South Coast NSW History Story
A Highway of Light
There is something decidedly romantic about lighthouses. Perhaps it’s the function they serve – helping to keep seafarers safe. Perhaps it’s their design – everything from squat little buildings to towering edifices to modern skeletal towers, no two ever being exactly the same. Perhaps it’s their location – usually remote, often at the very edge of a perpetually storm-battered cliff. Perhaps it’s the captivating stories of intrepid lighthouse keepers (and their families) – enduring loneliness, facing unusual dangers and unexpected surprises.
And, the histories of lighthouses are just as enthralling.
The South Coast of NSW certainly has its share of lighthouses – a number with most unusual histories, that we are now pleased to share.
Our journey starts to the north of the South Coast:
Kiama Lighthouse
It took 17 years to construct a harbour at Kiama. When it was completed in 1878 shipping to the area increased substantially and the need for a lighthouse soon became apparent.
The site selected for the new lighthouse, on Blowhole Point, meant that the town’s showground (then on what must have been one of the state’s most spectacular locations!) had to be relocated.
Most NSW lighthouses at that time were designed by the Colonial Architect’s Office. But Kiama’s wasn’t. It was designed by the Chief Engineer of the Marine Board, Edward Moriarty.
The lighthouse is a modest 15.5 metres in height, with the light 36.5 metres above sea level.
