Macquarie Lighthouse
The Macquarie Lighthouse was the first, and is the longest serving, lighthouse site in Australia. It is located on Dunbar Head, Vaucluse (approximately 2 km south of South Head) near the entrance to Sydney Harbour. There has been a navigational aid in this vicinity since 1791 and a lighthouse near the present site since 1818. The current lighthouse was completed in 1883.
The lighthouse is still fully operational and is under the control of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The grounds are managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust.[1]
The lighthouse is featured on the crest of Macquarie University.
History
In 1791 and within one year of the arrival of the First Fleet, a flagstaff was erected on the site. This was followed, in 1793, by a tripod mounted wood and coal fired beacon.
In 1818, the first lighthouse was completed on the site. This was built in sandstone by Francis Greenway a famous convict architect, under the instructions of the then Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie, after whom it was named. The soft sandstone proved short-lived, and by 1878 this lighthouse needed replacement. This new replacement was built 40 metres away from the original structure. The style of this was neoclassical.
In 1883, the current Macquarie Lighthouse was opened. It was designed by James Barnet and is similar in design the original tower, albeit built in stronger materials. A first order bivalve Fresnel lens was installed in 1933.[2]
In 1976 the Macquarie Lighthouse was fully automated, the last lightstation staff left the site in 1989. The grounds were transferred to the management of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust in 2001.[1] In 2004 one of the modern additional keeper's cottages was offered for sale at a price of AUS$ 1.95 million.[2]
Gallery
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Macquarie Lighthouse today. -
Macquarie lighthouse at night
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Silhouetted by the sun low in the western sky.
References
- ↑ a b Sites - Macquarie Lightstation. Sydney Harbour Federation Trust
- ↑ a b Rowlett, Russ: The Lighthouse Directory. Retrieved on July 21, 2008