Lighthouses of Australia Inc

In light of his work

by Steve Merson, Chief Correspondent, Editor & Archivist, LoA Inc

In an informal ceremony on 15 May, Steve Merson presented Malcolm Macdonald with an engraved lighthouse award to acknowledge Malcolm’s contribution to Lighthouses of Australia, the organisation.

In essence, the idea of the award is to acknowledge Malcolm for his creativity, passion, clarity of purpose and organisational skills, and for dedicating more than eight years to the establishment and continuance of this worthy project, now in its present incarnation as LoA Inc.

The purpose in actually making this type of award is to provide Malcolm with a mantelpiece icon to serve as a reminder – a reminder that his significant work will cast a strong light on the cultural landscape for generations to come. The appreciation and gratitude is widely held by many people.

The plaque reads: "Malcolm Macdonald In light of your work Lighthouses of Australia" with "1997-2005" engraved across the roof  Photo: Steve Merson

Back in 1997, Malcolm created a website to represent and promote Australian lighthouses on the Internet. Together with some friends, he embarked on a course of action and discovery – to visit and photograph the lighthouses, contact ex-keepers, Commonwealth Lighthouse Service personnel and various other enthusiasts, and compile technical details, historical information, stories and other relevant information.

In the process, Malcolm developed the Bulletin to advise supporters of new pages on the site, acknowledge those who had contributed to his project, and to inform other enthusiasts of news and reports concerning historic Australian lighthouses.

The project grew, and grew. In 2001, it became an incorporated organisation and soon after joined with the Australian Lighthouse Association and adopted their motto Preserve, Protect, Promote.

Throughout the evolution of the project, Malcolm’s health fluctuated. The ebb and flow of his creative energy was often affected, but his innate resilience seemed always to enable him to hold his course, maintain headway and keep deadlines. In 2005, he made a decision to hand over the helm to the committee and set sail on another tack, to other project horizons.

We trust that Malcolm knows that his legacy is valued, and that others will continue the job he started. LoA Inc. will continue to grow in the light of his work and may no shadow be cast on the future of our lighthouses.

Email Steve Merson	Previous < Contents > Next