Lighthouses of New South Wales

The Montague Island Lighthouse

Montague Island was originally a fertile hunting ground for the local Aboriginal people.

Since 1881, European visitors have landed here to inspect the Island's renowned granite lighthouse and enjoy a tour of this scenic area which boasts colonies of seals and fairy penguins.

• Operation
• History
• Keepers
• Access
• Narooma Lighthouse Museum
• Surrounding Area
• Features
• News
• Letters
• Other Montague Island Sites

The Montague Island Lighthouse
Photograph: Ian Clifford

The Montague Island Lighthouse 
Photograph: Ian Clifford 

The Montague Island Lighthouse 
Photograph: Ian Clifford

The original contractor went against instructions and damaged the large granite boulder selected for the lighthouse base with unauthorised blasting. As a result the lighthouse was repositioned by several feet.

Due to continued tardiness and difficulties the contractor eventual gave up the contract and in 1880 a new tender given to a second contractor.

Work proceeded quickly under the new tender and finally was completed in late 1881

By then a temporary light set up earlier had been in operation about a year.

Since 1881, visitors have landed here to inspect the Island's renowned lighthouse and enjoy a tour of this scenic area which boasts colonies of seals and fairy penguins.

During the keepers' era, all household and lighthouse stores had to be brought in by sea. The supplies were then brought up from the jetty to the lighthouse complex via a tramway.

The tower is constructed of locally hewn interlocking granite blocks which were quarried on the island. It is fitted with a bronze handrail.

In 1910 the light was upgraded to 250,000 CD and upgraded again in 1923 to 357,000 candlepower.

In 1969 the power was raised to 1,000,000 CD with the conversion to electricity supplied by a diesel generator.

In September 1986, the old light was turned on manually for the last time by keeper John Short.

As part of preparation for demanning, the original apparatus, including the lens was removed and replaced by a lightweight array of sealed beams.

The power was reduced to 120,000 CD but it could easily be powered by an unattended array of solar panels.

When removed, the old lens and lantern was erected in the Museum at Narooma which is now displayed in a short 5 metre tower.

A coin-operated mechanism operates on a slot coin principle. This switches on the light, the lens rotation and the operation of the original beam from the lens.

The whole township of Narooma participated in the expenses concerned.

The remaining keepers were either transferred to the National Parks and Wildlife Service or taken off the Island in December 1987.

We need your help in compiling a list of keepers for this lighthouse. If you have any information then send it to Web Keeper.

Please include this lighthouse's name, the keepers full name and what years they were keepers. Also include the same information for any other lights they were on.

The huge lens from the Montague Island Lighthouse is now on display at the Narooma Lighthouse Museum which also houses many other lighthouse artefacts.

Ed, Malcolm and Deborah
 at Narooma Museum
Photograph: Ed Kavaliunas

Special Thanks to:

• Ian Clifford for Photographs
• Mark Westwood for help with revisions
• Bruce Cameron

Sources:

• AMSA Brochure
• Brian Lord
• The Lure of Montague by Laurelle Pacey
• NSW National Parks And Wildlife Service
• The Sydney Morning Herald

Site constructed by: 
Malcolm S Macdonald t/as Lighthouse Computer Training & Development (1997-2001)
Copyright © All rights reserved.
1997-2001 Malcolm S Macdonald and individual contributors as acknowledged.
2002-2007 Lighthouses of Australia Inc (LoA Inc) and individual contributors as acknowledged. & Lighthouses of Australia Inc (2002-2007)