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Macquarie Lighthouse Group
| Source: |
Go to the Register of the National Estate for more information. |
| Identifier: |
2519 |
| Location: |
Old South Head Rd, Vaucluse |
Local
Government: |
Woollahra Municipality |
| State: |
NSW |
| Country: |
Australia |
Statement of
Significance: |
The Macquarie Lightstation, built in 1883, is significant as the site of the first lighthouse to be built in Australia and represents the longest continuously operating site of a navigational beacon in Australia (Criterion B.2). The Lightstation is significant for providing a rare example of the historical association with the colonial Governor Lachlan Macquarie and with colonial architects Francis Greenway and James Barnet (Criterion H.1). The Lightstation is significant for its outstanding landscape value, located on a dominant and dramatic portion at the entry to Sydney Harbour. The nineteenth century buildings possess a visual unity in their harmony of form, scale, materials and textures (Criteria E.1 and F.1). The Lightstation is significant for illustrating the difficulties of construction in the early period of European settlement, including the isolation of the site and of the colony and the necessity to quarry materials on site (Criterion A.4). The Lightstation is significant for providing material evidence of the changing living and working conditions of the lighthouse keepers and their families, who constitute an early maritime community (Criterion A.4). |
| Description: |
Situated on Sydney harbour's southern headland, Macquarie Lighthouse is a prominent regional landmark. An icon of National significance, the tower is representative of the vital link and dependence of Australia with the sea. The property is located 18km from the central business district of Sydney, situated wholly within the Municipality of Woollahra in the suburb of Vaucluse. The Lightstation precinct covers an area of approximately 2.2ha. Over 170 years of settlement are represented on the site, including remnants of the colonial 1816 Lighthouse, retaining wall and various archaeological sites. There are four primary structures, predominantly of Victorian vintage. These include the Lighthouse, the head lighthouse keepers quarters and the semi-detached assistant keepers quarters, all substantially constructed in the 1880s. A townhouse complex occupies a south-eastern part of the property. This is the largest of the residential buildings, (consisting of four dwellings) and was constructed in stages from 1969-72. Macquarie Lighthouse was the first to be erected in Australia. The building of the signal station and Lighthouse, which was to be known as Macquarie Tower, commenced in 1816 and was completed on 16 March 1818. It was officially designed and supervised by Captain John Gill, Acting Principal Engineer of the Government and Francis Howard Greenway as architect. However, the sandstone walls soon began to crumble away and within fifty years the tower had to be strapped with iron bands. In 1881 the building of a new Lighthouse 12ft (3.6m) away from the original Lighthouse commenced. The light in the present tower was first exhibited on 1 June 1883. The Colonial Architect James Barnet designed the new tower based on the design of Greenway's tower. The lantern was slightly larger and the internal arrangements were quite different. The power for the new light was generated by two dynamos driven by two coal gas engines. The light proved far too costly and in 1912 was replaced by an incandescent kerosene gas apparatus. In January 1933, the light was again converted to electricity and the candle power, which in 1912 had been reduced to 100,000, was increased to 1,140,000 with the visibility being 25 miles (40km). The focal plane of the light is 344ft (105m) above high water and the Lighthouse is 85ft (26m) high. The Lighthouse is situated immediately landward of the original Lighthouse. The tower is 61ft (20m) high from ground to floor of lantern, divided into four storeys. All floors and staircases are of iron. It is circular in plan, 11.5ft (3.5m) diameter on the inside, built of sandstone, dressed both sides, designed to resemble as closely as possible the old Lighthouse. The base of the tower, externally is 23.5ft (7.17m) square, to a height of 17ft (5.2m), above which it is circular. The walls are 4ft thick at the bottom, tapering to 3ft (0.9m) thick at the top. It has a bluestone gallery around the lantern, with gun metal railing. Engine room, oil stores and workrooms are provided in two one storey wings, one on either side of the tower and attached to same, the wings being each about 24ft (3.6m) square, surmounted by domes constructed of woodwork and covered with lead. The quarters for the Assistant Keepers formed part of Barnet's original scheme. Their design was altered a number of times: it was intended to provide verandahs on all the frontages, however that on the western side was to be omitted because of the position of the west wall on the boundary line. The quarters were actually constructed some distance to the east of the boundary and the western verandah was built as originally planned. An interesting feature on the east wall of the structure is the provision of two metal brackets for the storage of a flag pole. The stables were designed by Barnet in conjunction with his 1880-83 building program. Over the years, there have been a number of changes in function. The stable and forage room have become a workshop and storeroom and the cart shed now houses an automobile. However, the structure itself has remained unaltered, the stalls with their mangers and boxes being preserved intact as is the stone flooring. The retaining wall was designed by Greenway as the eastern limit of his dwarf terrace. Its length was equal to the external distance between the two military barracks on the road frontage. The lower portion of the wall ran uninterrupted from north to south. On top of this was a coping course surmounted by a non-continuous wall, three courses in height. This latter part of the wall should be distinguished from the stone and lattice perimeter fence which surrounded the precinct on the three remaining sides. The townhouses were constructed in 1965-66 to accommodate four maintenance men and their families. The two western units are located on the site of the Engineer's Quarters. The erection of this structure formed part of a building program which included replacing fencing and construction of an access road and path. |
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