Last Trail to Antartica - Last Views to Antartica
The views are Amazing
Where the Two Oceans Meet
The Stunning West Coast
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
The Lighthouse Keeper's Residence
A step back in Time
The Cape Leeuwin lighthouse, completed in 1896, was a particularly important link in the development of coastal lights that eventually circled mainland Australia. It is a fine example of stone lighthouse construction typical of the late 19th century. The lighthouse is located on rocky ground only 20 metres above sea level, necessitating a tall tower to lift the light to the operational height necessary to make it visible for 20 miles out to sea in order to warn passing vessels of the dangers of the rocky coast that extend some distance from the mainland. A number of technical innovations were needed to achieve this at the time, including the specially designed large (and heavy) optics, and the first implementation by the lighthouse specialists, Chance Brothers, of a mercury bath bearing to accommodate the weight of the optics while allowing for an unusually high flash frequency.
By the 1870s the south-west of Western Australia was still only sparsely settled. The nearest settlement to Cape Leeuwin was Augusta. Colonial settlers first arrived in the area aboard the Emily Taylor in May 1830.6 However, by 1834 the majority of these settlers had moved north to Busselton where farming conditions were considered to be less harsh, and the Augusta area was largely abandoned. A second wave of settlers arrived in the region in the 1860s.8 The presence of tall stands of timber tempted some of the early settlers into trying to establish a timber industry. However, Augusta’s isolated location made this resource difficult to exploit. It was not until Maurice Coleman Davies settled in Augusta in the 1880s, that the timber industry became a major force in the district. Davies established a number of mills in the area and constructed a tramway between his mills. Jetties were established at Hamelin Bay (used in summer) and Flinders Bay (used in winter). A number of small townships grew up around the timber mills including Karridale, Boranup, Hamelin and Jarrahdene. Davies grew up on the Victorian goldfields and became a building supplier and contractor. He moved to Adelaide where he went into partnership with John Wishart. In 1875 Davies moved to Western Australia where he established his timber milling business. Davies saw a need for a light near the south-west cape as his timber mills exported large quantities of timber from ports in this area. He began urging for the construction of a light in 1881.
At an inter-colonial conference held in Sydney in 1873 to discuss the management and maintenance of coastal lights, it was determined that twenty-four new lights were required Australia-wide. Two new lights were suggested for the Western Australian coast, one at Cape Naturaliste and the other at Cape Hamelin (near Cape Leeuwin). The delegates agreed that the construction and maintenance of lighthouses would remain the responsibility of the colony in which the lighthouse was situated, unless the light was specifically sited for the benefit of another colony.
The Western Australian Premier, John Forrest, laid the foundation stone for the lighthouse on 13 December 1895. A jar containing newspapers of the day, coins and other documents was placed under the stone.
In the mid 1920s an oil engine was used to assist in pumping water up to the keepers’ quarters and in later years the wheel was completely bypassed when a motor was directly linked to the hydraulic ram. The waterwheel became redundant in 1978 when the lighthouse site was connected to the Augusta town water supply. By 1908, it had been decided that an additional assistant lighthouse keeper was required. The successful tenderer for the erection of a new dwelling, at £605, was Mr Longbottom. Unlike the three original cottages the new building was timber framed and clad. The building took three months to construct and was completed by September 1908. It lay to the south of the other three cottages.Other additional buildings which once existed on the site included stables, chaff house and a cart house. Early photographs show that each residence was once surrounded by a timber picket fence. The early keepers were expected not only to keep the light operational, but they also passed on shipping reports and kept weather records.There have been only two shipwrecks off Cape Leeuwin. The Pericles in 1910 and HMAS Nizam in 1945. In both instances, the keepers assisted the ship wrecked passengers and sailors to safety and alerted the authorities to the tragedies.
The lighthouse was built to support coastal shipping, making it safer and more reliable, which encouraged the development of local industries and subsequent growth and prosperity of communities. The lighthouse system was particularly instrumental in the growth of the timber industry in south-western Australia, which relied on ships to transport the heavy cargoes. Today, the Cape Leeuwin light continues to operate to the benefit of coastal shipping and leisure-craft.
The geocache is down the pathway to the beach, above the high water line, near the fence.
There is NO need to enter the Lighthouse grounds to obtain the geocache.
BYO Pen - please ensure you put your name on the log sheet or your smiley will be deleted.
Enjoy you tour around the South West Corner of Western Australia - The Last Trail to Antartica