Bathurst Lighthouse is one of two lighthouses on Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island is located off the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. It is called Wadjemup by the Noongar people, meaning "place across the water". The island is long, and at its widest point with a total land area of . It is classified as an A Class Reserve and is managed by the...

, the other being Wadjemup Lighthouse

Wadjemup Lighthouse

Completed in 1849, the original Wadjemup Lighthouse was Western Australia's first stone lighthouse and was built to provide a safer sailing passage for ships to Fremantle Port and the Swan River Colony....

. It is located on Bathurst Point, in the north east of the island, and was activated in 1900. The lighthouse was erected in response to a series of shipping disasters

Rottnest Island shipwrecks

Since the first Europeans visited the west coast of Australia in the 17th century, Rottnest Island has seen numerous shipwrecks. The 11 kilometre long and 4.5 km wide island is surrounded by hidden and partly exposed reefs whilst being buffeted by the Roaring Forties...

 in the area, which included the loss of the City of York

City of York (barque)

The City of York was a 1,194 ton iron barque which sunk after hitting a reef off Rottnest Island in the last few kilometres of its voyage from San Francisco to Fremantle, Western Australia in 1899....

in 1899.
The lightsource and lantern house were originally to be used at Cape Leeuwin

Cape Leeuwin

Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly mainland point of the Australian Continent, in the state of Western Australia.A few small islands and rocks, the St Alouarn Islands, extend further to the south. The nearest settlement, north of the cape, is Augusta. South-east of Cape Leeuwin, the coast...

 but were then built in on Rottnest Island. In 1920 the original acetylene flame was replaced by a flasher, which made the keeper superfluous. An electric light was installed in 1986.

Bathurst Lighthouse serves as the rear light in the pair of Kingston Reef's leading lights

Leading lights

Leading lights are a pair of light beacons, used in navigation to indicate a safe passage for vessels entering a shallow or dangerous channel; and may also be used for position fixing. At night, the lights are a form of leading line that can be used for safe navigation...

, which guide ships departing from Fremantle

Fremantle, Western Australia

Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...

through the reefs near the island. Its light is characterised by a group of four flashes that occurs every sixteen seconds.