Barrenjoey, New South Wales

reconnected the island to the mainland.

History

On the 2nd March 1788 Arthur Phillip named the headland "Barrenjuee" (meaning little kangaroo or wallaby). The areas name has had differently spelling throughout history, Barrenjoey now being the accepted name since 1966 [ [http://www.barranjoey.com Barranjoey.com] Accessed 2007-01-07-T21:28]

The Lighthouse

Infobox_Lighthouse
name = Barrenjoey Head


caption =
location = On the south entrance to Barren Bay
coordinates = coord|33.58|S|151.33|E|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW
yearbuilt =
yearlit = 1881
automated = 1932
yeardeactivated =
foundation =
construction = Sandstone
shape = Cylindrical
marking = Unpainted sandstone, white lantern room
height =
elevation = 113 m (371 ft)
lens = 2nd order Fresnel lens [cite web|url=http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/nsw.htm|author=Rowlett, Russ|title=The Lighthouse Directory]
currentlens =
intensity = 75,000 cd
range =
characteristic = Fl.(4) 20s
fogsignal =
admiralty =K2702
NGA = 6156
ARLHS =AUS-005

The Barrenjoey Head lighthouse was the third light ever constructed on the headland and was completed in 1881. Designed by James Barnet the NSW Colonial Architect and built for £13,695 plus a cost of £2,210 for the lamp, at an elevation of 113m can be seen to a distance of 40 km out to sea. [ [http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/pdfs/barrenjoey_headland_landscape_plan_pt1.pdf National Parks and wildlife Landscape Plan] Accessed 2007-01-08-T10:00]

A customs station was established in 1843 as the Headland marked the entrance to Broken Bay and Pittwater which were considered to be the back door to Sydney for smugglers. The first report of any light on the headland was in 1855 when a fire was raised in a basket to assist mariners during stormy weather. Broken Bay and the Pittwater were a safe haven in storms for vessels carrying coal from Newcastle to Sydney. Also Barges carrying food down the Hawkesbury River were a large source of food for Sydney and would harbour in the bay, waiting for favourable weather before making the 14km ocean journey to Sydney. [Martin Burke The Father of Pittwater - By James J Macken, National Library of Australia]

Later, in 1868, two wooden lighthouses known as the Stewart Towers, were built at either end of the headland to guide ships in. The need for a more permanent light lead to the construction of the current lighthouse. The tower is unpainted and built of the very aesthetic local sandstone. The original apparatus in the new tower was a fixed red dioptric of 700 candlepower with four oil wick burners. In 1900, an explosion followed by a fire destroyed the ornamental roof of the adjacent oil house. Fortunately it was subdued before reaching the tower.

In 1932, the Barrenjoey Lighthouse was converted to automatic operation with the installation of an acetylene Dalén light with a power of 6,000 candles. It was turned off and on by a Sun valve. Even though the acetylene gas apparatus was efficient, access to the tower for re-supply caused problems and in 1972 the light was converted to electric operation and a new lamp capable of 75,000 candlepower. [ [http://www.lighthouse.net.au/LIGHTS/NSW/Barrenjoey/Barrenjoey.htm#History Lighthouses of new south wales] Accessed 2007-01-07-T17:00]

Keepers and Cottages

There is a head keepers cottage as well as two assistant keepers cottages located on the headland. It is built from Hawkesbury sandstone that was quarried from the site, and has a galvanized iron roof. Keepers of the lighthouse where:

*1881 - 1885 George Mulhall
*1881 - 1891 George Mulhall Jnr
*1921 - 1925 Richard Sullivan
*1931 - 1932 John Berryman
*1932 - 1960 Cottages were unoccupied and subject to neglect and vandalism.
*1960 - 1997 The cottages were leased
*1997 - present the cottages where taken over by the National Parks and Wildlife service, who removed many non native plants and spent $230,000 restoring the cottages, lighthouse and walking tracks.

For 31 years, from 1968 until 1999, Jervis Sparks leased Cottage 2 at Barranjoey lighthouse, Palm Beach, NSW, Australia. It was an assistant keeper's cottage and had no electricity nor running water. When he took over the lease it was a vandalised ruin, and over many years he restored it to a comfortable 1800s era home, full of warmth and character. Jervis' Montreal born wife, Bridget and he were married there in 1974. They were the unofficial caretakers of the lightstation and the headland.

In 1992 Jervis published the first definitive history of that lighthouse, Tales From Barranjoey, written on a Macintosh powerbook 100 and powered via a solar panel. 3,000 copies were printed and the few remaining copies are collector's items, as the book is now out of print.

Forced to vacate to Queensland when the management of all Australian lightstations (now all automatic and without any keepers or other protective human presence) was transferred from Commonwealth control (Australian Maritime Safety Authority or AMSA) to State control, which in our case meant the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) of NSW. However, Jervis is still an adviser to NPWS on all matters historical and environmental pertaining to Barranjoey headland.

Before leaving, Bridget and Jervis were awarded the first ever issued Pittwater Medal (modelled on the Australia Medal) by Pittwater Council for all our years of volunteer, historical and environmental work for the benefit of Barranjoey, Palm Beach and the Northern Beaches in general.

With decades of accumulated research, Jervis decided to complete a quartet of books about Barranjoey lighthouse, and now the second book, The Red Light of Palm Beach, is being published. It details the lives of many of the lighthouse keepers who manned Barranjoey from 1881 until 1932, when it became automated

Jervis has a website related to the lighthouse at http://www.barranjoey.com/

ee also

*Palm Beach
*Broken Bay
*Pittwater
*Hawkesbury River

References

External links

* [http://www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/NSW/Barrenjoey/Barrenjoey.htm Lighthouses of Australia]
* [http://www.barranjoey.com/ Barranjoey.com]
* [http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/content/kuringgai_barrenjoey_cmp_draft Barrenjoey Headland landscape plan]