A shroud of scaffolding over Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse will soon be lifted to reveal the stunning result of restoration works on the Western Australian tourism icon.
Built in 1903 out of limestone quarried from nearby Bunker Bay, the lighthouse stands on a 100-metre bluff overlooking beautiful Geographe Bay.
It is one of the most popular attractions in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park and Margaret River regions, with more than 75,000 visitors a year.
Our Aids To Navigation (AtoN) team is overseeing works to ensure its longevity as a vital marine safety aid, and culturally-significant tourist drawcard.
This restoration program includes a full repaint inside and out, and repairs and strengthening work on the concrete balcony and internal staircase. It is only the second time work of this scale has occurred since the lighthouse was constructed and it complements a recent upgrade of the precinct by the tourism operator—including the three cottages that used to be used for lighthouse keepers prior to the site being automated.Night watches were divided into three periods—one for each keeper—during which the clockwork had to be wound and the kerosene pumped into the burner.
The lighthouse was converted to automatic operation in July 1978 and was the last manned lighthouse on mainland Australia, with the last keeper leaving in 1996.
The light’s white beam is visible for 26 nautical miles and identifies itself to mariners by flashing twice every 10 seconds with a 2.5 and 7.5 second interval.
A notable event in the lighthouse’s history occurred in 1907 when the Carnarvon Castle caught fire on her way from Liverpool to Melbourne. The crew transferred to lifeboats and were stuck in gales and high seas during a gruelling 24 day journey to find land.
For the victims of this wreck the Cape Naturaliste light was a beacon of salvation which guided them finally to land, suffering from dehydration and exposure.
Using ropes the lightkeepers pulled 14 survivors from the bottom of the cliffs to safety, where they were then cared for at the lighthouse station for 10 days until they could travel.
Learn more about Australia's heritage lighthouses [1].
Photos of the lighthouse under scaffold courtesy Tod Kearns.