Eclipse Island Lighthouse

The Eclipse Island Lighthouse was built in 1926 as a manned kerosene light.

History

The Eclipse Island Lighthouse was a reinforced concrete tower built in 1926, and was the first Commonwealth light built in Western Australia. The light originally had a Chance Brothers lantern and first order lens, which were removed in 1976, and are now located in the Albany Residency Museum. A modern beacon was constructed in 1976 to replace the lighthouse.

Access to the island was difficult for the lighthouse keepers and for those bringing supplies. The island has no suitable harbour, and so a landing was built in a cove 15 metres above sea level. A derrick was used to lift supplies and people from small boats that were able to navigate close enough to the island. A wicker basket was used to haul supplies, and lighthouse keepers often stood on top of the goods instead of going in the basket. The lighthouse was demanned in 1976 after a fatal crane accident.

Marion Connelly, wife of a former lighthouse keeper, used to travel to Eclipse island lying in the bottom of the boat, fighting sea-sickness. When the supply launch brought vegetables, she would store them in a box outside the kitchen window, covering them with sand and water each day to try and maintain freshness. She and her lighthouse keeper husband tried to plant a garden on the island, but the rabbits that had been placed on the island as a source of food ate everything that grew. They had poultry, but to kill one of the chickens for meat meant that there were fewer eggs being laid. In between supply deliveries, they sometimes only ate one chicken per week.

 

 

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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 Exhibited1926
Architect
StatusActive
LocationLat: 35° 10.8400'S Long: 117° 53.2840'E
Original Optic
Current OpticVega VRB-25
Automated
Demanned
ConstructionWhite round concrete tower
Height14 m
Elevation117 m
RangeNominal: 15 nm Geographical: 27 nm
CharacterFl. W. (3) in 12 secs
Intensity17,604 cd
Light Source12V, 20W, C8 Halogen LP PR30s
Power SourceSolar
OperatorAMSA
NotesAs at Sept 2015
  NB: Information is historical data and is not for navigational purposes.

Access

The tower is not open to the public.

Site Access

The lighthouse grounds are open all year round.

Tours

No tours are available.

Accommodation

No lighthouse accommodation is available

Museum

Detail to come.

Friends Group

There is no Friends Group

Associated Lighthouse

Detail to come.

Links

Detail to come.

Sources

  • Detail to come  External link