Richmond River Light
Encyclopedia
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 used to serve to guide ships into the river port and is used also serves as a leading light
into the river, together with a steamer's masthead lantern with a 200 mm lens which is raised on a wooden structure 30 metres (98.4 ft) from it.
, at the same time of the installation of the Clarence River Light
(demolished in 1955).
The current lighthouse is one of five lighthouses of similar design designed and built by James Barnet in 1878-80, the other four being Fingal Head Light
, Clarence River Light
(now demolished), Tacking Point Lighthouse
and Crowdy Head Light
. A tender was called in 1878, it was built in 1879 and lit in 1880.
The apparatus was a fixed light 4th order catadioptric
apparatus of less than 1000 cd
and was visible for 12 nautical miles (22.2 km). It was powered by colza oil
. As the light was operated in conjunction with a nearby pilot station, only one light keeper was required.
In 1920 the light was converted to acetylene gas
and automated. In November 1940, the annexe and the porch connected to the lighthouse were demolished.
The light was electrified in the 1960s. The current light source is a 28,000 cd
, 1,000 Watt
120 Volt
tungsten-halogen lamp, and the power source is the Mains
with a Battery
standby. It shows a light characteristic of four white flashes every 16 s (Fl.(4)W. 16s)
platform, supported at by twelve bluestone corbel
s, at about 12 feet (3.7 m) above the ground. The platform can be reached by an iron stair inside the tower. Around the perimeter of the platform is a metal handrail
. The platform is topped by the simple metal dome which houses the optical apparatus.
Originally the lighthouse had a porch, rectangular annexe for the duty room and oil store. These were all demolished in November 1940. A one story keeper
's house is still present at the premises.
(formerly NSW Maritime
) and the site is managed by the New South Wales Department of Lands.
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 Ballina Head, 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...
in Ballina
Ballina, New South Wales
Ballina is a town on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of the Ballina Shire Local Government Area. It had a population of 16,477 in the 2006 Census.-Location:...
, 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...
. The headland is at the northern side of the entrance to the Richmond River
Richmond River
The Richmond River is a river in the north-eastern corner of New South Wales, Australia. It runs for approximately 170 km from the foothills of the Border Ranges past the towns of Kyogle, Casino, Coraki, Woodburn, where it turns northward and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Ballina. It has a...
. It used to serve to guide ships into the river port and is used also serves as a leading light
Leading lights
Leading lights are a pair of light beacons, used in navigation to indicate a safe passage for vessels entering a shallow or dangerous channel; and may also be used for position fixing. At night, the lights are a form of leading line that can be used for safe navigation...
into the river, together with a steamer's masthead lantern with a 200 mm lens which is raised on a wooden structure 30 metres (98.4 ft) from it.
History
The station was established with a temporary light that was installed in 1866 from plans by James BarnetJames 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...
, at the same time of the installation of the Clarence River Light
Clarence River Light
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...
(demolished in 1955).
The current lighthouse is one of five lighthouses of similar design designed and built by James Barnet 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:...
, Clarence River Light
Clarence River Light
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...
(now demolished), 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 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:...
. A tender was called in 1878, it was built in 1879 and lit in 1880.
The apparatus was a fixed light 4th order 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,...
apparatus of less than 1000 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 was visible for 12 nautical miles (22.2 km). It was powered by colza oil
Colza oil
Colza oil is a nondrying oil obtained from the seeds of Brassica rapa, var. oleifera, a variety of the plant that produces turnips. Colza is extensively cultivated in France, Belgium, the United States, the Netherlands and Germany and Poland. In France, especially, the extraction of the oil is an...
. As the light was operated in conjunction with a nearby pilot station, only one light keeper was required.
In 1920 the light was converted to acetylene gas
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....
and automated. In November 1940, the annexe and the porch connected to the lighthouse were demolished.
The light was electrified in the 1960s. The current light source is a 28,000 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...
, 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:...
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, and the power source is the Mains
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 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...
standby. It shows a light characteristic of four white flashes every 16 s (Fl.(4)W. 16s)
Structure
The tower is very similar in design to the other four lighthouses. It is circular, 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter (internally), with walls tapering from 19 inches (48.3 cm) at the bottom to 14 inches (35.6 cm) at the top. The tower is constructed of stone, and cement rendered, and painted white. On top of the tower there is an oversailing bluestoneBluestone
Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including:*a feldspathic sandstone in the U.S. and Canada;*limestone in the Shenandoah Valley in the U.S...
platform, supported at by twelve bluestone corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
s, at about 12 feet (3.7 m) above the ground. The platform can be reached by an iron stair inside the tower. Around the perimeter of the platform is a metal handrail
Handrail
A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide stability or support. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways and escalators in order to prevent injurious falls. Other applications include bathroom handrails—which help to prevent falls on...
. The platform is topped by the simple metal dome which houses the optical apparatus.
Originally the lighthouse had a porch, rectangular annexe for the duty room and oil store. These were all demolished in November 1940. A one story 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 house is still present at the premises.
Site operation
The light is currently 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...
) and the site is managed by the New South Wales Department of Lands.
See also
- List of lighthouses and lightvessels in Australia