Point Stephens Light
Encyclopedia
Point Stephens Light is an active lighthouse
located on Point Stephens, a point on an unnamed headland at the east of Fingal Bay
, 4.25 km (2.64 mi) south of the entrance of Port Stephens
, New South Wales
, Australia
. It serves in assisting vessels entering Port Stephens. It is considered an endangered lighthouse due to remote location and old age.
Proposed in 1857, the lighthouse was built in 1862. Designed by Alexander Dawson, the New South Wales Government Architect
at that time, both the lighthouse's flared base and the keeper's cottages combined terrace are unique architectural features for the period. The light source used was originally kerosene lamps, which upgraded in 1912 to a Dalén light
, upgraded again to electric light in 1960, automated in 1973, and finally converted to solar power in 1990. In 1991 the last caretaker withdrew from the premises and very soon after the keeper's cottages were vandalized and burned.
The tower is designed in the form of a Doric column. It is divided into four stories with a spiral stairway, and topped by a gallery carrying the lantern. The keeper's cottages are three one story cottages, sharing a roof. Other structures which still stand at the location are a circa 1930 privy and workshop built in the 1950s.
The lighthouse is managed as part of the Tomaree National Park
. Access to the lighthouse is difficult, either through a narrow spit of sand at low tide or by boat.
The lighthouse was finally built in 1862 and first lit officially on 1 May 1862. It was designed by Alexander Dawson, the New South Wales Government Architect at that time, with a flared base and an external stairwell, an unusual feature for lighthouses in the time and area. The lighthouse keeper
s' cottages were also unique, built in Victorian Gothic style, with both the principal keeper and the two assistants sharing the same roof and a combined terrace.
The original apparatus was a 10 feet (3 m) H Wilkins & Co. catadioptric
. The light source was twelve kerosene
lamps with a parabolic reflector for each lamp, on a revolving iron frame, in four groups of three. Two groups were white and two groups were red, resulting in a light characteristic of an alternating red and white, with intensities of 500 cd and 200 cd, respectively. It was originally manned by three keepers.
In 1901 the keeper's quarters went through major repairs, replacing the original slate
tiles with terracotta ones. This was followed with the replacement of the steps handrail in 1903. A 1903 report criticized the light, saying that the red flashes were only visible for half the distance of the white ones, confusing navigators. This led to a recommendation to remove the red shades, resulting in a new characteristic of one white flash every minute, and later to upgrade the light to a quick group flashing dioptric light. Another report in 1912 stated that the station was in good condition, but criticized the low power of the light, and recommended withdrawing two of the keepers. However, all of these recommendations were not acted upon until 1 July 1922, when the apparatus was upgraded to a revolving Dalén light with an intensity of 20,000 cd, and the manning reduced to two keepers. In 1932 the original gallery handrails, also supplied by H Wilkins & Co., were replaced with steel gas pipe and mild steel rods.
In 1960 the lighthouse was electrified and connected to the mains electricity
through a submarine power cable
, and a backup diesel generator
was installed in the basement of the tower. In March 1973 the lantern was replaced with a smaller 7 feet (2.1 m) diameter fiberglass lantern (NAL-1 type) and a PRB-21 fully automated hexagonal lamp array with a rotating pedestal was installed. The lower part of the original H Wilkins & Co. lantern was retained, together with the 1932 railings. As the tower was now fully automated, the keepers were withdrawn, and the keeper's quarters were no longer needed for the operation of the light. All logs, drawings and furniture were therefore burned as surplus by the Department of Transport's employees, and the buildings were set ready for demolition. However, a last minutes campaign by one of the last keepers and by locals was successful, and the buildings were therefore leased to the National Trust of Australia (NSW)
, which was responsible for its conservation, and a caretaker in turn leased them from the National Trust.
In 1990, following a 1989 failure of the submarine cable and problems with the diesel generator, the light was converted to solar power
with battery
storage. The caretaker stayed in the premises until March 1991, when lease arrangement difficulties and the previous failure of the mains forced the caretaker's withdrawal. It only took until September 1991 for vandals to destroy the keepers' cottages by fire. In 1992 the Australian Construction Services cleared the site and stabilised some of the building elements, and a security fence was installed.
In 1998 management of the Tomaree National Park
, in which the lighthouse is located, was transferred to the National Parks and Wildlife Service
and the tower received some long due restoration, which completed in October 1998. At a cost of $85,000 AUD the walls were cleaned and covered with a special waterproof membrane system, the cast steel stair case refitted and the lantern room resealed for waterproofing.
The current light source is a 12 Volt
55 Watt
quartz halogen lamp. It revolves once every 30 seconds, showing a characteristic of four white flashes every 30 seconds (Fl.(4)W. 30s). It has a range of 17 nautical miles (31.5 km) and an intensity of 40,700 candelas.
The walls of the tower are constructed of sandstone
blocks, brought by ship as ballast
from Sydney
, dressed outside and inside, and painted white. The walls' thickness varies from 2 metres (6.6 ft) at the bottom, in a concave slope to 0.6 metres (2 ft) at the top. The tower walls are carried up above the lantern floor to support the metal framework for the lantern. The gallery is surrounded by the 1932 gas pipe railing.
The interior of the tower is divided by iron floors and spiral stairways into four stories. The ground floor was originally used for oil store, and it now houses the light equipment, including a generator. Access to the tower was originally through the ramped stone steps on the north, entering the first floor. This entrance was since sealed, and a steel door on the ground level is now used.
Originally, the tower was topped with a glass lantern, which was replaced with a fiberglass one in 1973. The original lantern is now held by the Nelson Bay Historical Society.
The terrace comprises three one story cottages, a six room cottage for the principal keeper and two three room cottages for the assistants, all sharing the same roof. Each of the cottages had a kitchen, a storeroom and a privy. The building was constructed of the same imported sandstone as the lighthouse, dressed outside and plastered inside. The roof was originally made of slate
, replaced in 1901 with terracotta, with five chimney
s along the ridge and a bay window
and gable
s along the front. A low terrace was built at the rear from random stone. Photographs from the 1950s also show a rear addition with a skillion roof
infill
ing part of the verandah.
Water was originally supplied from two underground rainwater tanks, each 7650 gallons (34,777.6 l). The residency was served by a single septic system, discharged via an infiltration bed to the north east of the property.
As mentioned above, the keeper's house was gutted by vandal fire in September 1991. In early 1992 a fence was installed and the chimneys and gables were stabilised by new brickwork.
A brick privy with a gable
d roof clad in corrugated asbestos sheeting is located to the north of the cottage building. It was probably constructed circa 1930. Further north is the workshop building, which also housed the electricity generators at one point, dating from the 1950s. It features a flat and skillion roof, and concrete mounting blocks. Its most recent use was as a fishermen's cabin.
Other remains include a series of drystone walls near the lighthouse dating from 1865, and the footings and stay rings of the flagstaff, which has been removed, located south of the lighthouse adjacent to a stone retaining wall
. Also at the site are two other timber framed structures, one of which is a former fuel shed constructed circa 1970s, located south of the lighthouse. An above ground brick fuel bunker with a concrete roof and floor is located approximately 40 metres (131.2 ft) south of the lighthouse, on a rock outcrop.
At the north of the island are the remains of a 19th century wharf including concrete tracks, rock cutting and iron fixings (several brackets and stumps). A concrete helipad west of the lighthouse was constructed in the 1970s.
(formerly NSW Maritime
), while the site is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service
as part of the Tomaree National Park, in which it is located. Visiting the lighthouse is difficult. The point is connected to the mainland with a narrow tombolo
, and is only accessible by foot at low tide. It is accessible by boat, and the grounds are open, though the tower is closed to the public.
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 Point Stephens, a point on an unnamed headland at the east of Fingal Bay
Fingal Bay, New South Wales
Fingal Bay is the eastern-most suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. The only population centre is the township of the same name, which itself is named after the adjacent, small, semi-circular bay...
, 4.25 km (2.64 mi) south of the entrance of Port Stephens
Port Stephens
Port Stephens is a large natural harbour located about north-east of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It lies wholly within the Port Stephens Local Government Area although its northern shoreline forms the boundary between the Port Stephens and Great Lakes LGAs...
, 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 serves in assisting vessels entering Port Stephens. It is considered an endangered lighthouse due to remote location and old age.
Proposed in 1857, the lighthouse was built in 1862. Designed by Alexander Dawson, the New South Wales Government Architect
New South Wales Government Architect
The New South Wales Government Architect is an officer of the New South Wales government. Historically, the government architect was in charge of the state government's public building projects....
at that time, both the lighthouse's flared base and the keeper's cottages combined terrace are unique architectural features for the period. The light source used was originally kerosene lamps, which upgraded in 1912 to a Dalén light
Dalén light
The Dalén light was the predominant form of light source in lighthouses from the 1900s through the 1960s, when electric lighting had become dominant. The system was invented by Gustaf Dalén and marketed by his company AGA. Dalén later invented the AGA cooker in 1922. The Dalén light is notable...
, upgraded again to electric light in 1960, automated in 1973, and finally converted to solar power in 1990. In 1991 the last caretaker withdrew from the premises and very soon after the keeper's cottages were vandalized and burned.
The tower is designed in the form of a Doric column. It is divided into four stories with a spiral stairway, and topped by a gallery carrying the lantern. The keeper's cottages are three one story cottages, sharing a roof. Other structures which still stand at the location are a circa 1930 privy and workshop built in the 1950s.
The lighthouse is managed as part of the Tomaree National Park
Tomaree National Park
Tomaree is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 145-155 km northeast of Sydney in the Port Stephens Local Government Area. It is located on the shores of the Tasman Sea, extending north from Fishermans Bay to Shoal Bay passing through Boat Harbour, One Mile, Nelson Bay and Fingal Bay.Most...
. Access to the lighthouse is difficult, either through a narrow spit of sand at low tide or by boat.
History
As early as 1857, the need for a lighthouse on Point Stephens was identified, due to the proximity to the entrance of Port Stephens, and the dangers of the local coastline to ships. Another reason was that mariners were mistaking the entrance to Fingal Bay for that of Port Stephens. At least twenty four vessels are known to have been wrecked in the area. the most serious being the Dove in 1828 with the loss of seven lives, and the Pandora in 1836 with five lives. Another notable wreck was the Florence Irving in 1877.The lighthouse was finally built in 1862 and first lit officially on 1 May 1862. It was designed by Alexander Dawson, the New South Wales Government Architect at that time, with a flared base and an external stairwell, an unusual feature for lighthouses in the time and area. The 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 were also unique, built in Victorian Gothic style, with both the principal keeper and the two assistants sharing the same roof and a combined terrace.
The original apparatus was a 10 feet (3 m) H Wilkins & Co. catadioptric
Catadioptric
A catadioptric optical system is one where refraction and reflection are combined in an optical system, usually via lenses and curved mirrors . Catadioptric combinations are used in focusing systems such as search lights, headlamps, early lighthouse focusing systems, optical telescopes,...
. The light source was twelve 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...
lamps with a parabolic reflector for each lamp, on a revolving iron frame, in four groups of three. Two groups were white and two groups were red, resulting in a light characteristic of an alternating red and white, with intensities of 500 cd and 200 cd, respectively. It was originally manned by three keepers.
In 1901 the keeper's quarters went through major repairs, replacing the original slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
tiles with terracotta ones. This was followed with the replacement of the steps handrail in 1903. A 1903 report criticized the light, saying that the red flashes were only visible for half the distance of the white ones, confusing navigators. This led to a recommendation to remove the red shades, resulting in a new characteristic of one white flash every minute, and later to upgrade the light to a quick group flashing dioptric light. Another report in 1912 stated that the station was in good condition, but criticized the low power of the light, and recommended withdrawing two of the keepers. However, all of these recommendations were not acted upon until 1 July 1922, when the apparatus was upgraded to a revolving Dalén light with an intensity of 20,000 cd, and the manning reduced to two keepers. In 1932 the original gallery handrails, also supplied by H Wilkins & Co., were replaced with steel gas pipe and mild steel rods.
In 1960 the lighthouse was electrified and connected to 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...
through a submarine power cable
Submarine power cable
Submarine power cables are major transmission cables for carrying electric power below the surface of the water. These are called "submarine" because they usually carry electric power beneath salt water but it is also possible to use submarine power cables beneath fresh water...
, and a backup diesel generator
Diesel generator
A diesel generator is the combination of a diesel engine with an electrical generator to generate electrical energy....
was installed in the basement of the tower. In March 1973 the lantern was replaced with a smaller 7 feet (2.1 m) diameter fiberglass lantern (NAL-1 type) and a PRB-21 fully automated hexagonal lamp array with a rotating pedestal was installed. The lower part of the original H Wilkins & Co. lantern was retained, together with the 1932 railings. As the tower was now fully automated, the keepers were withdrawn, and the keeper's quarters were no longer needed for the operation of the light. All logs, drawings and furniture were therefore burned as surplus by the Department of Transport's employees, and the buildings were set ready for demolition. However, a last minutes campaign by one of the last keepers and by locals was successful, and the buildings were therefore leased to the National Trust of Australia (NSW)
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
, which was responsible for its conservation, and a caretaker in turn leased them from the National Trust.
In 1990, following a 1989 failure of the submarine cable and problems with the diesel generator, the light was converted to 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...
with 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...
storage. The caretaker stayed in the premises until March 1991, when lease arrangement difficulties and the previous failure of the mains forced the caretaker's withdrawal. It only took until September 1991 for vandals to destroy the keepers' cottages by fire. In 1992 the Australian Construction Services cleared the site and stabilised some of the building elements, and a security fence was installed.
In 1998 management of the Tomaree National Park
Tomaree National Park
Tomaree is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 145-155 km northeast of Sydney in the Port Stephens Local Government Area. It is located on the shores of the Tasman Sea, extending north from Fishermans Bay to Shoal Bay passing through Boat Harbour, One Mile, Nelson Bay and Fingal Bay.Most...
, in which the lighthouse is located, was transferred to the National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service is part of the Office of Environment and Heritage - the main government conservation agency in New South Wales, Australia....
and the tower received some long due restoration, which completed in October 1998. At a cost of $85,000 AUD the walls were cleaned and covered with a special waterproof membrane system, the cast steel stair case refitted and the lantern room resealed for waterproofing.
The current light source is 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...
55 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. It revolves once every 30 seconds, showing a characteristic of four white flashes every 30 seconds (Fl.(4)W. 30s). It has a range of 17 nautical miles (31.5 km) and an intensity of 40,700 candelas.
The tower
The lighthouse is located on the south-east extremity of the point. The unusual design of the tower relates to the form of a Doric column, with a flared base and ramped approached enabled using of the base for equipment.The walls of the tower are constructed of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
blocks, brought by ship as ballast
Sailing ballast
Ballast is used in sailboats to provide moment to resist the lateral forces on the sail. Insufficiently ballasted boats will tend to tip, or heel, excessively in high winds. Too much heel may result in the boat capsizing. If a sailing vessel should need to voyage without cargo then ballast of...
from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, dressed outside and inside, and painted white. The walls' thickness varies from 2 metres (6.6 ft) at the bottom, in a concave slope to 0.6 metres (2 ft) at the top. The tower walls are carried up above the lantern floor to support the metal framework for the lantern. The gallery is surrounded by the 1932 gas pipe railing.
The interior of the tower is divided by iron floors and spiral stairways into four stories. The ground floor was originally used for oil store, and it now houses the light equipment, including a generator. Access to the tower was originally through the ramped stone steps on the north, entering the first floor. This entrance was since sealed, and a steel door on the ground level is now used.
Originally, the tower was topped with a glass lantern, which was replaced with a fiberglass one in 1973. The original lantern is now held by the Nelson Bay Historical Society.
The keepers' house
The keeper's house is located about 13 metres (42.7 ft) north of the tower. It is the only example in Australia of a terrace of lighthouse keepers' quarters. It was probably completed slightly later than the lighthouse, as building materials were continuing to be sent from Sydney after the official opening.The terrace comprises three one story cottages, a six room cottage for the principal keeper and two three room cottages for the assistants, all sharing the same roof. Each of the cottages had a kitchen, a storeroom and a privy. The building was constructed of the same imported sandstone as the lighthouse, dressed outside and plastered inside. The roof was originally made of slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
, replaced in 1901 with terracotta, with five chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
s along the ridge and a bay window
Bay window
A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room, either square or polygonal in plan. The angles most commonly used on the inside corners of the bay are 90, 135 and 150 degrees. Bay windows are often associated with Victorian architecture...
and gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
s along the front. A low terrace was built at the rear from random stone. Photographs from the 1950s also show a rear addition with a skillion roof
Skillion roof
A skillion roof is normally a single sloping roof surface, not attached to another roof surface. Skillion roofs are sometimes called a shed roof, a flat roof, in Australia or a lean-to in the UK....
infill
Infill
Infill in its broadest meaning is material that fills in an otherwise unoccupied space. The term is commonly used in association with construction techniques such as wattle and daub, and civil engineering activities such as land reclamation.-Construction:...
ing part of the verandah.
Water was originally supplied from two underground rainwater tanks, each 7650 gallons (34,777.6 l). The residency was served by a single septic system, discharged via an infiltration bed to the north east of the property.
As mentioned above, the keeper's house was gutted by vandal fire in September 1991. In early 1992 a fence was installed and the chimneys and gables were stabilised by new brickwork.
Other structures
Several service structures used to be located behind the resident buildings, namely kitchen, privies and stores, and were destroyed in the 1991 fire, leaving only parts of the timber walls.A brick privy with a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roof clad in corrugated asbestos sheeting is located to the north of the cottage building. It was probably constructed circa 1930. Further north is the workshop building, which also housed the electricity generators at one point, dating from the 1950s. It features a flat and skillion roof, and concrete mounting blocks. Its most recent use was as a fishermen's cabin.
Other remains include a series of drystone walls near the lighthouse dating from 1865, and the footings and stay rings of the flagstaff, which has been removed, located south of the lighthouse adjacent to a stone retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
. Also at the site are two other timber framed structures, one of which is a former fuel shed constructed circa 1970s, located south of the lighthouse. An above ground brick fuel bunker with a concrete roof and floor is located approximately 40 metres (131.2 ft) south of the lighthouse, on a rock outcrop.
At the north of the island are the remains of a 19th century wharf including concrete tracks, rock cutting and iron fixings (several brackets and stumps). A concrete helipad west of the lighthouse was constructed in the 1970s.
Site operation and visiting
The light is operated by Roads and Maritime ServicesRoads and Maritime Services
Roads and Maritime Services is an agency of the New South Wales Government responsible for building and maintaining road infrastructure and managing the day-to-day compliance and safety for roads and waterways....
(formerly NSW Maritime
NSW Maritime
NSW Maritime was an agency in the Government of New South Wales, Australia. NSW Maritime was the State Government Authority responsible for marine safety, regulation of commercial and recreational boating and oversight of port operations...
), while the site is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service is part of the Office of Environment and Heritage - the main government conservation agency in New South Wales, Australia....
as part of the Tomaree National Park, in which it is located. Visiting the lighthouse is difficult. The point is connected to the mainland with a narrow tombolo
Tombolo
A tombolo, from the Italian tombolo, derived from the Latin tumulus, meaning 'mound,' and sometimes translated as ayre , is a deposition landform in which an island is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land such as a spit or bar. Once attached, the island is then known as a tied island...
, and is only accessible by foot at low tide. It is accessible by boat, and the grounds are open, though the tower is closed to the public.
See also
- List of lighthouses and lightvessels in Australia