Friday, July 16, 2010
Great Aussie Adventure - Day 2
Well, I woke up today (Sunday May 23 - Happy Birthday Adam!) and found the Mersey Bluff lighthouse - the one that is on the cover of the travel magazines!! You will notice that the red strips are only on the front of the lighthouse and the back of the lighthouse is all white! Very pretty though. So, far it is my favorite lighthouse in Tasmania!! I wandered around Devonport and found the two small lights that I can only assume work with the little one I saw last night. I also noticed some lovely houses (that reminded me of New England) and a little park with a fountain and memorials.
The Mersey Bluff Lighthouse is at the mouth of the Mersey River. It flashes 4 times in 20 seconds. It is 37 meters (121 feet) above sea level and the white part of the lighthouse can be seen (during the day) from 17 nautical miles and the red part, for 14 nautical miles. It is 13 meters (34 feet) tall. It was established in 1889 and is built of bricks on a stone base. In 1910, the original kerosene lamp was converted to acetylene gas, and then in 1920, it was again converted, to electric this time and demanned. In 1978 it was connected to mains power. Once this lighthouse was built, it ended a history of shipswrecks in the area.
From Devonport, I drove to Penguin (that’s the name of the town, for real!) There were penguins on the public trash cans and on various businesses! And then of course there was the Big Thing Penguin.
From there, I found Round Hill Point Lighthouse, just a small light outside of Chasm Creek.
After Chasm Creek is Table Cape lighthouse, outside of Wyndham. This lighthouse is very pretty. There was a child’s grave there. The boy was the son of the first light keeper who worked at this lighthouse. In the spring, this area is full of tulips. I can only imagine what it looks like with all the different color flowers!! The area was still very pretty and colourful with the grass and dirt.
The Table Cape area was first settled and developed by the Van Dieman’s Land Company in the 1820’s. Originally, Mr. C.B.M. Fenton, a former mariner, kept a light burning in the front window of his house to guide mariners at night. Then, in 1870, two iron beacons were set up at the mouth of the Inglis River. After several shipwrecks, Table Cape was picked as the sight for the lighthouse because of it’s spectacular flat topped promontory with it’s sheer drop to the sea. In 1888, the lighthouse was built, as was the keepers cottages. Originally it was built of bricks and painted white. Three weeks after the lighthouse was opened, the head keeper’s son, Bertie, died when he was 14 months old. It is not know how he died, but the head keeper wrote in his logbook, “Wind south. A strong breeze and misty weather. Employed in the lighthouse and cleaning up about station. At 5.10 p.m. Bertie Jackson, son of the head light keeper, departed this life aged one year and two months." It was decided that Bertie be buried near the lighthouse were his family could tend to his grave.
Originally, the light was powered by an oil burner and was manually tendered. According to Bertram Jackson, younger son of first keeper, Robert Jackson wrote, “The lamp had to be lit every day, as soon as the sun dipped into the sea, and it had to be kept alight all the time until the sun rose again. There were always three of them as I remember it, and they each took a turn to watch the light. They used a special oil called mineral colza, which used to be carted up in big drums by bullock wagon. It was a very clear, white light, and better than kerosene because it caused less soot."
The light was converted to vaporised kerosene in 1913. At this time, the number of keepers was decreased from 3 to 2. Then in 1920, the lighthouse was converted to automatic acetylene and the lighthouse was demanned in 1923. The keepers cottages were demolished in 1926. The lantern room was rebuilt and electricity was connected to lamp in 1979. This light flashes twice in 10 seconds. The lighthouse is 180 meters (590 feet) above sea level and is 25 meters (82 feet) tall. It can been seen for 32 nautical miles.
From Wyndham, I drove to Stanley. The original light from the Highfield Bluff lighthouse has been relocated to the wharf area. The Highfield Bluff Lighthouse is on top of the hill on farm land and not accessible to the public. I figured that it would be closer to the road, but it was not. You might be able to kinda see it if you squint your eyes and turn your head just so! I zoomed in as close as possible with the camera, but I could barely see it from the other side of the fence, it was so far away! Oh well.
Then I headed to Rocky Cape National Park. On the way it looked like it was going to pour down rain. (Funny side note, I was listening to a CD and the song Rain came on - in the song, the chorus says “Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. All the world is waiting for the sun.” and out came the sun!! Thank you Breaking Benjamin! And when I got into the National Park, the sun was out. It’s still freezing cold, but at least with the sun out, it looks really great in photos! And the national park is beautiful!! And of course, Rocky Cape lighthouse is there.
This lighthouse was built in 1968 in Rocky Cape National Park. My map said “once inside the national park access is via unsealed roads. It is poorly signed so take fork to the left of the shanty town then right.” I must have been coming from a different direction, because I drove right up to the lighthouse, never went past a shanty town or any forks in the road!! But that’s good news! This lighthouse flashes once in 10 seconds. It is 64 meters (210 feet) above sea level and is 9 meters (30 feet) tall. It can be seen for 21 nautical miles.
From Rocky Cape, I drove South through the mountains to Strahan. This drive took close to 3 hours, but it was amazing. Cradle Mountain was in the distance, as were several other peaks, I’m not sure what their names are. Then for 11 km’s (6.8 miles)I was driving through a rain forest and the roads were winding and I was getting a little car sick! And then at 3PM or so, the sun was at a funny angle behind me and the shadows cast on the mountains were amazing! I made it to Strahan by 4:30 and was able to book a cruise for the morning to see 1 or 2 lighthouses tomorrow. I drove around the town at sunset and was able to get some great shots of the sun going down! But until tomorrow…
The Mersey Bluff Lighthouse is at the mouth of the Mersey River. It flashes 4 times in 20 seconds. It is 37 meters (121 feet) above sea level and the white part of the lighthouse can be seen (during the day) from 17 nautical miles and the red part, for 14 nautical miles. It is 13 meters (34 feet) tall. It was established in 1889 and is built of bricks on a stone base. In 1910, the original kerosene lamp was converted to acetylene gas, and then in 1920, it was again converted, to electric this time and demanned. In 1978 it was connected to mains power. Once this lighthouse was built, it ended a history of shipswrecks in the area.
From Devonport, I drove to Penguin (that’s the name of the town, for real!) There were penguins on the public trash cans and on various businesses! And then of course there was the Big Thing Penguin.
From there, I found Round Hill Point Lighthouse, just a small light outside of Chasm Creek.
After Chasm Creek is Table Cape lighthouse, outside of Wyndham. This lighthouse is very pretty. There was a child’s grave there. The boy was the son of the first light keeper who worked at this lighthouse. In the spring, this area is full of tulips. I can only imagine what it looks like with all the different color flowers!! The area was still very pretty and colourful with the grass and dirt.
The Table Cape area was first settled and developed by the Van Dieman’s Land Company in the 1820’s. Originally, Mr. C.B.M. Fenton, a former mariner, kept a light burning in the front window of his house to guide mariners at night. Then, in 1870, two iron beacons were set up at the mouth of the Inglis River. After several shipwrecks, Table Cape was picked as the sight for the lighthouse because of it’s spectacular flat topped promontory with it’s sheer drop to the sea. In 1888, the lighthouse was built, as was the keepers cottages. Originally it was built of bricks and painted white. Three weeks after the lighthouse was opened, the head keeper’s son, Bertie, died when he was 14 months old. It is not know how he died, but the head keeper wrote in his logbook, “Wind south. A strong breeze and misty weather. Employed in the lighthouse and cleaning up about station. At 5.10 p.m. Bertie Jackson, son of the head light keeper, departed this life aged one year and two months." It was decided that Bertie be buried near the lighthouse were his family could tend to his grave.
Originally, the light was powered by an oil burner and was manually tendered. According to Bertram Jackson, younger son of first keeper, Robert Jackson wrote, “The lamp had to be lit every day, as soon as the sun dipped into the sea, and it had to be kept alight all the time until the sun rose again. There were always three of them as I remember it, and they each took a turn to watch the light. They used a special oil called mineral colza, which used to be carted up in big drums by bullock wagon. It was a very clear, white light, and better than kerosene because it caused less soot."
The light was converted to vaporised kerosene in 1913. At this time, the number of keepers was decreased from 3 to 2. Then in 1920, the lighthouse was converted to automatic acetylene and the lighthouse was demanned in 1923. The keepers cottages were demolished in 1926. The lantern room was rebuilt and electricity was connected to lamp in 1979. This light flashes twice in 10 seconds. The lighthouse is 180 meters (590 feet) above sea level and is 25 meters (82 feet) tall. It can been seen for 32 nautical miles.
From Wyndham, I drove to Stanley. The original light from the Highfield Bluff lighthouse has been relocated to the wharf area. The Highfield Bluff Lighthouse is on top of the hill on farm land and not accessible to the public. I figured that it would be closer to the road, but it was not. You might be able to kinda see it if you squint your eyes and turn your head just so! I zoomed in as close as possible with the camera, but I could barely see it from the other side of the fence, it was so far away! Oh well.
Stanley is a cute little town, and there is another Big Thing here. This time a lobster on the local seafood shop! (Aussies and their Big Things! You can find out more about them if you Google Big Things + Australia.)
Then I headed to Rocky Cape National Park. On the way it looked like it was going to pour down rain. (Funny side note, I was listening to a CD and the song Rain came on - in the song, the chorus says “Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. All the world is waiting for the sun.” and out came the sun!! Thank you Breaking Benjamin! And when I got into the National Park, the sun was out. It’s still freezing cold, but at least with the sun out, it looks really great in photos! And the national park is beautiful!! And of course, Rocky Cape lighthouse is there.
This lighthouse was built in 1968 in Rocky Cape National Park. My map said “once inside the national park access is via unsealed roads. It is poorly signed so take fork to the left of the shanty town then right.” I must have been coming from a different direction, because I drove right up to the lighthouse, never went past a shanty town or any forks in the road!! But that’s good news! This lighthouse flashes once in 10 seconds. It is 64 meters (210 feet) above sea level and is 9 meters (30 feet) tall. It can be seen for 21 nautical miles.
From Rocky Cape, I drove South through the mountains to Strahan. This drive took close to 3 hours, but it was amazing. Cradle Mountain was in the distance, as were several other peaks, I’m not sure what their names are. Then for 11 km’s (6.8 miles)I was driving through a rain forest and the roads were winding and I was getting a little car sick! And then at 3PM or so, the sun was at a funny angle behind me and the shadows cast on the mountains were amazing! I made it to Strahan by 4:30 and was able to book a cruise for the morning to see 1 or 2 lighthouses tomorrow. I drove around the town at sunset and was able to get some great shots of the sun going down! But until tomorrow…
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
About Me
- Laura
- Denver, Colorado, United States
- I'm originally from Colorado, but I've been living in Australia for three years. Before that, I lived all over the U.S.: Washington State, Maine, California, Oregon, Nebraska, North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and more... No, I'm not a military brat or a military wife; I was a traveling nurse for 5 years so I moved to a new city every 3 months. During my travels, I became intrigued with lighthouses and started making plans to photograph as many as I could in whichever state I was living (including the two in Nebraska!) My blog is about my trips to various lighthouses, as well as other interesting trips. I hope you enjoy reading, and leave a comment or two!
2 comments:
Hmmm, I posted a comment but now it's gone. Please delete this if it's a repeat. And by the way, if anyone says they can't type in the captcha, tell them to hit the "tab" key until the cursor gets there.
Anyway, what I had said before is that the big things are so funny. I had forgotten that I had read about them in "In a Sunburned Country". I had to Google them: http://bit.ly/at2t7K
The Big Things are great!!! I'm reading "In a Sunburned Country" now too!
Post a Comment