Emery Point Light
Encyclopedia
Emery Point Light is an active lighthouse
located at Larrakeyah Barracks
, the main base for the Australian Defence Force
in Northern Territory
, Australia
, at the entrance to Port Darwin. It was the second lighthouse to be built in Port Darwin. It was the only navigational aid
to remain functional in the path of Cyclone Tracy
.
The original light source was a carbide lamp
(acetylene gas lamp). It was converted to electric power on 23 March 1966, with an acetylene gas standby. The current light source is a 1,000 watt
tungsten-halogen lamp.
In Christmas Eve
of 1974, Cyclone Tracy
hit the city of Darwin
. Emery Point Light was the only navigational aid to remain functional in the path of the storm.
Over the years, the light characteristic shown was changed. The original characteristic was an occulting light, with an eclipse of 1.5 seconds every six seconds (Oc. 6s). It used to have a range of 17 nautical miles (31.5 km).
The current light characteristic shown is three flashes, one every two seconds, repeating every 15 seconds (Fl.(3)W.R. 15s). The color is red on -181° and white on 335°-139°. The red light is visible for 14 nautical miles (25.9 km) while the white light is visible for 19 nautical miles (35.2 km).
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 at Larrakeyah Barracks
Larrakeyah Barracks
Larrakeyah Barracks incorporating HMAS Coonawarra is the main base for the Australian Defence Force in the Northern Territory of Australia, and occupies the headland west of the suburb of Larrakeyah in the capital, Darwin...
, the main base for the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
in 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...
, at the entrance to Port Darwin. It was the second lighthouse to be built in Port Darwin. It was the only navigational aid
Navigational aid
A navigational aid is any sort of marker which aids the traveler in navigation; the term is most commonly used to refer to nautical or aviation travel...
to remain functional in the path of Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974...
.
History
The first light at Emery Point was established in 1900, and dismantled in May 1915, in preparation for the installation of the current lighthouse, which was installed later that year. Its construction was part of the "Golden Age of Australian Lighthouses", taking place between 1913 and 1920.The original light source was a carbide lamp
Carbide lamp
Carbide lamps, properly known as acetylene gas lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn acetylene which is created by the reaction of calcium carbide with water....
(acetylene gas lamp). It was converted to electric power on 23 March 1966, with an acetylene gas standby. The current light source is a 1,000 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:...
tungsten-halogen lamp.
In Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
of 1974, Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974...
hit the city of 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...
. Emery Point Light was the only navigational aid to remain functional in the path of the storm.
Over the years, the light characteristic shown was changed. The original characteristic was an occulting light, with an eclipse of 1.5 seconds every six seconds (Oc. 6s). It used to have a range of 17 nautical miles (31.5 km).
The current light characteristic shown is three flashes, one every two seconds, repeating every 15 seconds (Fl.(3)W.R. 15s). The color is red on -181° and white on 335°-139°. The red light is visible for 14 nautical miles (25.9 km) while the white light is visible for 19 nautical miles (35.2 km).