Nobbys Head Light
Encyclopedia
Nobbys Head Light is an active lighthouse
on Nobbys Head
, a headland
on the south side of the entrance to Newcastle
Harbour, New South Wales
, Australia
. It is included in Newcastle's Coat of Arms.
The site and the lighthouses are managed by the Newcastle Port Corporation. They are closed to the public.
By 1846 Nobbys Head, originally a small islet more than 60 metres (196.9 ft) high, was connected to the mainland with a causeway. The island was reduced in height to improve the sailing conditions and to accommodate for a lighthouse and signal station, built in 1858. The lighthouse was designed by Alexander Dawson. The original light had an intensity of 20,000 cd and was attended by three lighthouse keeper
s.
In 1934 the light was electrified and automated.
The current light source is a 120 V 1000 W, quartz halogen lamp and the power source is mains electricity
with a diesel generator
as backup. Currently at the site are three one-story keeper's houses, a three-story signal station, and other buildings housing the port watch. The entire station is floodlit at night.
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....
on Nobbys Head
Nobbys Head
Originally called Coal Island, Nobbys Head is a headland on the south side of the entrance to Newcastle Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. It is the location of Nobbys Head Lighthouse, the third lighthouse built in New South Wales after the Macquarie Lighthouse in 1818 and the Hornby Lighthouse...
, a headland
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
on the south side of the entrance to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
Harbour, 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...
. It is included in Newcastle's Coat of Arms.
The site and the lighthouses are managed by the Newcastle Port Corporation. They are closed to the public.
History
The first beacon in the area was an open coal fire set on Signal Head with a range of 7 kilometres (4.3 mi). This was changed in 1821 to a large metal device burning oil which was visible for 12 kilometres (7.5 mi), but shortly reverted to coal as the oil system was not reliable.By 1846 Nobbys Head, originally a small islet more than 60 metres (196.9 ft) high, was connected to the mainland with a causeway. The island was reduced in height to improve the sailing conditions and to accommodate for a lighthouse and signal station, built in 1858. The lighthouse was designed by Alexander Dawson. The original light had an intensity of 20,000 cd and was attended by 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.
In 1934 the light was electrified and automated.
The current light source is a 120 V 1000 W, quartz halogen lamp and the power source is 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...
with a diesel generator
Diesel generator
A diesel generator is the combination of a diesel engine with an electrical generator to generate electrical energy....
as backup. Currently at the site are three one-story keeper's houses, a three-story signal station, and other buildings housing the port watch. The entire station is floodlit at night.
See also
- List of lighthouses and lightvessels in Australia