In October 2012 myself and fellow lighthouse enthusiast Judy Weeks flew to Australia and visited Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and King Island taking pictures of lighthouses
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Queensland |
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Caloundra |
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The lighthouses were constructed in 1896 and 1968. The first was built between March and September 1896. Fitted with a 4th order dioptic made by Chance Brothers of Birmingham, with an oil burning wick lamp. It was replaced the more modern light which had its life cut short by the building of high rise flats nearby. The old original light was brought to its present site in 1999 to stand next to the 1968 tower. In late 2007 Friends of the Caloundra Lighthouses was formed to assist in the conservation of both lights |
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| Old and modern |
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To read the history please click here to enlarge |
Henry the lighthouse bear |
Point Cartwright
This is one of the tallest lighthouses in Queensland, 32m high, built 1979. |
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King Island
Lies between the State of Victoria and Tasmania in the Bass Straits. There are basically two lighthouses here. (There is a minor light at the southernmost tip which is not very interesting) King Island is well known for ship wrecks, there being lots of them down its west coast. It also has the tallest lighthouse in the Southern Hemisphere. Local business includes cheese making, beef and kelp harvesting |
Cape Wickham
This lighthouse is the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere. I shot 2 videos while I was there. It was very windy so the sound quality is not great I'm afraid. The lighthouse celebrated 150 years in 2011 |
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Watch a video |
Watch a video |
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Currie lighthouse |
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| The stairwell (click here for video) |
Inside the lantern |
Good vantage spot |
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| Looking towards the harbour entrance |
View from the pier |
The lantern and harbour pier (watch the video) |
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Victoria
Cape Schanck
Established 30th June 1859. On the south coast of the Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne, looks down on the Bass Straits and a rocky headland. Excellant guided tours are provided to visitors up the lighthouse. There is also a museum in the old keeper's cottages |
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| View from the hill |
The lantern |
Cape Schanck |
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| Path to the lighthouse |
The cape |
Path from the cape back to the lighthouse |
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McCrae lighthouse
Very few people know this lighthouse exists and yet they pass it every day of their lives. It stands beside a yacht club on the road on the way to Sorrento. The original lighthouse was a wooden structure. The present day was built by Chance Brothers of Birmingham and shipped out and erected 1883. It was decommissioned 1994 |
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Queenscliff |
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| Watching over the entrance to Port Phillip Bay where dangerous waters mark the entrance through which ships heading for Melbourne have to pass |
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| The lighthouses from the ferry from Sorrento |
The White lighthouse |
The Black Lighthouse |
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Point Lonsdale lighthouse
There was a signal station back in 1852 here, established by a Captain John Preston to show the state of the tides and communicate with shipping. In February 1863 a temporary light was established and then a wooden structure was built in December 1863. In 1902 the present lighthouse replaced the wooden one |
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Split Point |
The Black Lighthouse |
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#3 |
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#4 |
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Cape Otway |
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| We very much enjoyed our visit to Cape Otway, from the koalas at the entrance to the property to the site itself with the museums and grand tour given by the attendant at the top of the tower. Everything was so well organised here, relaxed and informative. It was the last lighthouse we visited on my drive along the Great Ocean Road, the one we kept to last and it was a treat. The lantern was built by Chance Brothers of Birmingham, sadly got struck by lightning and damaged. No longer a working lighthouse the damage has not been repaired and probably won't be. The light was established 1848 and converted to electricity 1939. Character of light was Group flashing (3) 18.0 seconds, Flash 1 second, Short eclipse 2.6 seconds and Long eclipse 12.5 seconds. |
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| View from the balcony |
The modern day light and shadow of the tower |
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| Silent engines |
View from the tower |
At the top of the tower |
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The beautiful old lantern
Watch my video of the lantern |
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| Commanding View |
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On the balcony |
Cape Nelson
Not the easiest of lighthouses to find, did a lot of backtracking along the roads. Eventually aimed for the wind farm and then it came into view. Looks well cared for with a museum and cafe, closed on the day I went there due to some Melbourne horse race which is so important everyone has a day off! |
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Whaler's Bluff lighthouse
First used May 1859, then permanently from September of that year. Originally built on Battery Point, moved to the North Bluff (now known as Whaler's Bluff) 1890. The present optic is 40.5m above sea level and has a range of 24km, group flashing white aqnd red every 30 seconds. Overlooks Portland Harbour |
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| I wish to thank Judy Weeks for driving and showing me all these lighthouses, without her very kind help it would not have been possible to see any of them |
