Bart Bear's Blog

The very first lighthouse in Australia was built on this site way back in 1818. It looked just like this newer one which started operating in 1883. The original one was built by order of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The architect was Francis Greenway, a convict who designed many of Sydney's early buildings and was granted freedom because of his great work. Because the lighthouse was needed in a hurry, it was built from local sandstone. Greenway warned the governor that it would not last long and by 1881 bits were falling off and the building of the new lighthouse was started. It is built of much better materials, but looks just like the old one apart from having a bigger and better lamp room. The lighthouse is near the clifftop above Watson's Bay. It is a long walk and uphill all the way, so we caught a bus from Watson's Bay shops right to the front of the lighthouse. If you were really keen and fit, there is a great 5 km walk past Macquarie lighthouse along the top of cliffs from Watson's Bay to Dover Heights, but the Oldies claimed they were running short of time and used the bus instead.

Labels: lighthouse, New South Wales, Sydney