Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)
The cultural significance of the lighthouse resides in its fabric, and in its intangible aspects, such as the meanings people ascribe to it, and the 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.
Below, each part of the lighthouse is listed and the description, condition and significance of each part is discussed. Criterion listed under ‘Heritage Significance’ refer to the criterion satisfied within the specific Commonwealth heritage listing (see section 5.1).
Part-spherical dome of copper sheets lapped and screwed to ribs.
Finish | painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The lantern roof contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The lantern roof is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Polygonal in form, with 16 sides.
Finish | astragals and glazing strips: painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, reglaze as necessary, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The lantern glazing contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The lantern glazing is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
1935 square platform framed with rolled steel channel joists and floored with steel plate, standing on rolled steel angle columns on the lantern floor. Around the platform is a balustrade of steel pipe rails and steel angle stanchions. Access is by fixed steel ladder from the interior catwalk.
Finish | painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | moderate |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: Moderate
The auxiliary light platform is an important feature in the lighthouse’s history.
Cast iron lattice floor panels supported on openwork cast iron brackets bolted to the lantern base.
Finish | ladder handrail: varnished other parts: painted |
Condition | sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The internal catwalk is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Cast iron lattice floor panels attached to the lantern base, without supporting brackets.
Finish | painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The external catwalk contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The external catwalk is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
1862 Chance Bros, irregular 12-sided polygonal prism in form, with alternating long and short faces. Panels of cast iron bolted together with flanged joints. Decorative relief pattern on outside – diamond pattern in centre, border around each face.
Finish | internal timber lining: varnished other parts: painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The lantern base contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The lantern base is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Iron plate floor set flush with the top of the tower wall (which is visible between the lantern base and the edge of the iron floor), screwed to rolled iron T-beams set into the tower wall stonework.
Finish | painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The lantern floor is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Vega VRB-25 self-contained rotating beacon.
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | low |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: Low
1935 cast iron pedestal, with pipe column extension and aluminium adapter plate to attach the beacon.
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | moderate |
Integrity | medium |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint pedestal at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: Low
1862 stone slab floor, supported by the top of the tower wall and its cornice.
Finish | painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | balcony floor: high racon: low |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, maintenance joint seals, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The balcony floor is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
1962 welded mild steel balustrade with top and bottom rails of rectangular section joined by square section balusters. The balustrade is made in sections, bolted together, and bolted to steel feet attached to the edge of the balcony floor. Aluminium expanded metal mesh attached to inside of balusters.
Finish | aluminium mesh: bare anodised other parts: painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | moderate |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: Moderate
The balcony balustrade is an important feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
1862 walls of tooled granite, built with the internal face plumb so that the internal volume is of constant diameter.
Finish | exterior surface: bare stone interior surface: cement rendered and unpainted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, monitor condition of pointing and stonework |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The walls contribute to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The walls exemplifies the exquisite stonemason craftsmanship employed at Gabo Island Lighthouse (criterion f).
The walls are an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Fixed glazed timber window sashes in timber frames. The sashes are fixed by means of bolts and wing nuts accessible from the inside.
Finish | frames and sashes: painted glass: clear |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The windows contribute to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The windows are original features of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Timber double doors to the main entrance (upper entrance floor) and the store entrance (ground entrance floor).
Finish | painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | moderate |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: Moderate
The doors are replicas of an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Six 1862 intermediate half-floors, of original iron plate mixed with some portions of recent steel chequer plate, carried on rolled iron beams built into the stone tower walls. Central cast iron column support.
Finish | painted |
Condition | one of the upper landings has a crack across near the stair other locations: some corrosion along wall with some gaps otherwise intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | Investigate and perform repair to stabilize cracked landing |
Heritage significance: High
The intermediate floors are original features of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
This the entrance floor, one storey above ground, reached by the external entrance stair.
Recent steel chequer plate on original rolled iron T-beam built into the tower walls. Central cast iron column.
Finish | painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The upper entrance floor is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
1978-1988 reconstruction of 1862 geometric stair with cast iron treads and risers bolted to the tower wall, with original handrails. Each flight is broken in the middle by a short landing carried on a cast iron bracket bolted to the tower wall.
Finish | timber parts: varnished other parts: painted |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | stairs: moderate handrail: high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The stairs are a replica of the original stairs designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
The handrails are an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
This is the floor of the ground level store room, accessible only through a separate door in the base of the tower.
1862 stone floor with concrete topping.
Finish | bare concrete |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | none |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The basement entrance floor is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
1862 granite steps with solid balustrade walls with rounded tops.
Finish | bare stone |
Condition | intact and sound |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, monitor condition of pointing and stonework |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The entrance stair contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The entrance stair exemplifies the exquisite stonemason craftsmanship employed at Gabo Island Lighthouse (criterion f).
The entrance stair is an original feature of a feature designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Recent concrete path leading to the store door and the bottom of the entrance stair.
Finish | trowelled bare concrete |
Condition | sound |
Significance | low |
Integrity | medium |
Maintenance | none |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: Low
1862 windbreak walls of un-coursed granite rubble, abutting the base of the tower. The walls have a cement mortar coping applied to their tops.
Finish | bare stone |
Condition | stable |
Significance | high |
Integrity | high |
Maintenance | keep in service, monitor condition of pointing and stonework |
Rectification works | none |
Heritage significance: High
The windbreak wall contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The windbreak wall is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
There are no AMSA artefacts stored on-site at Gabo Island Lighthouse.
Parks Victoria holds a collection of artefacts related to Gabo Island which are displayed at the lightstation.38
Gabo Island Lighthouse somewhat resembles Montague Island Lighthouse in design and history. Designed by renowned colonial architect James Barnet and constructed in 1881, Montague Island Lighthouse is located approximately 150 kilometres north of Gabo Island along the coast of New South Wales. Both island lighthouses had their granite quarried on-site and assembled to form tapering tower walls. Chance Bros. & Co. was responsible for the original 1st order lenses installed at Montague and Gabo.
Similarly, the original contractor assigned to construct Montague Island Lighthouse was forced to give up the contract after controversial difficulties and delays, as was the case with Robert Huckson for the Gabo Island Lighthouse.
Gabo Island Lighthouse’s unique upper entrance floor and basement design resembles Table Cape Lighthouse (Tas) and Eddystone Point Lighthouse (Tas). All three lighthouses have upper entrance floors accessed via external stairs, and basements accessed on the ground floor where battery equipment is stored.
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38 ‘Parks Victoria – Gabo Island Lightstation’, Victorian Collections, https://victoriancollections.net.au/organisations/parks-victoria---gabo-island-lightstation