Clarence River Light
Encyclopedia
Clarence River Light, also known as Yamba Light or Clarence Head Light, is an active lighthouse
located on Pilot Hill, a hill in Wooli Park, Yamba
, New South Wales
, Australia
, south of the entrance of Clarence River
. The current lighthouse was built in 1955, replacing a previous lighthouse built in 1880. It serves as the rear range light for two different ranges.
, located on the eastern part of the hill. The first actual structure was a small wooden hut built in 1866 with a large kerosene lamp placed on a bench. It was located where the 1880 lighthouse was later built, at 29°26′1.16"S 153°21′44.26"E. The mast from this lighthouse is on display at the Story House Museum in Yamba.
In 1878 tenders were called for a permanent lighthouse, one of five lighthouses of similar design designed by James Barnet
in 1878-80, the other four being Fingal Head Light
, Crowdy Head Light
, Tacking Point Lighthouse
and Richmond River Light
. It was built by W. Kinnear at a cost of £1,097, and construction was completed in 1880.
Like the other four lighthouses, it was a rather short tower, about 7 metres (23 ft) high, with a roofed porch connecting it to a rectangular annexe. It was visible for 6 nautical miles (11.1 km). A keeper
's cottage was also constructed near-by.
In 1920 the lighthouse was automated and demanned.
In 1934 the Pacific Hotel was built in Yamba, and the light was somewhat obscured. In addition a water reservoir
was to be built at the location. A new lighthouse was built in 1955, and the old lighthouse was demolished in 1956.
After the reservoir was demolished in 1980, volunteers built a replica of the lighthouse at the original location, but without the lantern. It is currently owned and houses the Yamba Community Radio Station 2TLC.
The current light source is a FA-251 beacon with a 12 Volt
75 Watt
quartz halogen lamp, supplying a light intensity of 22,000 cd
and visible for 16 nautical miles (29.6 km). The power source is a battery
charged from the mains electricity
. The current characteristic is three white flashes every 15 seconds (Fl.(3)W. 15s). It also shows a fixed blue light (F.Bu.) which serves as a rear light for the North Channel Range Front Light at -131° (NGA 5945, Admiralty K2822, showing Iso.Bu. 2s).
, white the site is managed by the New South Wales Department of Lands. The grounds are open and accessible to the public, and parking is available close-by. The tower itself is closed.
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 Pilot Hill, a hill in Wooli Park, Yamba
Yamba, New South Wales
Yamba is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia at the mouth of the Clarence River. The first European to visit the area was Matthew Flinders, who stopped by in Yamba Bay for six days in July 1799....
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, 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...
, south of the entrance of Clarence River
Clarence River (New South Wales)
The Clarence River is situated in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. The river originates on the watershed that marks the Queensland border. After flowing south and northeast for 394 km it then empties into the Pacific Ocean at Iluka/Yamba. On its journey it passes through the towns of...
. The current lighthouse was built in 1955, replacing a previous lighthouse built in 1880. It serves as the rear range light for two different ranges.
Old lighthouse
The first light on Pilot Hill was most probably a platform with a kerosene lampKerosene lamp
The kerosene lamp is a type of lighting device that uses kerosene as a fuel. This article refers to kerosene lamps that have a wick and a tall glass chimney. Kerosene lanterns that have a wick and a glass globe are related to kerosene lamps and are included here as well...
, located on the eastern part of the hill. The first actual structure was a small wooden hut built in 1866 with a large kerosene lamp placed on a bench. It was located where the 1880 lighthouse was later built, at 29°26′1.16"S 153°21′44.26"E. The mast from this lighthouse is on display at the Story House Museum in Yamba.
In 1878 tenders were called for a permanent lighthouse, one of five lighthouses of similar design designed by James Barnet
James Barnet
James Johnstone Barnet was the Colonial Architect for New South Wales from 1862 - 1890.-Life and career:Barnet was born at Almericlose, Arbroath, Scotland. The son of a builder, he was educated at the local high school...
in 1878-80, the other four being Fingal Head Light
Fingal Head Light
Fingal Head Light is an active lighthouse located at Fingal Head, New South Wales, Australia, a headland about south of Point Danger, which marks the Queensland border.-History:...
, Crowdy Head Light
Crowdy Head Light
Crowdy Head Light is an active lighthouse located at Crowdy Head, a headland between Forster and Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia. It is registered with the Register of the National Estate.-History:...
, Tacking Point Lighthouse
Tacking Point Lighthouse
Tacking Point Lighthouse is Australia's third oldest lighthouse. It was built on a rocky headland about 8 kilometres south of Port Macquarie in 1879 by Shepard and Mortley, to a design by the New South Wales government's architect of the time, James Barnet...
and Richmond River Light
Richmond River Light
Richmond River Light, also known as Ballina Head Light and Ballina Light, is an active lighthouse located at Ballina Head, a headland in Ballina, New South Wales, Australia. The headland is at the northern side of the entrance to the Richmond River...
. It was built by W. Kinnear at a cost of £1,097, and construction was completed in 1880.
Like the other four lighthouses, it was a rather short tower, about 7 metres (23 ft) high, with a roofed porch connecting it to a rectangular annexe. It was visible for 6 nautical miles (11.1 km). A 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 cottage was also constructed near-by.
In 1920 the lighthouse was automated and demanned.
In 1934 the Pacific Hotel was built in Yamba, and the light was somewhat obscured. In addition a water reservoir
Water reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
was to be built at the location. A new lighthouse was built in 1955, and the old lighthouse was demolished in 1956.
After the reservoir was demolished in 1980, volunteers built a replica of the lighthouse at the original location, but without the lantern. It is currently owned and houses the Yamba Community Radio Station 2TLC.
Current lighthouse
The new lighthouse was built in 1955 from concrete in a modern style. The apparatus from the old lighthouse was transferred.The current light source is a FA-251 beacon with a 12 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...
75 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 lamp, supplying a light intensity of 22,000 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 visible for 16 nautical miles (29.6 km). The power source is a battery
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
charged from the mains electricity
Mains electricity
Mains is the general-purpose alternating current electric power supply. In the US, electric power is referred to by several names including household power, household electricity, powerline, domestic power, wall power, line power, AC power, city power, street power, and grid power...
. The current characteristic is three white flashes every 15 seconds (Fl.(3)W. 15s). It also shows a fixed blue light (F.Bu.) which serves as a rear light for the North Channel Range Front Light at -131° (NGA 5945, Admiralty K2822, showing Iso.Bu. 2s).
Site operation and visiting
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...
, white the site is managed by the New South Wales Department of Lands. The grounds are open and accessible to the public, and parking is available close-by. The tower itself is closed.