Sugarloaf Point Light facts for kids
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| Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse | |
 Sugarloaf Point Light
Location in New South Wales
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| Location | Seal Rocks Road, Myall Lakes National Park, Seal Rocks, Mid-Coast Council, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Coordinates | 32°26′27″S 152°32′21″E / 32.44083°S 152.53917°E |
| Year first constructed | 1875 |
| Automated | 1987 |
| Construction | Rendered brick tower |
| Tower shape | Cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern, external spiral stairway |
| Markings / pattern | White tower and lantern, black balcony rail |
| Height | 49 feet (15 m) |
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| Original lens | 1st order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens |
| Intensity | 780,000 cd |
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| Characteristic |
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| Admiralty number | K2776 |
| NGA number | 111-6048 |
| ARLHS number | AUS-155 |
The Sugarloaf Point Light, also known as Seal Rocks Lighthouse, is a working lighthouse in New South Wales, Australia. It stands on Sugarloaf Point, about 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) southeast of Seal Rocks. This lighthouse helps guide ships away from the dangerous rock formations nearby.
It was the first lighthouse designed by James Barnet, a famous architect. John McLeod built it between 1874 and 1875. It is special because it's one of only two lighthouses in Australia with an outside stairway. The land it sits on is owned by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is listed as an important historical site.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority operates the light. The buildings are cared for by the Land and Property Management Authority. Sugarloaf Point is part of Myall Lakes National Park. You can drive to the lighthouse, but the tower itself is not open to visitors. However, a nearby lookout offers great views.
Contents
History of the Lighthouse
Early Days and the Worimi People
The land around Seal Rocks and Myall Lakes traditionally belongs to the Worimi people. Their territory stretched from the Hunter River in the south to Forster-Tuncurry in the north. The Worimi lived by hunting and gathering, using the ocean's resources for food. They had many important meeting places and spiritual sites along the coast. You can still find signs of their presence, like scarred trees and ancient campsites.
In the early 1800s, Europeans started exploring the Myall Lakes area. As more ships sailed along the coast, the rocky areas near Sugarloaf Point became very dangerous. Even though the first lighthouse in New South Wales was built in 1818, it took many years to plan a system of lighthouses for the whole coastline.
Why a Lighthouse Was Needed
In 1863, a group of experts suggested building a lighthouse at Seal Rocks. They saw that more and more ships were using the coast. They said it was urgent to make shipping safer. Everyone agreed a lighthouse was needed, but it took 10 more years to decide where to put it.
Building the lighthouse directly on Seal Rocks was the best idea. But it was too hard to get materials and workers there. So, in 1873, they chose Sugarloaf Point instead. James Barnet, the Colonial Architect, and Captain Francis Hixson, head of the Marine Board, picked the spot. Captain Hixson famously wanted the NSW coast to be "illuminated like a street with lamps." By the early 1900s, his dream came true, with 25 coastal lighthouses in NSW.
Once the location was set, Barnet drew up the plans. John McLeod won the contract in April 1874. To build it, workers had to construct a 457-metre (1,500 ft) long jetty. This jetty helped land 1,800 tonnes (2,000 short tons) of building supplies. The lighthouse was finished in 1875, and its light shone for the first time on December 1, 1875. A road was also built to the nearby town of Bungwahl.
The lighthouse tower is 15 metres (49 ft) tall. It has two stories and a curved balcony. Barnet also designed other buildings for the site. These included a Head Keeper's cottage and two Assistant Keepers' cottages. There was also a signal house and a paint store. These buildings were placed on the southern side of the headland. This protected them from the harsh coastal weather.
How the Lighthouse Operated
The Sugarloaf Point Lightstation was ready in just 18 months. On December 1, 1875, the light was turned on. It used a special lens from England. The tower stood 61 metres (200 ft) above the sea. Its white flashing light had a brightness of 50,000 candela.
The original lens is still there today. It's a large Fresnel lens from Chance Bros. At first, it used a kerosene lamp with a brightness of 122,000 candela. In 1923, it was updated to a carbide lamp, making it brighter at 174,000 candela.
In 1966, the light was changed to electricity. Its brightness increased to 1,000,000 candela. The lighthouse became automated in 1987. This meant keepers were no longer needed to operate it. A caretaker stayed on site until 2006-2007. After that, the old keeper's houses were renovated for tourists.
Today, the light uses a 120 V 1,000 W quartz halogen lamp. It runs on electricity, with a backup diesel generator. The light is 780,000 candela bright. It flashes white every 7.5 seconds. There is also a separate red light that shines towards the south. This red light warns ships about Seal Rocks and other dangers. This secondary light was originally green but changed to red in the 1980s.
The Sugarloaf Point Lightstation has changed over time with new technology. But its main lens is still the original one. It is the only one of its kind still working in Australia. The station now serves as a popular tourist spot. Its buildings are used for holiday accommodation.
What the Lighthouse Looks Like
The Sugarloaf Point Lightstation is inside the Myall Lakes National Park. It sits on a high point of land called Seal Rocks headland. The station includes the lighthouse and other buildings. These are the Head Keeper's and Assistant Keepers' Cottages, a Signal House, a Paint Store, and a Generator Building.
The lighthouse tower is 15 metres (49 ft) tall. It is made of bricks covered in white cement. It has two stories inside. An outside bluestone stairway leads to the first floor. From there, iron stairs go up to the lantern room. Around the top of the tower is a bluestone gallery. This gallery has a curved black metal railing. The roof of the lantern room is a copper dome. A brick path surrounds the base of the tower.
The lighthouse is surrounded by other simple, old buildings. They are all made of blue and white painted brick. These buildings were placed away from the tower. They are nestled into the land to protect them from the strong coastal winds. The Head Keeper's cottage and two Assistant Keepers' cottages are near the lighthouse. They were renovated in 2006 and are now used for holiday stays. North of the tower is a signal station with a flagstaff. Other buildings include a generator shed, a workshop, a paint store, and a garage.
Condition and Changes
The lighthouse and its buildings are kept in very good condition. This is because they are still used as a lighthouse and a tourist spot. Caretakers live on site and look after them every day.
Over the years, some parts of the buildings have been updated. For example, kitchens and bathrooms have been changed. But the main layout and original details of the buildings are still clear. The lighthouse has also been updated with new technology. It changed from oil to kerosene in 1911, then to electricity in 1966. The auxiliary light, which warns about Seal Rocks, changed from green to red in 1984. The station became fully automated in 1987.
Historical Importance
The Sugarloaf Point Lightstation is very important to the history of New South Wales. It was built in 1875 and was the first major lighthouse in the "highway of lights." This was a system of navigation aids built along the NSW coast in the 1800s. These lighthouses were vital for safe shipping.
The lighthouse is also important because of its connection to James Barnet and Captain Francis Hixson. Barnet was the Colonial Architect. This was his first major lighthouse design. Many of its features, like the curved balconies and domed oil store, became his signature style. The external staircase is a unique feature for his designs.
The site also holds archaeological clues about its construction. Remnants of the construction camp from 1874-1875 are still there. It also shows how the Worimi people lived in the area before Europeans arrived.
The Sugarloaf Point Lightstation is a great example of the lighthouses built in NSW. It shows how coastal infrastructure was managed and how lighthouse technology improved over time. Its design and compact group of buildings are typical of regional lighthouse complexes across Australia.
