Nobbys Head

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Nobbys Head Lighthouse

Nobbys Head, Newcastle
Location: South side of entrance to Newcastle Harbour, New South Wales.
Coordinates
WGS-84 (GPS)		 32°55.01"S 151°48.00"E
Year first lit: 1 January 1858
Automated: 1935
Construction: Dressed sandstone
Tower shape: conical tower
Height: 9.8 m (32 ft)
Elevation: 35.1 m (115 ft)
Intensity: 20,000 cd
Range: 24 nautical miles (44 km)

Originally called Coal Island, Nobbys Head is the third lighthouse built in New South Wales after the Macquarie Lighthouse in 1818 and the Hornby Lighthouse which was also built in 1858[1]. The lighthouse is located on the South side of the entrance to Newcastle Harbour and is included in Newcastle's Coat of Arms[2].

Contents

[edit] History

Plaque explaining history of Nobbys Head
Plaque explaining history of Nobbys Head

Nobbys Head was first sighted by Europeans on 10 May 1770 by Captain James Cook from the ship Endeavour and was described by Cook as;

"A small round rock or Island, laying close under the land, bore South 82 degrees West, distance 3 or 4 Leagues".[3]

It was not until the discovery of coal by Lt. John Shortland in 1797, that the island was viewed as having any significance.[4]

In 1804, Signal Head was the first place in Newcastle that any form of Navigational aid was set up. Originally a coal burning light, it was changed over to oil in 1821 for a short period of time but was reverted back to coal as the oil system was not reliable.[1]

Governor Macquarie ordered a pier to be built to join Coal island to Collier Point. The pier was started the 5 August 1818 and convict labour was used to do the construction. It took 38 years to complete the pier and during this time numerous convicts were lost to the sea due to the convicts having to work through all sea and weather conditions, night and day. [5][6]

Nobbys Head was originally 62 metres (203 ft) high but was reduced to 27.5 metres (90 ft) because sailing ships were losing wind in the sails as they rounded Nobbys Head. The rock taken from Nobbys to reduce its height was used in the pier's construction.[7][8]

[edit] Future

Nobbys Lighthouse and Newcastle Port Corporation (Custodians of Nobbys Head) have proposed alterations and additions to buildings on Nobbys Headland. They hope to develop an interpretive facility, restaurant and tourist accommodation.[9]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Nobbys Head Lighthouse at Newcastle. Lighthouses of New South Wales Inc. Retrieved on 14 September 2007.
  2. ^ Commonwealth heritage places in New South Wales (Nobbys Lighthouse, Newcastle East). Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Retrieved on 12 September 2007.
  3. ^ James Cook (1768-71). Captain Cook's Journal During the First Voyage Round the World (English). Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, London. 1893. Retrieved on 29 August 2007.
  4. ^ First Discovery of Nobbys. Newcastle Port Corporation. Retrieved on 14 September 2007.
  5. ^ Australia's First Port. Newcastle Port Corporation. Retrieved on 14 September 2007.
  6. ^ Convict Built Pier. Newcastle Port Corporation. Retrieved on 14 September 2007.
  7. ^ Wind In Ship Sails. Newcastle Port Corporation. Retrieved on 14 September 2007.
  8. ^ Nobbys is the enduring landmark of Newcastle. Newcastle City Council. Retrieved on 14 September 2007.
  9. ^ Nobbys Lighthouse, Overlooking Newcastle Harbour, NSW Australia. Newcastle Port Corporation. Retrieved on 14 September 2007.


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