlie’ Robertson, a great stockman and judge of horses, took over the running of Port Stephens. From the 1950’s Charlie Robertson was also supervisor for John Hamilton Estates watching over Weddell, Beaver and Saunders islands. His younger son Peter took over management of Port Stephens after him (1960). When Port Stephens was subdivided and sold in 1989 Peter and his family bought the Port Stephens section.  

Sources include: Report on the Blue Book for 1888/89, Unspoilt Beauty of the Falkland Islands -Algernon Asprey text by Phyllis Rendall, Falkland Rural Heritage- Joan Spruce with Natalie Smith, fig.gov.fk/Jane Cameron National Archives /Buildings/ Land/General/Early leases of land post 1842, fig.gov.fk/Jane Cameron National Archives /People/19century families, The Dictionary of Falklands Biography (including South Georgia) - Edited by David Tatham/Robertson family by Jim Robertson

Can you add/ correct any information or supply more up to date photographs for this page, or of past or present interest, , new farms? Contact: falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com

Photographic credits: Robert Maddocks, Emma Brook, Unknown, hope you don't mind

Photographs and Images Copyright: The images on this site have been bought under licence or have been used with the permission of their owners. They may not be copied or downloaded in any form without their owner's consent.