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Lighthouses of New South Wales |
| State Indexes > NSW > Nobbys Head Lighthouse |
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The Nobbys Head Lighthouse at Newcastle The Nobbys Head Lighthouse was established on an island whose future was doubtful right up the period prior to the light's establishment. |
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| LOCATION: | Latitude 32° 55.1'S, Longitude 151° 48.0'E (map) |
| OPERATOR: | Australian Maritime Safety Authority |
| EXHIBITED: | 1858 |
| CONSTRUCTION: | Stone |
| CHARACTER: | Group Flashing (2 & 1) in 20 seconds |
| LIGHT SOURCE: | 120V, 1,000 Watt, Quartz Halogen Lamp |
| POWER SOURCE: | Mains Power, Stand-by Diesel |
| INTENSITY: | 580,000 cd |
| ELEVATION: | 25 metres |
| RANGE: | 24 nautical miles |
| HEIGHT: | 35 metres |
| AUTOMATED: | 1935 |
| DEMANNED: | 1935 |
| DEACTIVATED: | No |
| CUSTODIAN: | Newcastle Port Corporation |
![The Nobbys Head Lighthouse and Signal Station [Photograph: Richard Webber]](Nobbys%20Head%20rw%202.jpg)
The
Nobbys Head Lighthouse and Signal Station
Photograph: Richard Webber
![The Nobbys Head Lighthouse at Newcastle [Photograph: Grant Maizels]](Nobbys%20Head%20gm%201.jpg) The Nobbys Head Lighthouse Photograph: Grant Maizels |
History
The present lighthouse was established on Nobbys Head in 1854, which was then a small isolated coastal islet just off Signal Head. It was only the third lighthouse built in NSW after the Macquarie Light in 1818 and the Hornby Light that was also built in 1858. The first beacon had been lit on Signal Hill in 1804 to guide vessels into the Hunter River. It was an open coal fire that was only seen for several kilometres. An oil burning light in a large metal device was established in 1821 and was visible for 12 kilometres. The oil light was not reliable so the beacon reverted to the coal fire once again. The small tower has since been dwarfed by the taller buildings that house the Signal Station and Port Watch, amongst other things. Originally called Coal Island, the Nobbys Head said to have originally been 60 metres high, was joined to the main land by a causeway that was begun in 1818 and later completed in 1846. In 1854 it was intended to blow the island away to improve the harbour but strong public protests forced cessation of the work of destruction. However the island was further reduced to 25 metres to accommodate the building of the lighthouse and signal station in 1858. The original 20,000 candle-power light was attended by three keepers. The light was converted to electric operation in 1935 and demanned. |
![The Signal Station With Lighthouse on Nobbys Heads [Photograph: Richard Webber]](Nobbys%20Head%20rw%203.jpg)
The Signal
Station with lighthouse on Nobbys Heads
Photograph: Richard Webber
The original light was attended by three keepers. The light was demanned in 1935 when it was converted to electric operation.
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.
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Illumination Newcastle Gallery The Nobbys Head is featured as part of the City's Floodlighting Program. The two links are: |
Illumination
18: 
Nobbys Lighthouse, 1995 |
Illumination
19: 
Nobbys Lighthouse, 1995 |
| NEAREST TOWN: | Newcastle |
| DISTANCE: | <<>> (Newcastle) |
| : | 156 km (Sydney) |
| ACCESS: | Only on breakwater. Lightstation restricted. |
| TOURS: | No |
| ACCOMMODATION: | No |
The lighthouse is at the end of a long man-made spit at the entrance to Newcastle Harbour. Access to the signal station and lighthouse maybe restricted at times.
![Nobbys Head Juts Into the Sea at the Entrance of Newcastle Harbour [Photograph: Grant Maizels]](Nobbys%20Head%20gm%203.jpg)
Nobbys
Head juts into the sea at the entrance of Newcastle Harbour
Photograph: Grant Maizels
Nobbys Head from the breakwater
Photograph: Brian Lord
| Lighthouses From the Air: Part 2 | Bulletin Oct 01 |
| Lighthouses From the Air: Part 7 | Bulletin Mar 02 |
| Annette Flotwell's East Coast Lighthouse Trip: Part 3 | Bulletin Sep 03 |
| Expressions of interest for use of Nobbys Head Lighthouse | Bulletin Aug 03 |
The Nobbys Head Lighthouse and Signal
Station
Photograph: Annette Flotwell
| Looking for William Gardiner | Bulletin Aug 00 |
| Response to Looking for Horace Parker | Bulletin Apr 01 |
| Lighthouse keepers in NSW - Josiah, Fred Sr, Fred Jr & Bill Warren | Bulletin Sep 03 |
Aerial view of Nobbys Head
Photograph: Newcastle Ports Corporation
| History > Newcastle Peninsula « Nobbys sequence | Newcastle Port Corp |
| The Nobbys Head Lighthouse at Newcastle | Grant Maizels |
| The Nobbys Head Lighthouse, NSW « Heaps of historic postcards | Garry Searle |
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Special Thanks to:
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Sources:
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| Page
last updated: Page created: |
2/08/03 29/01/99 |
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