Wollongong Head Lighthouse facts for kids
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| Wollongong Head Lighthouse | |
 Wollongong Head Lighthouse
Location in New South Wales
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| Location | Flagstaff Point, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Coordinates | 34°25′19″S 150°54′35″E / 34.42194°S 150.90972°E |
| Year first constructed | 1936 |
| Automated | 1936 |
| Construction | Reinforced concrete tower |
| Tower shape | Fluted cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | White tower and lantern |
| Height | 25.3 metres (83 ft) |
| Focal height | 40 metres (130 ft) |
| Intensity | White: 70,000 cd red: 17 000 cd |
| Range | 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) |
| Characteristic | Oc W 6s. red light towards shallow waters |
| Admiralty number | K2614 |
| NGA number | 1116416 |
| ARLHS number | AUS-173 |
The Wollongong Head Lighthouse is an important lighthouse in Wollongong, a coastal city south of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is also known as Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse or Flagstaff Point Light. This lighthouse stands on top of Flagstaff Point, looking out over the Tasman Sea.
Wollongong is special because it's the only place on the east coast of Australia with two lighthouses close to each other. The other one is the Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse. The Wollongong Harbour is a busy place, home to private boats and local fishing ships. South of the city is Port Kembla, a big harbour for steel, minerals, and other goods. There's also a group of islands called The Five Islands nearby, which can be a danger to ships.
History of the Lighthouse
The Wollongong Head Lighthouse was built in 1936 by the Department of Shipping and Transport. Its main job was to help guide ships safely into Port Kembla Harbour, which is located to the south. This lighthouse was the first new one built in New South Wales since 1903. It was also the first lighthouse in Australia to have fully automatic flashing lights. This meant it could operate on its own without someone needing to turn the light on and off.
The tower is made from strong reinforced concrete. This special material helps it stand up to the powerful winds and splashing waves that hit Flagstaff Point. The light from the lighthouse is both white and red. The white light shines for 4.5 seconds and can be seen across 100 degrees. The red light can be seen across 80 degrees. The red light is a warning sign, showing sailors where shallow water is located.
In 1974, the older Wollongong Lighthouse, which was just a few hundred metres away, stopped working. After that, the Wollongong Head Lighthouse became the only active lighthouse at Flagstaff Point.
A Special Landmark
On January 7, 2000, the Wollongong Head Lighthouse was officially listed as a local government heritage building. This means it's an important historical site. It was recognized for being the very first fully automatic electric lighthouse in Australia.
Today, the lighthouse is a very popular spot for everyone. Locals, visitors, and students from the nearby University of Wollongong love to come here. It's a great place for a picnic and offers amazing views of the coast.
