Nobbys Head Light facts for kids
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| Nobbys Head Light, 1902 | |
 Nobbys Lighthouse
Location in New South Wales
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| Location | Nobbys Head, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Coordinates | 32°55′6.86″S 151°47′54.27″E / 32.9185722°S 151.7984083°E |
| Year first constructed | 1821 (first) |
| Year first lit | 1858 (current) |
| Automated | 1935 |
| Construction | dressed sandstone |
| Tower shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower and lantern |
| Height | 9.8 metres (32 ft) |
| Focal height | 35 metres (115 ft) |
| Intensity | 580,000 cd |
| Range | 24 nmi (44 km; 28 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl (3) W 20s. |
| Fog signal | siren: 1 blast every 20s. |
| Admiralty number | K2728 |
| NGA number | 111-6064 |
| ARLHS number | AUS-118 |
Nobbys Head Light is a working lighthouse located on Nobbys Head. This is a piece of land that sticks out into the ocean at the entrance to Newcastle Harbour in New South Wales, Australia. The lighthouse is so important to Newcastle that a picture of it is even on the City of Newcastle's Coat of Arms!
The Newcastle Port Corporation operates the lighthouse. The land it sits on is managed by the Land Property Management Authority. You can even visit Nobbys Head on Sundays from 10 AM to 4 PM.
History of Nobbys Head Light
The very first light used in this area was an open coal fire. It was placed on Signal Head and could be seen from about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) away. In 1821, this was changed to a large metal device that burned oil. This new light could be seen from 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) away. However, the oil system wasn't very reliable, so they soon went back to using coal.
By 1846, Nobbys Head was connected to the mainland by a causeway. Before this, it was a small island more than 60 meters (200 feet) high. The island's height was lowered to make it easier for ships to sail. This also made space for the lighthouse and a signal station, which were built in 1858.
The lighthouse was designed by Alexander Dawson, who was the New South Wales Government Architect. The first light was quite bright, with an intensity of 20,000 cd. Three lighthouse keepers worked there to keep the light burning.
In 1934, the light was changed to run on electricity and became automated. This meant that lighthouse keepers were no longer needed all the time.
Today, the light comes from a 1000-watt quartz halogen lamp. It gets its power from the main electricity supply, with a diesel generator as a backup in case of a power cut. At the site, there are still three one-story houses where the keepers used to live. There is also a three-story signal station and other buildings. The whole area is lit up at night.
Why Nobbys Lighthouse is Special
Nobbys Lighthouse and its buildings are very important historically. On June 22, 2004, they were added to the Commonwealth Heritage List. This list protects places that are important to Australia's history.
The lighthouse is special for a few reasons:
- It's the oldest lighthouse still standing in New South Wales, built in 1858.
- It's a symbol of Newcastle and is even on the city's Coat of Arms. This shows how much the local community values it.
- It played a big part in setting up navigation aids along the New South Wales coast. This helped ships find their way and supported the area's economic growth.
- It was the first lighthouse built in Australia following new rules for lighthouse construction and upkeep. These rules came from a special report in 1856.
On October 21, 1980, the lighthouse was also listed on the Register of the National Estate. This list no longer exists, but it shows the lighthouse's long history of being recognized as important.
Gallery
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Nobbys Head, 2009
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Nobbys Head in 1887
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View of Nobbys Head from a distance
