McCrae (Eastern) Lighthouse

The Eastern Shore Light at McCrae guided mariners through the South Channel on the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay for over a 100 years until decommissioned in 1994. McCrae is on the bay side of the Mornington Peninsula. 

History

A tall timber skeleton framed structure was the first light established at McCrae. It was later taken in sections by bullock wagon to the top of Arthurs Seat to be used as a lookout. In 1874 Chance Bros. & Co. of Birmingham, England manufactured the present day lighthouse. It was transported to Australia by sea and erected on this site in 1883.

Sometimes known as either the Dromana Lighthouse or the Rosebud Lighthouse, the lighthouse is actually located between both areas at McCrae. It is also known as the South Channel Lighthouse. Measuring 33.5 metres in height it is Victoria’s tallest lighthouse. There are 120 steps up the spiral staircase inside the narrow central turret leading to the lantern room. Here at an elevation of 30.8 metres above sea level the light is visible at a distance of up to 25 kilometres and provides the back mark of the leading navigation line through the main fairway of the South Shipping Channel projecting high intensity white beams along the South Shipping Channel and towards Melbourne, and a red warning sector over the dangerous sandbanks to the North of the South Channel. The electric light was backed up by an acetylene gas standby system which automatically switched into operation in the event of a power failure or fault in the electrical equipment.

One of the unique features of this light is that is has not only dioptric, but also catadioptric and holophotal lens systems. 

When in operation the light gave with the South Channel Pile Light a “lights-in-line” channel-centre guidance to inward-bound ships coming up Port Phillip Bay towards Melbourne.

The lighthouse keepers cottages were demolished following automation.

The light was decommissioned by the Port of Melbourne Authority in 1994 following modernisation of Navigational aids in Port Phillip Bay.

It was transferred to the McCrae Foreshore Committee via the Department of Natural Resources and Energy in 1996.

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More history.

Keepers

We need your help in compiling a list of keepers for this lighthouse. If you have any information then send it to keeper@lighthouses.org.au.

Please include this lighthouse’s name, the keepers full name and what years they were keepers. Also include the same information for any other lights they were on.