Norah Head Light facts for kids
| Tower shape | cylindrical tower attached to 1-story keeper's house |
|---|---|
| Original lens | 1st order bivalve Chance Bros. dioptric Fresnel lens |
The Norah Head Light is an active lighthouse located at Norah Head in New South Wales, Australia. It stands on a piece of land that sticks out into the sea, near the town of Toukley. This lighthouse was the last one built in the style of famous designer James Barnet. It was also the last lighthouse in New South Wales to have people working there all the time.
The Norah Head Light first shone in 1903. Over the years, its light source was updated several times. It started with a kerosene burner, then was made electric in 1961. In 1994, the lighthouse became automated, meaning machines took over the work, and the keepers no longer lived there. It had been staffed for over 90 years! In 2003, the lighthouse celebrated its 100th birthday.
The tower is made of concrete blocks and stands about 27.5 meters (90 feet) tall. At the top, there's a balcony made of bluestone. The original lantern, made by Chance Bros., sits on top of this balcony. Inside the lantern is the powerful Fresnel lens that helps the light shine far out to sea. The lighthouse complex also includes homes for the head lightkeeper and assistant keepers, plus a flag house.
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Why Norah Head Needed a Lighthouse
People started asking for a lighthouse at Norah Head way back in 1861. This area, then called "Bungaree Noragh Point," was known for many shipwrecks. Ships often crashed there because the coastline was dangerous.
A local landowner named Edward Hargraves was a big supporter of building the lighthouse in the late 1800s. However, it took many years for anything to happen. The first official suggestion to build the lighthouse came in 1897 from the Newcastle Marine Board.
The lighthouse was designed by Charles Assinder Harding. His design was similar to the style used by James Barnet, who designed other famous lighthouses like Cape Byron Light. Norah Head Light was the very last lighthouse built in this particular style.
Building the Lighthouse
Construction of the lighthouse began in 1901. Workers built it using a method called "day labour," which meant they were paid daily. Materials for the lighthouse were brought by boat. A special wharf was built at Cabbage Tree Harbour just for unloading these supplies.
The Norah Head Light officially began operating on November 15, 1903. This was two years after the Cape Byron Light started shining. The first head keeper was N. H. Williams, with N. Hanson and S. Kells as his assistants.
The total cost for the tower and the cottages was about £24,000. Around £19,000 went into building the tower itself. The special optical equipment, including the powerful Chance Bros. Fresnel lens with 700 prisms, cost about £5,000.
How the Light Worked
The first light source was a kerosene burner that made a very bright light, strong enough to be seen for about 18 nautical miles. The light mechanism was like a giant grandfather clock. Heavy weights would slowly drop down a 100-foot central column, making the light turn. Keepers had to wind these weights every half an hour!
The light rotated very fast, completing a full turn every 10 seconds. To make it easier to turn, the light floated in a bath of over 15,000 pounds of mercury. This reduced friction.
On April 13, 1923, the light was upgraded to a more powerful kerosene burner. In 1928, the rotation speed was changed to every 30 seconds, which made it easier for the keepers to manage. In 1960, the stables at the complex were turned into a garage.
On March 28, 1961, the lighthouse became electric. This made the light even brighter. At the same time, the number of lightkeepers was reduced from three to two.
In 1994, the Norah Head Light became fully automated, and the keepers moved out. It was one of the last lighthouses in Australia to no longer need people to operate it.
Today, the light uses a 1000-watt tungsten-halogen lamp. It flashes white every 15 seconds and can be seen for 26 nautical miles. It also shows fixed red and green lights to help coastal ships.
The lighthouse celebrated its 100th anniversary on November 15, 2003. It even appeared on the cover of the Wyong Shire Council annual report that year!
Lighthouse Buildings and Features
The Norah Head lighthouse tower is 27.5 meters (90 feet) tall and built from concrete blocks. These blocks were made right on site using local materials. They were then lifted into place and covered with a smooth cement finish, painted white. This building method helped save money.
Inside the tower, there are 96 steps that lead up to the top balcony. The stairs are made of concrete with slate steps and a fancy railing of cast iron and brass.
At the very top of the tower is a bluestone balcony with metal railings. The lantern room sits on top of this balcony. It's made of metal and glass, with clear panels around it for protection. There's also a decorative metal walkway around the glass, used for cleaning. This lantern house is the original one, made by Chance Bros., and it's one of only about 21 like it still existing in Australia.
The main entrance door is made of cedar wood with glass panels. An etching on the glass says Olim Periculum Nunc Salus. This is Latin for "Once Perilous, Now Safe." Above the door, you can see "•A1903D•", which shows the year the lighthouse officially started. There's also a "ghost door" on the outside that was planned but never finished.
The first floor inside the lighthouse has an entry hallway and two rooms. The hallway has patterned tiles and still has the original desk where visitors signed a book. One room was used for paperwork and keeping records; it's now a radio room. The other room used to hold a spare part for the light. Today, it contains the electrical controls, backup batteries, a diesel generator, and a small workshop.
The complex also has homes for the lightkeepers. There's a main keeper's cottage and a duplex for assistant keepers. Both are made of unpainted concrete blocks and originally had red tile roofs. The main cottage has a porch on three sides. The duplex's roof was changed to concrete tiles around 1970.
Other buildings include a small fuel storage shed, a workshop, a paint store, and outdoor toilets. All these smaller buildings are also made of unpainted concrete blocks with tile roofs and are still mostly in their original condition.
As of 2017, one of the cottages is lived in by a resident keeper. The other two cottages can be rented for overnight stays.
Another interesting building is the small signal house, also called the flag house. It was built in 1903 along with a tall wooden flagpole. The flag house looks similar to the lighthouse, made from concrete blocks with smooth walls. It now holds maritime signal flags. The original wooden flagpole is gone, but its concrete base and anchor points remain.
There was also a stable building, made from the same concrete blocks. In 1960, when it was changed into a garage, its roof tiles were replaced. Three original wooden doors from the stable, tack, and carriage rooms are still there.
Underground, there are tanks for fresh water and a sealed tank for collecting condensation water from beneath the tower.
About 100 meters (328 feet) up the hill, there used to be a weather station. It collected weather reports and sent them to the Weather Bureau in Sydney. Today, this is all done electronically.
Who Manages the Lighthouse?
The light itself is operated by Transport for NSW. The land around the lighthouse has been managed by the New South Wales Department of Lands since 1997. From 1997 to 2013, a group called the Norah Head Lighthouse Reserve Trust looked after the tours and accommodations. Since 2013, the Norah Head Lighthouse Trust, appointed by the government, manages these activities.
Visiting the Lighthouse
The lighthouse is located on a narrow strip of land between the ocean and Tuggerah Lake. You can visit the site, and the lighthouse is open for guided tours every day of the year. The only exceptions are Anzac Day and Christmas Day. Two of the cottages are available for overnight stays, and each can sleep eight people. The lighthouse is also a popular place for weddings.
See also
