Throwing out a bit of light (in Kiama) – bushboys world

Dans Thursday Doors

Last week was a door from Gerringong, the first place we stopped on a road trip. For the next few weeks, I’ll show some of the doors of the historic town of Kiama, a place I went on a few holidays with the scouts.

As the weather wasn’t the best, we had to go to the Blowhole as the swell was quite big. The Blowhole is a big cavern with a hole in the roof. A huge wave rushes in, smacks against the back wall and sends a huge spray of water into the air much to the oohs and ahhs of spectators.

What’s that to do with doors? Well, at the top of the cliff, just near the Blowhole is the Kiama Lighthouse. No night photos unfortunately as there was no where in Kiama that had a vacancy so we had to go to the next town down the coast.

The tower, built on Blowhole Point, is constructed of brick and rendered outside with concrete in 1886. The total cost for the tower and apparatus was £1,350. Situated on the round apex of Blowhole Point, the Kiama lighthouse stands from sea level to the light at a height of 121 feet. The foundation is concrete, 14 feet in depth and 12 feet in diameter; from the bottom of the foundation to the top of the entrance is 16 feet. The height of the building from the floor to the coping is 36 feet, to the light is 40 feet, and to the top of the weather vane is 50 feet.

The ascent is accomplished by means of three iron ladders, leading from one storey to another, the staircase being lighted by side lights.
The original apparatus was an oil burner with a catadioptric fixed lens producing a 600 candela green light that was visible for nine miles.
This was upgraded to the local town coal gas in 1908 with an intensity of 1,500 candelas and a range of fifteen miles.
This was further upgraded to acetylene gas and group flashing in 1920. At this point the light was de-manned, though Brewis stated in 1913 that the light was unwatched, the keeper’s cottage being vacant.
In 1969 the light was converted to 240v mains electricity with battery back up. In 2018 incandescent lamps were replaced with an LED array.