To mark International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend on 17-18 August, AMSA is encouraging South Australian residents to visit the Cape Borda Lighthouse on Kangaroo Island.
The Cape Borda Lighthouse was built at the western end of Kangaroo Island in 1858. Kangaroo Island was the first landfall for ships arriving from the west and heading for Port Adelaide.
The lighthouse has a unique structure as it stands at only 10 metres high. It was automated and demanned in 1988.
AMSA Chief Executive Officer Graham Peachey said International Lighthouse Day was held annually across the globe to celebrate the significant role of lighthouses in our history.
“Lighthouses have been used as an aid to navigation for hundreds of years and are a unique part of Australia’s history and coastline,” Mr Peachey said.
“Australia’s coastline has more than 350 lighthouses which have been erected over the past 200 years on islands, beaches and in harbours to improve safety at sea.
“All Australian lighthouses are now automated and continue to play an important role in shipping safety,” Mr Peachey said.
International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend was initiated in 1998 by the Ayr Amateur Radio Group in Scotland to promote public awareness of lighthouses and other aids to navigation and their need for preservation and restoration, as well as encouraging amateur radio operators to practice their craft.
The Association of Lighthouse Keepers joined the event a few years later to add an open day element to the event.
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