Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)
The cultural significance of the Montague Island Lighthouse resides in its fabric, and also in its intangible aspects, such as the meanings people ascribe to it, and its connections to other places and things. The survival of its cultural value depends on a well-informed understanding of what is significant, and on clear thinking about the consequences of change. The Burra Charter sets out good practice for conserving cultural significance. Criterion under ‘Heritage Significance’ refer to the criterion satisfied within the specific Commonwealth heritage listing (see section 5.1).
Description and condition
1880 Chance Bros part-spherical dome of copper sheets lapped and screwed to ribs.
Finish: painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service; prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The lantern roof is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse, exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
Description and condition
Chance Bros, polygonal in plan.
Finish: astragals and glazing strips painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service; reglaze as necessary, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification: works none
Heritage significance: High
The lantern glazing is an essential part of the lighthouse – exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
Description and Condition
Original catwalk decking removed and replaced with a new floor supported on the original openwork cast iron brackets bolted to the upper section of the lantern base.
Finish: painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: medium
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works: none
Highly significant for these reasons:
Description and condition
1880 Chance Bros, cast iron lattice floor panels supported on openwork cast iron brackets bolted to lantern base with modern socket-head bolts.
Finish: painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification: works none
Heritage significance: High
The external catwalk is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse – exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
The external catwalk contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse (criterion e).
Description and condition
1880 Chance Bros, cylindrical in form. Curved panels of cast iron bolted together with flanged joints.
Finish: painted
Condition: sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The lantern base is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse – exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
Description and condition
1880 floor of iron checker plate supported on rolled iron I section and channel beams built into the stone tower walls.
Holes indicate the former location of optic pedestal and clock.
Finish: painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification: works none
Heritage significance: High
The lantern floor is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse – exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
Description and condition
Vega VRB-25 beacon.
Condition: not assessed
Integrity: medium
Significance: low
Maintenance: not assessed
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: Low
Description and condition
Recent welded tubular aluminium post.
Finish: bare metal
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: medium
Significance: low
Maintenance: none
Rectification: works none
Heritage significance: Low
Description and condition
1880 granite slab floor, supported on the stone tower wall and cornice. Resilient joint caulking.
Finish: bare stone
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, replace joint caulking at normal intervals
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The balcony floor is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse – exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
Description and condition
1880 gunmetal railing, with closely spaced balusters of rectangular section and curved profile, cruciform stiffeners bolted to balusters, rectangular bottom rail, half-round top rail, turned bulbous fixing bolts at bottom.
Finish: bare metal
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The balcony balustrade is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse – exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
The balcony balustrade contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse (criterion e).
The balcony balustrade demonstrates fine elements of design and craftsmanship (criterion f).
Description and condition
1880 walls of granite with finely punched faces and drafted margins, inside and out.
Finish: bare stone outside, window reveals painted, formerly painted or lime washed inside
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, maintain painted window reveals, do not paint other interior parts
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The tower walls are both original and essential parts of the lighthouse – exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
The granite stonework of the tower walls contribute to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse (criterion e).
The tapering tower walls demonstrate fine elements of design and craftsmanship (criterion f).
Description and condition
1880 windows with gunmetal casement sashes, hinges, latches and frames, built into stone walls.
Finish: frames and sashes: painted glass: clear
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The windows are both original and essential parts of the lighthouse – exhibiting one style of late-19th century lighthouses (criterion a, criterion d).
Description and condition
1880 door opening with external stone architrave with royal insignia and date 1881.
Two timber framed and sheeted door leaves hung on butt hinges in timber frame. Secured with two hasps and staples with padlocks.
Finish: painted
Condition: sound and intact
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The tower door is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse (criterion a).
Description and condition
1880 geometric stair with cast iron treads attached to the tower walls. Wrought iron handrail and stanchions.
Finish: painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification: works none
Heritage significance: High
The internal tower stairs are both an original and essential part of the lighthouse (criterion a)
Description and condition
1880 concrete slab.
Finish: painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The ground floor is an original and essential part of the lighthouse (criterion a).
Description and condition
1880 riveted iron tube in the centre of the tower, between the lantern floor and the ground floor.
Finish: painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: preserve; prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The weight tube is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse (criterion a).
Description and condition
1880 timber framed, sheeted and ceiled wind lock vestibule, fitted with timber four-panel door.
Finish: painted
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: high
Maintenance: keep in service; prepare and repoint at normal intervals
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The entrance vestibule is both an original and essential part of the lighthouse (criterion a).
Description and condition
1880 stone stair from keepers’ quarters area up to the base of the tower. Recent concrete path and aluminium railing.
Condition: intact and sound
Integrity: high
Significance: stair: high; railing: low
Maintenance: none
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: High
The walkway stairs are both an original and essential part of the lighthouse (criterion a).
Description and condition
14 solar panels on aluminium frame on concrete base, near the base of the tower, beside the much larger solar array used by the NPWS.
Two cabinets containing batteries and control equipment at the rear of solar array.
Condition: sound
Integrity: high
Significance: low
Maintenance: none
Rectification works: none
Heritage significance: Low
There are no AMSA registered artefacts.
The South Solitary Island Lighthouse, first lit in 1880, bears the closest resemblance to the Montague Island Lighthouse in design and style.
Designed by James Barnet, South Solitary Island Lighthouse stands as a mass concrete structure. Similar to Montague Island, South Solitary’s cylindrical tower was originally constructed to be slightly tapered in design with an outwardly sloping gunmetal balcony railing fitted around a Chance Bros. lantern room. The two lighthouses also share similar fittings such as the geometric cast iron stairs located within the tower. The lighthouses were both originally fitted with 1st Order Chance Bros. optical assemblies.
Unlike Montague Island, South Solitary’s tower was painted white and the base of the tower was enclosed by a small annex which contained the oil store.
The close stylistic resemblances of Montague Island and South Solitary Island, built one year apart, are indicative of James Barnet’s vision for NSW’s ‘highway of lights’. Despite some variation between the designs, both of the isolated island towers represent late-19th century craftsmanship and technical achievement.