Vasse Lighthouse

The Vasse lighthouse stood at the intersection of Queen St and Marine Parade in Busselton. Nothing remains today, except a plaque on a rock.

The lighthouse superseded a lamp on a yardarm, which in turn superseded a barrel on a pole, known as ‘the Tub’. All marked the location of the Busselton jetty for incoming vessels.

After much anticipation from local people, the colonial government finally called tenders for the construction of the Vasse lighthouse in January 1873.

The lighthouse was built of jarrah on a mound of earth to give extra height. The skeletal structure had an enclosed service room below the lantern, a design similar to the first lighthouse at Babbage Island.

The light was tended by local police officers. The best known was Edward Tonkin, who tended the light for many years. In 1900 he was paid £40 per annum in addition to his police salary to light and extinguish the light every day.

Over time Busselton diminished in importance as a port and the lighthouse became obsolete. A light at the end of the jetty became sufficient. The lighthouse, which had become structurally unsound, was demolished in 1933.

Keepers

This light was lit and extinguished every day by a local police officer.