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Lighthouses of Western Australia
State Indexes > WA > Moore Point Lighthouse

The Moore Point Lighthouse at Geraldton

The Moore Point Lighthouse was the first all steel tower built on the mainland of Australia.

It is also the oldest surviving Western Australia lighthouse under Federal control.

The Moore Point Lighthouse at Sunset [Photograph: Annette Flottwell]
The Moore Point Lighthouse in the Evening
Photograph: Annette Flotwell

Operation

LOCATION: Latitude 28° 47' S; Longitude 114° 34' 7" E (map)
OPERATOR: Australian Maritime Safety Authority
CHARACTER: Group Flashing (2) Every 10 Seconds
LIGHT SOURCE: 120v 1000w Tungsten Halogen Lamp
POWER SOURCE: Mains Electricity; Diesel Standby
INTENSITY: 410,000 cd
ELEVATION: 35 Metres
RANGE: 23 nautical miles (24 Kilometres)
HEIGHT:  

History

The foundation were originally laid for the Moore Point Lighthouse in 1877, but were found to be in the wrong place. Following this discovery they were relocated to the current site 5 kilometres from the centre of Geraldton.

The tower was a prefabricated steel tower by Chance Bros. of Birmingham, and brought to Australia in segments from England aboard the 'Lady Louisa'. It was bolted together on the new foundations.

The light was first exhibited in 1878. There was also a subsidiary light giving two beams but this has since been removed.

The original original kerosene wick lamp was replaced by an incandescent-mantle lamp in 1911. A further conversion to electricity was undertaken in 1958.

The light was significantly upgraded in power in 1962 when the candelas was raised from 90,000 to 320,000. The character was altered to the current configuration at the same time.

The light was further upgraded in 1985.

The tower's day mark of four red, and three white bands was added in 1969.

The Moore Point lighthouse is the oldest surviving Commonwealth lighthouse in Western. It was also the first the first steel tower on the mainland of Australia

The Moore Point Lighthouse Lantern [Photograph: Annette Flottwell]
The Moore Point Lighthouse Lantern
Photograph: Annette Flotwell 


Moore Point Lighthouse from the air
Photograph: John Ibbotson

The Moore Point Lighthouse [Photograph: Brian Lord]
The Moore Point Lighthouse
Photograph: Brian Lord 

Access

The lighthouse is accessible by road, 5 kilometres from the Geraldton town centre. It is not known whether there are tours at this point.

  

The Surrounding Area

  • The Geraldton area
  • The Geraldton Historical Society (Inc)
  • The Houtman Abrolhos Archipelago
  • The Pelsart Island Lightstation to the south
  • The destroyed Bluff Point Lighthouse also at Geraldton
  • The Carnarvon Lighthouse to the north


Aerial view of the Moore Point Lighthouse
Photograph: Winsome Bonham

The Moore Point Lighthouse in Operation [Photograph: Brian Lord]
The Moore Point Lighthouse in operation
Photograph: Brian Lord 		A 1980's Photograph of the Lighthouse [Photograph: Ken Gotts]
A 1980s photograph of the lighthouse
Photograph: Ken Gotts

The Moore Point Lighthouse at Sunset [Photograph: Annette Flottwell]
The Moore Point Lighthouse at sunset
Photograph: Annette Flotwell

Special Thanks to:

  • Annette Flotwell for Photographs

  • Brian Lord for Photographs

  • John Ibbotson for Photograph

  • Ken Gotts for Photograph

  • Winsome Bonham for Photograph

Sources:

  • Brian Lord

  • Australian Maritime Safety Authority

  • From Dusk Till Dawn by Gordon Reid

  • Mrs Glenis Thomas, Geraldton Historical Society

Page last updated:
Page created:		 23/5/99
23/5/99

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