Barnet's Greenway Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Ngaambul: As there's been either no response from the cache owner, no cache to find or log to sign, or it's been a number of months since the last owner note. I'm archiving it to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. If you wish to repair/replace/make available the cache sometime in the near future (next 30 days), just contact us (by email), and assuming it meets the current guidelines, we'll be happy to unarchive it. Should you replace the cache after 30 days has passed please create a new cache listing so it can be reviewed as a new cache.

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Hidden : 8/3/2007
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Barnet’s Greenway is a tribute to the design and construction of Australia’s first Lighthouse and is a stones throw from the cache.

This park nearby (actual cache location) is littered with muggles on a weekend as it has a number of sports fields and is a favourite walk of both people and dogs, so please take care when searching for this as stealth is required. As well as having some history the story below also holds some clues if you can spot them. This is a small cache and best to bring your own writing instrument.

In 1791 a flagstaff was placed on this site and then two years later a wood and coal beacon was created and that was the first light and form of major communication that could be used by ocean vessels to navigate in towards South Head Sydney.

The first structure of a Lighthouse began in 1816 and took two years to complete. This work was given to Francis Greenway (the renowned convict architect) and is only one of the many beautiful structures that he was responsible for in the early period of Sydney’s establishment. This building had such an effect on Governor Macquarie that he granted Greenway his freedom at the completion of the project. Greenway was not happy with all of the aspects of the building and repeatedly questioned the use of the sandstone to build the tower section yet his pleas went unheard. After only five years Greenway’s fears were confirmed and large sections of sandstone began to fall away and iron bars had to be clipped around the tower for reinforcement.

By 1878 the tower was so dangerous the government decided to build a new tower. Work began in 1881 and was completed in 1883 this time designed by James Barnet using better materials yet keeping virtually the same design. Barnet went on to design a number of lighthouses after this one.

Australia’s first Lighthouse Keeper was Robert Watson who arrived on HMS Sirius and was only able to hold the position for one year as he became ill and died in 1819. He is commemorated by naming the surrounding area ‘Watson’s Bay’

Lighthouse facts:

• The original light flashed once every minute and was visible for 22 miles.
• The light in the new building has a giant lens and was a first order sixteen sided dioptric holophotal revolving white light based on the Fresnel system, about two metres in diameter showing an eight second flash every minute, and with a range of 25 nautical miles.
• The lighting apparatus at the time was described by the builder, Chance Brothers, of Birmingham as the most efficient in the world. It was electric in operation, with the power being produced by two De Meritens magnetos weighing two and a half tons. These were driven by an eight-horse power "Crossley - otto cycle" silent horizontal coal gas engine at 830 rpm
• The electric apparatus was only used in bad weather. When the weather got really bad the second magneto was brought into operation producing a light of 6,000,000 candelas, the most powerful in the world at the time. In clear weather the illuminate was provided by a gas burner.
• With the commencement of the new light, the lantern was removed from the old tower but the structure itself was not demolished for several years.
• The lighthouse was fully automated in 1976.The keepers were eventually withdrawn in 1989.

First to Find may be in luck and scratch it rich. Good Luck and please place the cache as it was. You may need to do some stretching exercises to grab this one.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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