Point Cloates Lighthouse

The abandoned tower of the Point Cloates Lighthouse stands starkly on a sandhill ridge near Ningaloo in north Western Australia.

History

Built in 1910, the light is one of five built with Commonwealth funding before the anticipated Commonwealth take over in 1915.

The light was particularly remote and the living conditions were cramped with the two lighthouse keepers living in one cottage with their families. The keepers had to be self reliant, growing a garden of vegetables, and hunting goat and fish. They traded supplies with the local Aboriginals in exchange for tobacco.

The remoteness was relieved with regular socialising between the families of the nearby Ningaloo Pastoral Station.

Education was by correspondence, with the children later boarding with relatives in the bigger towns so they could attend school.

An interesting insight into past attitudes was in 1916, when one of the lightkeepers was cautioned by the Commissioner of Police and, the State Premier of the day, for having a relationship with an Aboriginal woman in contravention of the laws of the day.

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 …

The light was automated and demanned in 1933. The lighthouse was severely damaged in the mid-1930s and abandoned, and sold to the owners of the 49,000 hectare Ningaloo sheep station in which the tower is located for î ‰t is likely the damage occurred due to the tower’s poor foundations, but could have been due to an earthquake.

A replacement light, a 22m steel lattice tower, was built on nearby Fraser Island, a sandy islet just offshore from Point Cloates, in 1936. However, in 1966, a storm blew away the islet and the tower collapsed. A replacement GRP cabinet was built about 1 kilometre south of the original sandstone tower, and its name reverted back to Point Cloates.

 

 

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 Exhibited1966
StatusActive
LocationLat: 22° 42.5667' S Long: 113° 40.8556' E
Original Optic
Current OpticVRB-25
DemannedEstablished as an unmanned light
ConstructionWhite GRP hut
Height2 m
Elevation39 m
RangeNominal: 17 nm Geographical: 17 nm
CharacterFl. W. (2) in 15 secs
Intensity10,951 cd
Light Source12V 35W C8 Halogen LP PR30s
Power Sourcesolar conversion: March 1983
OperatorAMSA
NotesAs at July 2015
  NB: Information is historical data and is not for navigational purposes.

Access

The original lighthouse tower is extremely remote and is best accessed by 4 wheel drive from Carnarvon or Exmouth. There are no formal tours. The tower is on private property but can be visited if permission is obtained from the owners.

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