Cape Don Light
Encyclopedia
Cape Don Light is an active lighthouse
located on Cape Don, at the tip of the Cobourg Peninsula
, Northern Territory
, Australia
, in Garig Gunak Barlu National Park
, marking the entrance to the Dundas Strait
. It is Australia's northernmost traditional lighthouse. The station served on the important route to Darwin
, between the peninsula and Melville Island
. The tower was constructed in 1915-1917, during the "Golden Age of Australian Lighthouses" (1913–1920), and the tower was manned until 1983. During the entire period that the tower was manned it also maintained meteorological records which were well placed to assist in cyclone development tracking. The complex consists of the lighthouse, three residences and ancillary buildings.
Cape Don was named by Phillip Parker King in 1818
, as a compliment to General Sir George Don
, the Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar
.
Work on the tower began in May 1915. An iron structure was deemed unsuitable due to the tropical conditions, and the local ironstone
was not suitable for concrete, so materials had to be shipped from Melbourne
. However, landing conditions at the site meant the closest location for landing the materials was about 3 miles (5 km) to the east, at Christies Bay. A jetty
and a tramway were constructed, and the materials were drawn by horses from the landing location. The climate and the grade meant only two round trips could be made each day, and in addition construction could only be carried out on the dry season, from April to November. As a result, construction took three years, completing in June 1917. Though the lantern was installed and ready to be lit, a earthquake hit the tower in August 1917. Though the structure was not damaged, 12 kilograms (26.5 lb) of mercury
were lost from the mercury bearing pedestal bath. The lighthouse was finally officially lit on 15 September 1917.
The tower original light source was a 55 millimetres (2.2 in) vapourised kerosene
incandescent mantle, with an intensity of 150,000 cd
and a visible range of 23 nautical miles (42.6 km). The original lens was a Chance Brothers
3rd order 500 millimetres (19.7 in) dioptric fresnel lens
. The apparatus was a rotating pedestal floating in a mercury bath, operated by a clockwork
mechanism with descending weights, which only had to be rewound once every twelve house.
In the Second World War, a radar station was installed near the complex.
In the early 1970s, the tower was electrified, with power coming from diesel generator
s. The light source was converted to a 120 volt
tungsten-halogen lamp.
In 1983 the light was automated and the station was demanned. The apparatus installed consists of four vertical panels, each consisting of four 300 millimetres (11.8 in) rear surfaced parabolic reflectors. The lamps are 12 volt 36 watt
quartz halogen lamps, electrically connected in pairs 180°ree; apart. The apparatus is installed on a gear-less pedestal, rotating three times per minute, showing a light characteristic of one white flash every 10 seconds (Fl.W. 10s).. The light intensity is 260,000 cd and the light is visible for 22 nautical miles (40.7 km). The light is solar power
ed, and it was the first of its kind in Australia. At the same time the cottages were handed over to the Northern Territory Conservation Commission.
In 2005, the original lens and its rotating apparatus were discovered in storage and donated to the Queensland Maritime Museum
in Brisbane
.
Accommodations at the site consist of three lighthouse keeper
's cottages, constructed from concrete blocks, set on high blocks with reinforced concrete beams. The cottages have timber floors and wide timber verandah
s, enclosed with pivoting storm screens. The original roofing was corrugated galvanised iron, replaced by corrugated asbestos cement roofing in one of the houses. Originally, a breezeway
divided the houses into two sections, one comprising three rooms and one comprising two larger rooms, with a corridor between them leading to the double doors to the verandah. The building has been altered, and the original breezeway has been converted to a living area.
Other structures in the complex include small concrete block storage sheds, adjacent to each of the houses, block work sheds around the tower, and some galvanised iron sheds including a powerhouse, a maintenance workshop and a store. At the northern boundary of the complex lies a bore and mill, and an abandoned garden next to it. The original raised water tank is at the center of the complex.
The path of the original tramway, from the complex to Christies Bay, is still visible, and the narrow gauge
tramway itself is partially intact, except towards the bay. At the end of the tramway is a causeway
, approximately 90 metres (295.3 ft) long and 4 metres (13.1 ft) wide, going through a mangrove swamp into the bay. At its end is a shelter. The jetty no longer exists, though the upright tramway rails which supported it still exist.
, while the site is managed by the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park authorities.
's house has been converted to a fishing lodge and is available for overnight accommodations.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
located on Cape Don, at the tip of the Cobourg Peninsula
Cobourg Peninsula
The Cobourg Peninsula is located 350 kilometres east of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is deeply indented with coves and bays, covers a land area of about 2,100 km², and is virtually uninhabited with a population ranging from about 20 to 30 in five family outstations, but...
, Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in Garig Gunak Barlu National Park
Garig Gunak Barlu National Park
Garig Gunak Barlu is a national park around the Cobourg Peninsula in the Northern Territory, Australia, 216 km northeast of Darwin. It was established by joining the former Gurig National Park and the Cobourg Marine Park....
, marking the entrance to the Dundas Strait
Dundas Strait
Dundas Strait is a sea passage in the Northern Territory of Australia located between Melville Island and the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park on the Cobourg Peninsula. It connects the Arafura Sea to the Van Diemen Gulf....
. It is Australia's northernmost traditional lighthouse. The station served on the important route to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, between the peninsula and Melville Island
Melville Island, Northern Territory
Melville Island or Yermalner Island lies in the eastern Timor Sea, off the coast of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is west of the Cobourg Peninsula in Arnhem Land and north of Darwin....
. The tower was constructed in 1915-1917, during the "Golden Age of Australian Lighthouses" (1913–1920), and the tower was manned until 1983. During the entire period that the tower was manned it also maintained meteorological records which were well placed to assist in cyclone development tracking. The complex consists of the lighthouse, three residences and ancillary buildings.
Cape Don was named by Phillip Parker King in 1818
King expedition of 1817
Phillip Parker King's first exploring and surveying expedition departed Sydney on 22 December 1817 on board the cutter HMS Mermaid. On board were King, his two master's mates Frederick Bedwell and John Septimus Roe, the botanist Allan Cunningham, 12 seamen, 2 boys and the native Boongaree...
, as a compliment to General Sir George Don
George Don (British Army officer)
General Sir George Don GCB, GCH was a senior British Army military officer and colonial governor during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries...
, the Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar
Governor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
.
History
The Northern Territory was transferred from the government of South Australia to the federal parliament in 1911. The Commonwealth Lighthouse Service was officially formed on 1 July 1915,, and one of the first actions of the service was to realise the need for a lighthouse on the Cobourg Peninsula, as the passage between the peninsula and Melville Island was an important route to Darwin. Construction of the tower was the largest project undertaken by the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service during the "Golden Age of Australian Lighthouses" (1913–1920).Work on the tower began in May 1915. An iron structure was deemed unsuitable due to the tropical conditions, and the local ironstone
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
was not suitable for concrete, so materials had to be shipped from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. However, landing conditions at the site meant the closest location for landing the materials was about 3 miles (5 km) to the east, at Christies Bay. A jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
and a tramway were constructed, and the materials were drawn by horses from the landing location. The climate and the grade meant only two round trips could be made each day, and in addition construction could only be carried out on the dry season, from April to November. As a result, construction took three years, completing in June 1917. Though the lantern was installed and ready to be lit, a earthquake hit the tower in August 1917. Though the structure was not damaged, 12 kilograms (26.5 lb) of mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
were lost from the mercury bearing pedestal bath. The lighthouse was finally officially lit on 15 September 1917.
The tower original light source was a 55 millimetres (2.2 in) vapourised kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
incandescent mantle, with an intensity of 150,000 cd
Candela
The candela is the SI base unit of luminous intensity; that is, power emitted by a light source in a particular direction, weighted by the luminosity function . A common candle emits light with a luminous intensity of roughly one candela...
and a visible range of 23 nautical miles (42.6 km). The original lens was a Chance Brothers
Chance Brothers
Chance Brothers and Company was a glassworks originally based in Spon Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands , in England. It was a leading glass manufacturer and a pioneer of British glassmaking technology....
3rd order 500 millimetres (19.7 in) dioptric fresnel lens
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
. The apparatus was a rotating pedestal floating in a mercury bath, operated by a clockwork
Clockwork
A clockwork is the inner workings of either a mechanical clock or a device that operates in a similar fashion. Specifically, the term refers to a mechanical device utilizing a complex series of gears....
mechanism with descending weights, which only had to be rewound once every twelve house.
In the Second World War, a radar station was installed near the complex.
In the early 1970s, the tower was electrified, with power coming from diesel generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
s. The light source was converted to a 120 volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
tungsten-halogen lamp.
In 1983 the light was automated and the station was demanned. The apparatus installed consists of four vertical panels, each consisting of four 300 millimetres (11.8 in) rear surfaced parabolic reflectors. The lamps are 12 volt 36 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
quartz halogen lamps, electrically connected in pairs 180°ree; apart. The apparatus is installed on a gear-less pedestal, rotating three times per minute, showing a light characteristic of one white flash every 10 seconds (Fl.W. 10s).. The light intensity is 260,000 cd and the light is visible for 22 nautical miles (40.7 km). The light is solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
ed, and it was the first of its kind in Australia. At the same time the cottages were handed over to the Northern Territory Conservation Commission.
In 2005, the original lens and its rotating apparatus were discovered in storage and donated to the Queensland Maritime Museum
Queensland Maritime Museum
The Queensland Maritime Museum is located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River just south of the South Bank Parklands and Queensland Cultural Centre precinct of Brisbane, and close to the Goodwill Bridge....
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
Structures
The tower is 28 metres (91.9 ft) from the ground to the platform. The base is cylindrical, with an octagonal base. On top of the platform is the original 10 in 8 in (3.25 m) Chance Brothers lantern.Accommodations at the site consist of three lighthouse keeper
Lighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
's cottages, constructed from concrete blocks, set on high blocks with reinforced concrete beams. The cottages have timber floors and wide timber verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
s, enclosed with pivoting storm screens. The original roofing was corrugated galvanised iron, replaced by corrugated asbestos cement roofing in one of the houses. Originally, a breezeway
Breezeway
A breezeway is an architectural feature similar to a hallway that allows the passage of a breeze between structures to accommodate high winds, allow aeration, or provide aesthetic design variation. Often a breezeway is a simple roof connecting two structures ; sometimes it can be much more like a...
divided the houses into two sections, one comprising three rooms and one comprising two larger rooms, with a corridor between them leading to the double doors to the verandah. The building has been altered, and the original breezeway has been converted to a living area.
Other structures in the complex include small concrete block storage sheds, adjacent to each of the houses, block work sheds around the tower, and some galvanised iron sheds including a powerhouse, a maintenance workshop and a store. At the northern boundary of the complex lies a bore and mill, and an abandoned garden next to it. The original raised water tank is at the center of the complex.
The path of the original tramway, from the complex to Christies Bay, is still visible, and the narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
tramway itself is partially intact, except towards the bay. At the end of the tramway is a causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
, approximately 90 metres (295.3 ft) long and 4 metres (13.1 ft) wide, going through a mangrove swamp into the bay. At its end is a shelter. The jetty no longer exists, though the upright tramway rails which supported it still exist.
Site operation
The light is operated by the Australian Maritime Safety AuthorityAustralian Maritime Safety Authority
Australian Maritime Safety Authority is responsible, on behalf of the Commonwealth Government of Australia, for the regulation and safety oversight of Australia's shipping fleet and management of Australia's international maritime obligations...
, while the site is managed by the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park authorities.
Visiting
The location is accessible for 4WD car only in the dry season (May–October) and requires permits and paying a fee. The site is also accessibly by air and boat. The tower is closed to the public. The head lighthouse keeperLighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
's house has been converted to a fishing lodge and is available for overnight accommodations.