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, Australia | Go to Cape Leeuwin |
Breaksea Island | Unnamed Road, Nanarup WA 6330, Australia | Go to Breaksea Island |
Cave Point | Unnamed Road, Torndirrup WA 6330, Australia | Go to Cave Point |
Eclipse Island | The Gap Rd, Torndirrup WA 6330, Australia | Go to Eclipse Island |
Cape Naturaliste | Bunker Bay Walk Trail, Naturaliste WA 6281, Australia | Go to Cape Naturaliste |
Casuarina Point | 1 Bennett Way, Bunbury WA 6230, Australia | Go to Casuarina Point |
Arthur Head | 15 Captains Ln, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia | Go to Arthur Head |
South Mole | 1 Fleet St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia | Go to South Mole |
North Mole | N Mole Dr, North Fremantle WA 6159, Australia | North Mole |
Woodman Point | 597 Cockburn Rd, Munster WA 6166, Australia | Go to Woodman Point |
Wadjemup (Rottnest) | Wadjemup Rd, Rottnest Island WA 6161, Australia | Go to Wadjemup (Rottnest) |
Bathurst Point | Lancier St, Rottnest Island WA 6161, Australia | Go to Bathurst Point |
Guilderton | 5 Tank Road, Guilderton WA 6041, Australia | Go to Guilderton |
Escape Island | Escape Island, Western Australia, Australia | Go to Escape Island |
Pelsaert Island | Houtman Abrolhos WA 6530, Australia | Go to Pelsaert Island |
Point Moore | 481-485 Marine Terrace, West End WA 6530, Australia | Go to Point Moore |
Bluff Point | 118A Kempton St, Bluff Point WA 6530, Australia | Go to Bluff Point |
Cape Inscription | Unnamed Road, Dirk Hartog Island WA 6537, Australia | Go to Cape Inscription |
Babbage Island | 13 Annear Pl, Babbage Island WA 6701, Australia | Go to Babbage Island |
Point Quobba | Unnamed Road, Macleod WA 6701, Australia | Go to Point Quobba |
Point Cloates | Cardabia-Ningaloo Rd, Ningaloo WA 6701, Australia | Go to Point Cloates |
Vlaming Head | Yardie Creek Rd, North West Cape WA 6707, Australia | Got to Vlaming Head |
Jarman Island | Reader Head Rd, Cossack WA 6720, Australia | Go to Jarman Island |
Gantheaume Point | Lurujarri Walk, Minyirr WA 6725, Australia | Go to Gantheaume Point |
Cape Bossut | Cape Bossut, Lagrange WA 6725, Australia | Go to Cape Bossut |
Cape Leveque | Broome-Cape Leveque Rd, Dampier Peninsula WA 6725, Australia | Go to Cape Leveque |
Caffarelli Island | Caffarelli Island, Western Australia, Australia | Go 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 Exhibited | 1984 |
Status | Active |
Location | Lat: 31° 20.3419'S Long: 115° 29.5269'E |
Original Optic | |
Current Optic | VEGA VRB-25 |
Automated | |
Demanned | |
Construction | Round red brick tower and white lantern |
Height | 30 m |
Elevation | 77 m |
Range | Nominal: 19 nm Geographical: 22 nm |
Character | Fl. W. (3) in 20 secs |
Intensity | 83,500 cd |
Light Source | 12V 100W C8 Halogen LP PR30s |
Power Source | 240V AC |
Operator | AMSA |
Notes | ELV Conversion March 2008 Info as at August 2016 |
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
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