by Jeremy Clark, S/V Kai Rani
Primitive open fire signals apparently sufficed the early Sydney settlement for its first 26 years . In November 1814, however, the energetic Governor Lachlan Macquarie * requested the services of architect Frances Greenaway (convict). Greenaway suggested that a revolving light should be erected. At either south or North Head . Macquarie, after seeking the opinions of various captains of ships using the harbour , decided that the light should be on the more accessible southern side .
Greenaway estimated that the building of the lighthouse would require nine months ,but owing to rain and convict labour troubles it took considerable longer. The foundation stone was laid on 11 July 1816 by Macquarie but progress was slow, by April 1817 it had risen only by 33 feet . By December that year it was nearly completed and on the 16th of December the Governor, in company with Mrs Macquarie and others, rode out to South Head to view the work . The party had breakfast there , and Governor Macquarie, in a timely manor pardoned Francis Greenaway.
The tower, built of local sandstone, was 76 feet high and the light was 353 feet above the ocean. Two wings provided accommodation for the lighthouse keeper.
The light- an oil one – was not installed until May 1818. All ships entering the harbour had to pay 2d per gross ton before they departed, for the maintenance of the lighthouse.
Over the years the sandstone crumbled , and when modern equipment was planed in the 1870s the Colonial Architect advised that it would not to be practical to install modern lanterns in a crumbling old tower , and advised a new one be built . A site was chosen next to the original.
On the 1st of March 1880 the Premier of New South Wales ,Sir Henry Parkes , in the presence of the Governor of New South Wales , Lord Loftus , and a large party of visitors , laid the foundation stone of the existing lighthouse; three years later the light was operational. Although designed as a gaslight, electricity generated by gas engines was finally used . Since 1933 the First Order Lense has produced group flashing beams of 1140000 candlepower, visible for 25 miles.
* Lauchlan Macquarie is a distant relative on my Mum’s side
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