Breaksea Island Lighthouse

The first tower on Breaksea Island was commenced in May 1857 by Royal Engineers under Capt. Wray. The cost was borne by the  Imperial Government with all materials sent from England.

History

Made to a design by the Colonial Lighthouse Engineer at the Board of Trade in London, the 13.1m high octagonal cast-iron tower was imported from England and assembled on Breaksea Island at the entrance to King George’s Sound by convicts in 1858.

The lighthouse was lit by a 2nd order catadioptric light with oil burners and was placed 116.7m asl and was visible for 9 leagues (27 NM). The island was connected to Albany by telephone in 1885.

The current tower in rough dressed stone and standing 7.3m tall was built in 1901 and was given a Chance Brothers 1st order fixed lens housed inside a massive 14′ (4.3m) lantern. The contract price for the tower was £2700. In 1915 the lens was valued at £3251.

Manning ceased in 1926 and the light became lit by acetylene gas.  Gas cylinders were pulled by seamen harnessed to a cart and later by jeep. In 1984 it was converted to Solar power.

Lighthouses on the Western Australian Coast and Off-Shore Islands
1995 Author/s D.A. Cumming, M. Glasson and M. McCarthy
http://museum.wa.gov.au/maritime-archaeology-db/maritime-reports/lighthouses-western-australian-coast-and-shore-islands
http://museum.wa.gov.au/maritime-archaeology-db/sites/default/files/no._100_lighthouses_on_wa_coast_0.pdf

© All images are copyright of their respective photographers and are not to be used without permission.

Title Address Description
Cape Leeuwin
Leeuwin Rd, Augusta WA 6290, AustraliaGo to Cape Leeuwin
Breaksea Island
Unnamed Road, Nanarup WA 6330, AustraliaGo to Breaksea Island
Cave Point
Unnamed Road, Torndirrup WA 6330, AustraliaGo to Cave Point
Eclipse Island
The Gap Rd, Torndirrup WA 6330, AustraliaGo to Eclipse Island
Cape Naturaliste
Bunker Bay Walk Trail, Naturaliste WA 6281, AustraliaGo to Cape Naturaliste
Casuarina Point
1 Bennett Way, Bunbury WA 6230, AustraliaGo to Casuarina Point
Arthur Head
15 Captains Ln, Fremantle WA 6160, AustraliaGo to Arthur Head
South Mole
1 Fleet St, Fremantle WA 6160, AustraliaGo to South Mole
North Mole
N Mole Dr, North Fremantle WA 6159, AustraliaNorth Mole
Woodman Point
597 Cockburn Rd, Munster WA 6166, AustraliaGo to Woodman Point
Wadjemup (Rottnest)
Wadjemup Rd, Rottnest Island WA 6161, AustraliaGo to Wadjemup (Rottnest)
Bathurst Point
Lancier St, Rottnest Island WA 6161, AustraliaGo to Bathurst Point
Guilderton
5 Tank Road, Guilderton WA 6041, AustraliaGo to Guilderton
Escape Island
Escape Island, Western Australia, AustraliaGo to Escape Island
Pelsaert Island
Houtman Abrolhos WA 6530, AustraliaGo to Pelsaert Island
Point Moore
481-485 Marine Terrace, West End WA 6530, AustraliaGo to Point Moore
Bluff Point
118A Kempton St, Bluff Point WA 6530, AustraliaGo to Bluff Point
Cape Inscription
Unnamed Road, Dirk Hartog Island WA 6537, AustraliaGo to Cape Inscription
Babbage Island
13 Annear Pl, Babbage Island WA 6701, AustraliaGo to Babbage Island
Point Quobba
Unnamed Road, Macleod WA 6701, AustraliaGo to Point Quobba
Point Cloates
Cardabia-Ningaloo Rd, Ningaloo WA 6701, AustraliaGo to Point Cloates
Vlaming Head
Yardie Creek Rd, North West Cape WA 6707, AustraliaGot to Vlaming Head
Jarman Island
Reader Head Rd, Cossack WA 6720, AustraliaGo to Jarman Island
Gantheaume Point
Lurujarri Walk, Minyirr WA 6725, AustraliaGo to Gantheaume Point
Cape Bossut
Cape Bossut, Lagrange WA 6725, AustraliaGo to Cape Bossut
Cape Leveque
Broome-Cape Leveque Rd, Dampier Peninsula WA 6725, AustraliaGo to Cape Leveque
Caffarelli Island
Caffarelli Island, Western Australia, AustraliaGo to Caffarelli Island

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.

Technical Details

First Exhibited1858
CurrentTower1902
Architect
StatusActive
LocationLat: 35° 03.8680' S Long: 118° 03.4510' E
Original Optic
Current OpticChance 920 mm f.r. with 160° vertically de-centred dioptric mirror
Automated
Demanned1926
ConstructionGrey stone tower and white Chance 14′ diameter lantern
Height16 m
Elevation119 m
RangeNominal: 13 nm Geographical: 27 nm
CharacterFl. W. (2) in 6 secs
Intensity5,900 cd
Light Source12V 35W C8 Halogen
Power SourceSolar Conv'n: Nov 1984
OperatorAMSA
NotesAs at Sept 2015
  NB: Information is historical data and is not for navigational purposes.

Access

The lighthouse grounds are open all year round. The tower is not open to the public. The island could be accessed by boat or helicopter.

Tours

No tours are available.

Accommodation

No lighthouse accommodation is available

Museum

Museum of the Great Southern

Links

Nil

Sources

Lighthouses on the Western Australian Coast and Off-Shore Islands
1995 Author/s D.A. Cumming, M. Glasson and M. McCarthy External link