The Lighthouse Breakfast marquee at Table Cape Lighthouse

Photo:  Alwyn Friedersdorff

Maintenance at last on South Solitary

Running down fast, the South Solitary Cottages seemed fated to remain in the too hard basket

Photo:  Ian Clifford

In the long term the effort has it's own rewards

Photo:  National Parks & Wildlife NSW

The workers have moved in for long overdue stabilisation works

Photo:  National Parks & Wildlife NSW

It is major task working in bringing workmen on and off South Solitary Island

Photo:  National Parks & Wildlife NSW

The Cape Otway Telegraph Station was built in 1859 by Gibson and Swan of Geelong for the sum of £2459 as the Australian mainland base for the submarine cable across Bass Strait.

The cable ran from Cape Otway to King Island, where it crossed to its east coast to Sea Elephant bay. Another submarine cable run from there to Three Hummock Island and continued underwater again to Launceston via Stanley. The cable lying operation was completed on 12th August 1859. At the time, this cable to Tasmania was the longest such project attempted anywhere in the world. (The first successful Transatlantic cable was not laid until 1865.)

The telegraph was a sensational invention, and one of the major developments of the 19th century, which broke down the barriers of time, space and distance. But the technology was not quite ready for such a feat just yet, and within weeks, the line between Cape Otway and King Island failed. Various sections were subsequently replaced but the cable kept failing and experiencing problems until it was finally abandoned in 1861, after only 18 months. Ten years would pass before another attempt at cable laying would be made. The Cape Otway Telegraph Station, however, continued to relay messages from ships and weather observations to Melbourne until 1894.

Since then, the Cape Otway telegraph station has also functioned as a post office, a school and a home for lighthouse staff, as well as military personnel in two world wars. When the last inhabitants of the house left in late sixties, the building had gradually fallen into disrepair and acquired a distinct “haunted house” appearance.

The Cape Otway Telegraph Station was an integral part of 19th Century development of rapid worldwide communication. It is now a part of the Cape Otway Heritage Precinct, which includes the Cape Otway lighthouse and keeper's quarters, meteorological station and radar bunkers.

The restoration on the old Telegraph and Signal Station commenced in 1999 with the building of a veranda around the house by the Ballarat University. This was achieved through Commonwealth funding. The funding also covered the repairs to the telegraph station’s tower, which had dislodged some if its masonry that punctured a hole in the asbestos cement sheet roof and was letting in rain water, rotting the floor below.

Another Commonwealth grant funded the restoration of the interior, carried out by the then manager Nick Braden, and completed in August 2003. The building has been painted inside with bright new colours (reflecting some of the many shades found in the old paint layers). The preparation of the static historical display was completed in July 2004, though some of the rooms are still empty, waiting to be equipped.

While the lessees provided their skills and labour, the federal government matched the effort with the necessary funds. As a result of this cooperation, the telegraph station has been slowly restored.

The restored building was officially opened for visitors at a ceremony which took place on Sunday 29th of August.

The events started with a rifle volley by the Mount Alexander Rifles, after which followed the congratulatory speeches including one by the local federal MP Stewart McArthur.

Malcolm Brack who was one of the last people who called the house home also reminisced about his childhood as a lighthouse kid.

A flute concert by "Howlin' Wind" then accompanied the visitors on their tour of the new museum. Inside, the visitors were able to send telegrams anywhere in the world the old fashioned way, in Morse code, thanks to the members of the Morse Codian Fraternity.

Donald Walker, who’s passion and involvement in the restoration of this historical building is well known, could not make the opening, but Lighthouses of Australia were represented at this event by Max and Doug Huxley, Denise and Paul Shultz and Cyril and Pat Marriner (who are also the founding members of FOCOS - Friends of Cape Otway Station), which continues to help in no small way to save this historical lightstation).

While the invited guests, were treated to a light refreshment in the head keepers garden, the rest of the visitors took a chance to see the lighthouse or have coffee in the recently opened café.

For those visitors who fancied horse riding, Cyril’s horses were saddled and ready to go.

The great commotion followed, when the re-enactment of the sacking of Captain Lawrence was played by the Heritage Police. (James Ross Lawrence was the first head keeper at Cape Otway but was dismissed by the Governor La Trobe after he apparently failed in his duties).

Even though the weather was not very kind, It was an afternoon all of us have enjoyed. We went home feeling that another good deed was done to save our lighthouse heritage.

Email Denise Shultz
Email Cyril Marriner

Grant Coucil wants to open Cape Northumberland to tourism

Photo:  Adrian Howard

Galah Sessions

Members Galah Sessions:

All financial members can all gather in the members chat room, at the official LoA site, on the day and get to know one another. No official business, just a good old chat.

We intend to schedule sessions of approx three hours duration, every two months (six events a year).

The first one will be on Sunday 21st November 2004, late afternoon or early evening EST (AU). All members will be sent an email with details on procedure about 10 days before the event.

If you are not a financial member and wish to participate then you can Join Lighthouses of Australia Inc

Subscribers Galah Sessions:

Unlike the Members session, this will be held in an open chat room, and scheduled only twice a year for friends and Bulletin subscribers.

For the convenience of everyone in all international time zones, this chat session will run over twelve hours on a Sunday.

The first one will be on Sunday 12th December 2004, all day (10-12 hours) EST (AU). All members will be sent an email with details on procedure about ten days before the event.

Galah Links:

Galah Session
Galahs
Galah (Cacatua roseicapilla)
The Birds of Cockatoo Island
Galah Rain by Jane Downing

For a long time many of you from South Australia have been asking if we could come over to meet you all. I too have been promising too for just as long as you have been asking.

Now we have finally got our act together. Denise Shultz, Steve Merson and myself would like to invite all friends and members to meet with us at the following two occasions:

Friday 3rd Dec 2004 - SE South Australia: 

• Friday evening - Tea in Kingston
• Saturday Morning - Possible trip to Cape Jaffa Platform

Saturday 4th Dec 2004 - Port Adelaide South Australia: 

• Early evening - Tour of Port Adelaide Lighthouse
• Evening - Light up of Port Adelaide Light
• Evening - Dinner while viewing the light

Notices will be sent out in the next two weeks with more details and who to contact if you wish to attend.

I have a Algernon Spong married to Henrietta Maria (Hopton) and I would be surprised if the person on your list is not the same member of my family. Can you tell me any further. I note that there are other Spongs shown "Sons Maybe" what lighthouse was his domain and under what capacity ?

Hope I haven't asked too much,

Regards,

Malcolm Mathisen
Email Malcolm Mathisen

These are the Spongs that served in Tasmania:

SPONG E N and sons
SPONG Algernon and
SPONG Harold

Kath Stanley in her book “Guiding Lights” refers to E N (Nash) as well as Algernon at King Island (Cape Wickham):

Cape Wickham Lighthouse where Nash Spong and his sons were stationed Photo: Brian Lord

John Durgan, the first Superintendent, had four assistants but one was withdrawn after five months when the settlement was considered well established. Durgan resigned after a year but later withdrew his resignation and served in other areas. His successor was Edward Nash Spong who held the position for 20 years. Much of the early history of the station is also the story of the endeavours of this one man and his staff.

There was scarcely a handful of other residents on the whole of King Island at this time except sealers, fishermen, prospectors and hunters who had camps in various places which they visited and occupied spasmodically. Spong set an example in energetic self-sufficiency. He lost no time in fencing around the houses and encouraging the keepers to plant vegetable gardens and to keep a cow and poultry. He himself began at once to cover the area with English including good stands of grain. The wild animals of the region began to take advantage of the first-class forage in the gardens. Kangaroos and wallabies were sometimes found on cold mornings huddled outside the chimneys of the cottages. The domestic animals could not be allowed to range freely for cattle, sheep and goats were inclined to graze at certain seasons on a plant known locally as ‘coastal pea’ which caused them to lose condition rapidly and to die if they could not be rounded up and kept on the good pasture. Moreover, it was essential to keep the milking cows close to the houses since there were usually several small children to be fed. The search for strayed milkers could take a whole day or even longer. The fences had to be made stronger with driftwood, wreckage, old staves and the gnarled timber that the scrub provided - unsightly but effective. Horses and pigs did well, apparently untroubled by the ‘pea’. Lighthouse inspectors were very favourably impressed by the pioneering work done by Spong and his staff and, before long, it was recommended to the Marine Board that, when the horses were worn out, the station be supplied with bullocks and a light cart and that replacement animals be purchased from Spong, saving the cost of having them transported from the mainland and ensuring that strong and healthy beasts were chosen.

By 1870 the roofs of the houses were leaking and the surfboat had been repaired so often that it was becoming too heavy to handle. False roofs had to be added to the dwellings with a sharper pitch so that moisture could run off. Spong asked for a fourth assistant, estimating that Cape Wickham required more work than any other station. His especial worry was the landing of stores which had to be brought a considerable distance through the surf. The rough conditions required six men for the surfboat and the store vessel could only supply two. Hence the whole staff, including the Superintendent were needed to complete the crew. As on other stations, regulations absolutely forbade all the staff to be off the station at one time. If there should be a serious accident to the boat, the station would be totally unmanned. The fourth assistant was allowed on condition that Spong personally paid half his salary while the Marine Board paid the other half. Probably he spent half of his time working privately for Spong on the farm. Later the Marine Board decided that it would be more satisfactory to send two extra hands with the stores to assist with the landing.

Roving bands of hunters began trespassing on the lighthouse reserve and making free use of the comforts the keepers had painstakingly provided for themselves. Some of them refused to leave when directed to do so and animosity developed between these and the families who lived there. One report, in 1873, outlined the difficulties:

There are certain lawless men who have taken up their residence on the island who make a practice of annoying the Superintendent in every possible way, destroying his cattle, pulling down the fences and taking his hay and in fact they say they are determined to make the place too hot for him, and I much fear it will end in some serious injury to the station or perhaps to the light itself.

When men had leave or needed medical attention away from the station, it was customary for a son of one of the keepers, if available, to fill the temporary vacancy. If there was no young man belonging to one of the families available, a local person known to the Superintendent and approved by him would be appointed. At one time both Algernon Spong, the Superintendent’s son, aged 17 and described as a farmer, and Samuel Martin Jnr, the son of one of the assistants, were temporarily employed. Unfortunately Martin ‘got some alcohol somewhere’, became abusive and was discharged, to be replaced by another of Spong’s sons. This was a matter of necessity rather than nepotism since the few locals who might have been available were not the persons one would choose for the serious responsibility that would be theirs. Indeed for quite some time the ‘pool’ of temporary replacements was so low that at the end of 1873 the Harbour Master of the Hobart Marine Board, J.H. Babington, had stood a short stint as Acting Superintendent to allow Spong to take leave.

It appears from this account that both Algernon and Harold were E N's sons.

Here as a later extract from the above book:

Though Spong had won respect throughout his administration and had contributed extensively to the well-being not only of the station staff and those whom the fury of the elements threw upon his charge but also of the early settlement of King Island in general, he had some unpleasant experiences. There was the continuing animosity of the itinerant hunters and fishermen who thought themselves entitled to appropriate anything that appealed to them. Spong was prepared for this. But it must have been a shock when members of his own staff made complaints against him. When confronted by Spong they withdrew their allegations and left the station. Fortunately they were replaced by thoroughly loyal and dependable men - Nilsson, Taylor and Howard. Taylor became assistant at the Currie Harbour light on its inauguration.

It was about the same time that it was discovered that the wooden handrail on the balcony outside the lantern had partially rotted away. To find oneself 44 metres (145 feet) above the ground in a thick fog or a howling gale with only the wall of the tower on one side and a rotting handrail on the other would be a supreme test of equanimity. His request for an iron railing was not considered unreasonable.

Earlier in his tenure Spong had to report that one of his assistants had been arrested for plundering and stealing from the wreck of the Arrow. When the man was to leave for his trial in Melbourne, he was found to be so intoxicated that he had to be carried aboard the vessel. His furniture and other effects had to be left behind.

Spong's successor, in 1882, Superintendent Garroway, must have wondered at the non-appearance of his newly appointed assistant, George Johnston, who had the reputation of being reliable.

Here are a few more extracts from an AMSA document drawn from the following references:

King Island - C. Sullivan
Lighthouse Logbooks - Archives Tasmania
King Island Story - R. Hooper

... After one year Capt. Duigan's place was taken by Capt. Edward Nash Spong, who with his wife Mary from Bruny Island, lived there for twenty years from 1862-1882. They had two children when they arrived, a daughter Edith was born in 1866 and a son Edgar in 1868 ...

... William Hickmott, together with others on the island helped the survivors of many shipwrecks. When the news of the "Netherby" was brought to Cape Wickham by Parry, the midshipman and nine other men, William Hickmott walked back to the wreck. He left Wickham at 10 p.m. and arrived at the wreck, near Currie Harbour, at 2 p.m. the next day. He later said that it was the blackest night he had ever known. He then led 117 men back to Wickham where they were accommodated in the keepers' quarters, the telegraph house and the church. Mrs Spong's baby daughter Edith, was just one month old at that time.

Headstones like this are a reminder of some of the wrecks the Spongs had to deal with Photo: Ed Kavaluinas

Life was not always well ordered at the lighthouse station, there were still groups of-itinerants on the islands Who were a law unto themselves. Mr. Spong reported that he was often in fear for his life. Food and goods from shipwrecks were stolen sometimes even when they were being salvaged ...

... Another major shipwreck at Cape Wickham was that of the "Loch Leven", 1439 tons,with the first cargo of wool for England from Geelong in 1871.

When it went aground on Harbinger reef on a morning of thick fog all the crew of 32 and Capt. William Branscombe came safely ashore at Victoria Cove. They were taken to the lighthouse station for breakfast, then Capt. Branscombe decided to go back to the ship for the ship's papers.

In spite of Capt. Spong's advice that it would be dangerous to do so because of a "high and irregular surf", they.set out. Disaster occurred when the boat was swamped by a ten foot wave which overturned the boat throwing them into the water. They were all knocked about by the oars and tossed against the boat. It is probable that Capt. Branscombe was stunned at this time as the second Officer's attempts to help him were unsuccessful. His death was a needless tragedy but mercifully all the others reached the shore safely.

A coffin was made of spare boat planks and the body buried the next day in the church enclosure, Capt. Spong reading the burial service. The stone marking his grave can be seen together with that of George Hickmott, William Hickmott's uncle, who died on Dec. 4th 1880. These graves were reconstructed by three concerned residents in 1961 ...

REPORT on the King's Island Lighthouses, presented to the Board by the Master Warden July 2, 1880:

... The Superintendent has a considerable number of cattle and pigs running in the neighbourhood, which seemed to be doing well. It is curious that whilst cattle thrive at King's Island neither sheep nor goats succeed, but after two or three years die off from what is called the "coast disease." Horses also, Mr. Spong informed me, have to be kept stabled during a certain time of the year to prevent them from eating a wild pea which induces a species of madness. The soil in the neighbourbood of Cape Wickham is good, and in places rich, and all sorts of grain and vegetables are easily grown. In the Superintendent's store we saw fine potatoes and onions; and in the garden, which is of considerable extent, there were carrots, turnips, and marigolds growing to a large size.

Regards

Malcolm Macdonald
Email Malcolm Macdonald