Dear Friends

What a rush the last few weeks has been. Organising and getting ready for the trip to Wollongong and Sydney for the annual dinner. Trying to get the Bulletin finished and out before we leave. Look forward next month to first of a series of trip reports.

Lighthouse Pages

Lately there has been a steady stream of photos, history and information, especially from people enthused about the Casaurina Light in Bunbury and Fraser Island. That's great. Keep it coming.

I must apologize if these don't immediately eventuate into Web pages for these lights. As many of you know I have had a bit of a battle with my health over the last 2 years and I have had to put all of my efforts into keeping the Bulletin going.

Fortunately many true believers have come to my aid and I certainly wouldn't have been able to continue without them. As more come onboard with the right skills we will be able to resume getting the rest of Australia's classical lighthouse pages up, so please be patient, help where you can and keep the material coming in.

This Month's Features

The final installment of Lighthouses From the Air continues with part 7 of Lloyd and Winsomes' trip when they return home with the wind in their hair. The trip covers the tropical lighthouses southwards towards the more traditional lighthouses we picture in our minds.

Denise Shultz gives us the second part of her report with Wilsons Promontory by Land where she takes a look a the latest changes in regard to access, renovations and accommodation.

Sam Calder looks into the question, "Is Nelson Head the Shortest Lighthouse?" posed by Colin Hay who is working on assembling the history of the light.

This Month's News

Not for the faint hearted, but work your way through this story to find out where 14 lighthouse postmarks to coincide with the lighthouse stamp release are available on as well as the stamp on Tuesday 12th March 2002.

Point Lonsdale 100th Anniversary Date Changed at the last minute due to a severe clash with another event. It is now going to be held on Saturday the 23rd March 2002.

The Deal Island Superintendent's Residence Museum Inc has been established to take control and maintain this museum for the future. The museum building has an interesting history and has recently been restored

A Memorial to Cape Jaffa Keepers & Seamen that have been lost is to made in the form of a plaque. John Nicholson is gathering the information, writing a booklet and organising the event.

.

Malcolm Macdonald
Bulletin Editor
<keeper@lighthouse.net.au>
[Photograph: Marguerite Stephen]

[David Hurburgh <hurburgh@access1.com.au>]

Monday 11 June ~ Cooktown to Cairns

After all the fun in Cooktown, it was time to head south to Cairns. Winsome got some good shots of Grassy Head just after take-off.

The Low Isles light was next. It is best known for its red cupola above an island of trees. Winsome was a little surprised to find three buildings, with solar panels covering their roofs.

The island has conservation restrictions due to its bird nesting population in this area, therefore the Cessna wasn't allowed closer than 1000 feet.

From there we flew over Little Fitzroy Island. It was one of 7 GRP huts on the day. Unfortunately they missed the decommissioned light on Fitzroy Island as it was not shown on any of the official lists.

Tuesday 12 June ~ Cairns - Rest Day

Cairns was their stopover point for the next two nights. Lloyd and Winsome visited the RFDS centre and the airport control tower.

The turtles swimming around Green Island.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

Tuesday was a rest day. "Touristy" things were in order, such as, taking the ferry out to Green Island and having a ride in a glass bottom boat. Seeing turtles swimming around was a real highlight.

Lighthouses From the Air: Part 1
Lighthouses From the Air: Part 2
Lighthouses From the Air: Part 3
Lighthouses From the Air: Part 4
Lighthouses From the Air: Part 5
Lighthouses From the Air: Part 6

The Grassy Hill Lighthouse at Cooktown.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Low Isles Lighthouse at Port Douglas.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Little Fitzroy Island Lighthouse near Cairns.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

Wednesday June 13 ~ Cairns to Townsville

As the army was holding "war games" in the Townsville area, Lloyd had to lodge and follow a very strict flight plan.

It was a very early start from Cairns that day. This had them landing at Townsville airport before 9 a.m.

On the way down this section of coast, framework towers were the dominant types of lighthouse.

When approaching Albino Rock, a heavy rainsquall prevented a close inspection. After circling for a while Lloyd decided to head into Townsville. Albino would be close enough to pick up on the way out on Friday.

The Bay Rock Lighthouse at the Townsville Maritime Museum.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

The Lighthouse from Bay Rock has been installed in the grounds of the Maritime Museum in Townsville and been replaced by a light on a stick.

When on the ground at Townsville, our fliers visited the control tower and met up with some former air traffic control mates of Lloyd's.

During a drive around Townsville, they "discovered" the Maritime Museum, which has a number of interesting "relocated" lighthouses in its grounds.

It was closed for renovation, however the curator spotted them as they were walking around. When Winsome explained their interests and the "Lighthouses from the Air" project the curator offered to open up the displays the next day.

Thursday 14 June ~ Rest Day - Townsville

Charters Towers is full of historic building such as the Australian Bank of Commerce.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

On their rest day, Winsome and Lloyd drove out to the historic gold mining town of Charters Towers. They had a fabulous time with the National Trust walking tour of the town being the highlight.

When they returned to Townsville in the afternoon, they took up the offer to see inside the Maritime Museum.

The old Wharton Reef Lighthouse is installed in the middle of a roundabout.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

They saw the lenses from several lighthouses including Penrith Island off Mackay. The Museum also looks after the original light from Wharton Reef. It is installed in the middle of a nearby traffic roundabout.

Friday 15 June ~ Townsville to Mackay

After backtracking to Albino Rock, it was off to Cape Cleveland with its keeper's cottages followed by the new light at Cape Bowling Green. The original tower is on display at Darling Harbour's Australian National Maritime Museum.

Stone Island, just off Bowen was interesting, as it is a six-sided wooden tower. It was an accident they got this one as it should have been a white beacon according to the list.

When they entered Hamilton Island air space, Lloyd was pleased to learn that the controllers were aware of their mission.

Dent Island is quite a steep island. With the Cessna approaching from the opposite side to the lighthouse, they nearly missed seeing it.

The helicopter-landing platform on the island almost looks like a ski jump from the air.

In this part of the world, many of the helipads have the island's name painted on them. Obviously with so many similar looking islands, this form of identification is just like the way outback homesteads have their names emblazoned on their roofs to assist incoming aircraft.

After three more lights, they arrived at Flat Top Island in Mackay Harbour.Mackay was to be home for the night. The air traffic controller at the airport had Lloyd's flight plans pinned up on his wall. He was quite excited to have our adventurers visiting.

The old Pine Islet tower has been relocated to the Mackay Harbour.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

The lighthouse from Pine Islet had been relocated into the wharf area of Mackay Harbour in 1985.

Coal is the big export industry here, so Winsome and Lloyd drove out to Hay Point to see the huge coal ship-loading facility.

The Hay Point coal loading facility.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

Once again, the army had decided to have more war games in the region. This area covered the Pine Islet lighthouse, which Winsome wanted to photograph.

Lloyd spent some time ringing around various officials to get clearance to fly through the designated area. After several calls and being "passed up the line", they ended up dealing (by total coincidence) with a defence force friend in Darwin.

In order to get the go-ahead to fly, Lloyd had to specify what time they would enter the restricted airspace and what time they would clear it. This of course depended on takeoff time, which in turn was weather dependent.

Included in all these arrangements was getting some radio callsigns and frequencies so they could advise the authorities where they were during the flight.

Saturday 16 June ~ Mackay to Gladstone

Again, the motel phone systems were a problem. They wouldn't accept any of Lloyd's systems used to access weather reports. So, it was back to a public telephone and a wait for the motel reception to open in order to receive the weather fax.

In the air again, they tracked out towards Hay Point to see the coal loader from the air.

Vernon Rocks and Pine Peak Island were safely negotiated and they reached defence force airspace in the right time-slot. Pine Islet, with its replacement GRP hut and the keeper's cottage, together with High Peak Island and the Clara Group completed the sequence of lights to be observed within the restricted airspace.

Cape Capricorn Lightstation was the last for the day before heading into Gladstone.

The temperature in the air has now dropped from the previous days 24°, yesterday to 12°. Winsome hadn't realised how cold it was getting until she was waiting in line for the hire car at Gladstone airport where she started to shiver uncontrollably.

Talking to Arthur White on the replica of James Cook's 'Endeavour' in Gladstone Harbour.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

When driving around Gladstone they saw the replica of Captain Cook's ship "Endeavour" which was visiting the port. Lloyd and Winsome took a tour of this interesting ship and talked to some of the volunteers.

Arthur White was one of the characters with his long white hair tied back with a rope knot clip.

Winsome was glad she didn't have to travel on this ship because of the cramped conditions on board. Winsome thought the early explorers are to be much admired for their courage and perseverance.

Camalco's alumina plant at Gladestone is the world's biggest.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

Other sights around Gladstone, which they saw, were the world's biggest alumina plant, which is owned by Comalco (Rio Tinto), and the Awoonga Dam. Around the dam, there was a very tame family of resident wallabies.

Sunday 17 June ~ Gladstone to Maroochydore

Back in the air, they passed over the town of Seventeen Seventy (1770). Once again, this is a reminder of James Cooks' exploration.

Bustard Head with its damaged keeper's cottages and chain wire fence was the first light for the day.

Next, came Burnett Heads, near Bundaberg and then across to Fraser Island and Sandy Cape.

They flew south along the coast of Fraser Island. The beach has many 4WD's running up and down which looked like ant trails. No beach on the mainland was without 4WD tracks. Winsome commented, "They manage to get everywhere".

Double Island Point was the last light for the day before landing at Maroochydore.

Our travellers found Maroochydore an interesting place. Their first stop was the Point Cartwright Lighthouse, and then a visit to the Maroochy Wetlands where there is a great educational centre. They couldn't pass up a visit to the legendary Ettamogah Pub.

Monday June 18 ~ Maroochydore to Coolangatta

They were in the air early. They flew over Point Cartwright with its distinctive water tank and the next sector was tracking onto Bribie Island and Caloundra Head.

We couldn't find the two older Caloundra lights as they were obscured by blocks of flats and offices.

Moreton Island has a small square concrete tower amongst the rocks on the northern end of the island and then nearby is the Cape Moreton lightstation.

The keepers cottages here appear from the air to be quite well maintained, resplendent in white and green paintwork. The lighthouse is stone with two red bands on the top half.

Cowan Cowan Point has a small light near the end of a grass runway and there are some ship wrecks nearby.

Point Lookout on Stradbroke Island is a white square tower.

The next light is at Cleveland Point, which appears to be a 6-sided wooden tower. Winsome wonders how many lighthouses of timber construction there are around Australia.

Point Danger and the Captain Cook Memorial Tower at Tweed Heads on the New South Wales border were next.

Liz, the very efficient fuel lady.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

The last light for the day was Fingal Head. After landing at Coolangatta and finding a place to park VH-RNL, Liz, the very efficient fuel lady, was on the spot before they were out of the plane. Winsome commented, "She was one very helpful lady".

Lloyd's daughter, Janelle lives locally so our fliers were looking forward to a couple of day's rest and relaxation.

Tuesday June 19 ~ Rest Day - Coolangatta

Winsome and Lloyd drove out to Fingal Head to get a close hand look at the light. The tessellated rocks on the coastline nearby are very interesting and they saw a few dolphins swimming close inshore.

They also visited the modern light at Point Danger, which was only opened in 1971. Winsome queried whether there was there was an earlier light on this site.

They had a great two days here, taking it easy with Lloyd's family.

Wednesday 20 June ~ Rest Day

In the morning, our adventurers had a telephone interview with Madeleine Randall at ABC radio in Newcastle. They were able to confirm their schedule and that they would be arriving back in Maitland in 3 days time.

Thursday 21 June ~ Coolangatta to Coffs Harbour

Back on the lighthouse trail again. Winsome and Lloyd knew they were getting close to home when they passed Cape Byron. This is the most easterly point of the Australian coast. It is therefore an important landmark and was the first light for the day.

The next lights were Ballina Head and Evans Head. Winsome thought from here on south they were back into "real lighthouse" country. No more GRP huts! Clarence Head, is a tall white tower set amongst houses at Yamba.

The last lights for the day were North and South Solitary Islands.

A substantial stone wall on South Solitary Island extends from the keeper's cottages to the lighthouse. This must be a testimony as to how bad the weather can get since the wall must have been built to protect the keeper on his way to the lighthouse.

Coffs Harbour Airport has very little air traffic but it boasts an air traffic controller. Winsome and Lloyd stayed with friends at the small village of Mylestom, on the Bellinger River just south of Coffs Harbour.

Friday 22 June ~ Rest Day - Coffs Harbour

It was another rest day for the aviators. They took a drive inland to Dorrigo and have a relaxing time seeing new places. Radio station KOFM in Newcastle had picked up on Wednesday's ABC interview and asked to do a story on the "Lighthouses from the Air" adventure as well.

Saturday 23 June ~ Coffs Harbour to Maitland

Winsome was feeling sad at the start of this day. It was to be the last day of their huge adventure. She couldn't believe that they were almost back to their starting point. It had gone so quickly and amazingly, with only a few minor hiccups.

All the planning had paid off and except for things they could not plan for, like the apathy of hire car firms and the idiosyncrasies with motel telephone lines, they have completed the circumnavigation without any major disasters.

The morning weather report said there was going to be fog at Maitland. Lloyd and Winsome thought, this was a little poetic since they had to wait for the fog to lift on that long ago day of departure for this trip: 28 April 2001.

They arrived at Coffs Harbour airport and packed the gear into VH-RNL for the last time. Before taking off they took a little time out to visit the Bureau of Meteorology to talk about the prospects for the day. The lady in charge had just returned from Antarctica. She was very interesting and informative lady.

The Trail Bay Goal at South West Rocks.
[Image: Winsome Bonham]

The sun had risen and they took off at 8am. They were now on the very last leg of the trip. They flew by Trial Bay Goal, which they had visited in 2000 during the Big Ride, an organised cycling expedition.

South West Rocks or Smoky Cape seemed to be sparkling in a new coat of paint and a couple was breakfasting in the courtyard of the keeper's cottage.

Tacking Point and Crowdy Head are very similar types of buildings. Winsome thought Crowdy Head had got closer to the cliff since she saw it last time!

Again looking inland it was quite smoky. The view of the coastline passing below never failed to appeal to Winsome.

It was much colder as they got further south and they only had the window open when they were near the lighthouses and were ready to shoot the photos.

The GPS was handy here since, it told Lloyd how far to go to the next point. Then Winsome could be prepared to open the window again.

Sugarloaf Point or Seal Rocks came into view. They had previously visited this lighthouse on the ground and knew about a power line across a gap. It is always necessary to check as they make low approaches that someone hasn't strung up a wire somewhere.

Point Stephens Lighthouse is on an island, which is accessible at very low tide. The keeper's cottages were burnt several years ago and the stone remains look like many of the sadder relicts they have seen on their trip.

Nelson Head is a cottage with a lantern room attached on one corner. It displays different coloured lights depending on the viewing angle. The week following our aviators visit the roof of the cottage was replaced.

They are now back in very familiar territory. The last stretch was to fly along Stockton Beach, go round Nobbys Head and then inland to Maitland Airport.

Home at last!

NBN-TV from Newcastle had rung the airport to say they were on their way to meet Winsome and Lloyd. They wanted our tired travellers to wait until their crew arrived in order to get some footage for their evening news.

The NBN crew got some shots of our tired travellers unpacking the plane. Our expeditioners were pleased to put their feet up at home. It was a strange sensation to watch themselves on the TV news that night from the comfort of their own armchairs.

Winsome reflected at the end of the trip:

"It has been invaluable to write this report, compiling all this information together with my photographs. In the months that have passed, we began to realise how little we actually knew about lighthouses before we started. All we have read in LOA Bulletins is starting to mean something very special and we will certainly reread them before we leave for Tasmania".

The Cape Cleveland Lighthouse near Townsville.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The new Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse east of Townsville.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Stone Island Lighthouse off Bowen.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Dent Island Lighthouse in the Whitsunday Group.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Flat Top Island Lighthouse in the Mackay Harbour.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Pine Peak Island Lighthouse in the Percy Isles.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The new Pine Islet Light in the Percy Isles.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Cape Capricorn Lighthouse near Gladstone.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Bustard Head Lighthouse near Seventeen Seventy.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Burnett River Lighthouse near Bundaberg.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Sandy Cape Lighthouse on Fraser Island.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Double Island Point Lighthouse.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Point Cartwright Lighthouse near Maroochydore.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Bribie Island Lighthouse.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Bribie Island Rear Light Lighthouse.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Cape Moreton Lighthouse on Moreton Island.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Cowan Cowan Light on Moreton Island
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Cleveland Point Lighthouse near Brisbane.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Point Danger Lighthouse at Tweed Heads.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Fingal Head Lighthouse south of Tweed Heads.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Cape Byron Lighthouse at Byron Bay.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Richmond River Lighthouse at Ballina.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Clarence River Lighthouse at Yamba.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The North Solitary Lighthouse near Coffs Harbour.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The South Solitary Lighthouse near Coffs Harbour.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Smoky Cape Lighthouse near South West Rocks.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Tacking Point Lighthouse near Port Macquarie.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Crowdy Head Lighthouse.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse near Seal Rocks.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Point Stephens Lighthouse near Port Stephens.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

The Nelson Head Lighthouse at Port Stephens
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

NEXT MONTH

This was the final part of Lighthouses From the Air but now it's onto "Tassie Lighthouses from the Air" next month.

LIGHTHOUSES OF TASMANIA - "From The Air"

The Nobbys Head Lighthouse at Newcastle.
[Photograph: Winsome Bonham]

In our ongoing search for more information about Australian Lighthouses, LoA has been contacted by Colin Hay of the "Nelson Head Inner Lighthouse Cottage Museum" (Port Stephens, NSW) with some valuable historical and technical details about both the Inner (Nelson Head) and Outer (Point Stephens) lights. More follows below but ...

He has also posed us the question"Do we have the shortest lighthouse in the world?" A very good question indeed.

I guess many a port has been sunk around the dinner table arguing this topic and no doubt some of those arguments have gotten around to the question "Just what makes a lighthouse 'the shortest'?".

Hexagonal room to the left is the lighthouse. Tea rooms are in the middle and the cylinders to the right are the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol.
[Image: Colin Hay]

Nelson Head Inner Light, located on the first headland inside the southern entrance to Port Stephens - near Shoal Bay, was gazetted in 1872. The keeper's cottage was constructed in 1875. The light room, affectionately known to its custodians as the "lighthouse", the hexagonal room at the NW corner of the building was added in 1876. This may have been to allow the surveyors to accurately design the room and its windows which "aim" the light beams.

The first vessel listed as having entered The Bay was the "Salamander", many years prior to the construction of the light, on 21st August 1791.

From around the early 1800s the surrounding area was a settlement in its own right and sustained many industries such as timber getting (cedar and turpentine), lime (from oyster shells), fishing and various agricultural products from the Australian Agricultural Company which had operations as far away as Stroud, there was even ship building in a small way, usually company or private vessels, all from very early in our history. The port was most likely also linked to the settlement of the Hunter region, as a significant amount of freight was sent from the valley to America, New Zealand, China, Sydney as well as England.

As with the installation of many safety features a number of disasters and mishaps occurred prior to action being taken. The Government was petitioned to provide navigation aids in 1837.

There is evidence to suggest there was a light of some form positioned on Nelson Head from the mid 1850s. This "light" was located in a shed or on a tower just to the north of what became the light room. A yellow post located in the grounds (near the flag pole) is thought to be the remnants of that structure. The earliest specifications for the light show that it was kerosene operated and was to be visible ten miles to sea in good conditions, prior to that it could have been a bon fire for all we know.