Guilderton Lighthouse

At the place where 40 guilder coins were found from a ship that was wrecked in 1656, stands the red brick lighthouse that was established in 1983.

It is the only major navigation light between Fremantle and Jurien Bay, and is also the last to be built in Western Australia.

History

In 1931, forty 17th Century silver guilder were coins found in the sand hills near the entrance to the Moore River.

They were believed to be from the wreck of the Dutch ship, the Vergulde Draeck (“Guilded Dragon”) that had foundered on a reef just north of Moore River near Ledge Point in 1656

The wreck of the ship, which had been carrying a valuable cargo which included silver coins worth 185,000 guilders, was not discovered until 1963.

The township at the mouth of the Moore River had grown enough to be gazetted and named Guilderton in 1951

In 1983, the Federal Department of Transport established a lighthouse at Wreck Point, Guilderton near the river mouth at a cost of $240,000.

It was built as an automatic marine beacon and commenced operation in December of that year.

It was the only major navigation aid between Fremantle and Jurien Bay, and is also the last to be built in Western Australia.

The new tower, constructed in specially tapered red clay bricks, was 32 metres high and the base was 7.5 metres in diameter.

Placed on top was the white metal lantern house containing a triple bulls-eye lens that displayed a light that had a range of 22 nautical miles. The light is 76.75 metres above sea level.

The lighthouse has a slightly larger twin at Troubridge Hill in South Australia and both have won an architectural awards.

continued below …

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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
continued from above …

 

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 Exhibited1984
StatusActive
LocationLat: 31° 20.3419'S
Long: 115° 29.5269'E
Original Optic
Current OpticVEGA VRB-25
Automated
Demanned
ConstructionRound red brick tower and white lantern
Height30 m
Elevation77 m
RangeNominal: 19 nm Geographical: 22 nm
CharacterFl. W. (3) in 20 secs
Intensity83,500 cd
Light Source12V 100W C8 Halogen LP PR30s
Power Source240V AC
OperatorAMSA
NotesELV Conversion March 2008
Info as at August 2016
  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