Lighthouses of Victoria

The Whalers Bluff Lighthouse

The Whaler's Bluff Lighthouse guides vessels past the treacherous Whaler's Reef into the Portland Harbour.

• Operation
• History
• Access
• Features
• Letters
• Surrounding Area
• Other Whalers Bluff Sites

The Whalers Bluff Lighthouse at dusk
Photograph: 4C's Enterprises

The Whalers Bluff Lighthouse
Photograph: Greg Walker

The Whalers Bluff Lighthouse was originally erected with keeper's quarters on Battery Point in 1859 and was know as the Portland Bay Lighthouse.

It was first lit in that year.

The lantern is catadioptric made in England.

The lighthouse relocated, stone by stone, to it's current position on North Bluff (now Whaler's Bluff) in 1889 to make way for gun emplacements on Battery Point.

Another reason given for the relocation was that it was less vulnerable to attack on Whaler's Bluff.

Dacre Smith in his book notes an interesting written direction at the time of the relocation:

"Lighthouse keepers are not, without authority, to permit views of defence works to be taken from the lighthouse towers or premises by photographers or others, and no information shall be supplied respecting such defence works".

Special Thanks to:

• Ed Kavaliunas for Photographs
• 4C's Enterprises for Photograph
• Greg Walker for Photographs
• Winsome Bonham for Photograph
• Kristie Eggleston for Photograph

Sources:

• Brian Lord
• The Lighthouses of Victoria by Dacre Smyth
• From Dusk Till Dawn by Gordon Reid

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)