South Channel Pile Light, Victoria

The South Channel Pile Light is a single-storey octagonal lighthouse located in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia. It was built between 1872 and 1874 and originally served to guide ships through the narrow South Channel and was occupied by lighthouse keepers until 1925. The light was finally switched off in 1985, having operated as a navigational beacon for 111 years. It ceased operation in 1985, and fell into an era of neglect and vandalism. The structure was restored by Parks Victoria in 1998 in accordance with Heritage Victoria guidelines and relocated three kilometres off the coast of Rye Beach.

History

For over one hundred years the South Channel Pile Light guided ships through the narrow shipping channels near the heads in Port Phillip Bay. The single storey octagonal structure, about 9 metres across and standing on timber piles in the water, was built between 1872 and 1874 at a cost of 1,550 pounds which is the equivalent to $3,000.

Early History

Until the introduction of bottled acetylene gas, the building was inhabited by a lighthouse keeper and had a living room with a fireplace and chimney, a bedroom with 4 bunks and an inspector's office, which was also used as a store room. Two water tanks stored rainwater collected from the roof and a central spiral staircase lead to the lantern, which housed the light. Between 1905 and 1913 the lighthouse keeper painted murals of sailing ships on the interior walls of the house. These were removed in 1979 and are now on display in the Polly Woodside Melbourne Maritime Museum.

The South Channel Pile Light operated as a navigational beacon for 111 years until 1985 when it was switched off for a trial period. It was never turned on again. From this time the condition of the building gradually deteriorated from lack of maintenance and vandalism. Leaking water rotted many structural beams, walls were damaged, windows broken and fittings removed. Steel components were severely rusted and birds were nesting both on and inside the building. Many of the timber piles were structurally unsound, and the frame supporting the three tonne lantern was deteriorating. Parks Victoria took over the management, from the Port of Melbourne Authority, of all the public recreational piers, jetties and breakwaters in Port Phillip Bay and Westernport Bay including the South Channel Pile Light.

Restoration

In mid May 1998, the structure, the only one of its kind still intact in Australia, was lifted off the original piles and transported to a shed on South Wharf for conservation work. Before transportation, to reduce the weight to be lifted and as the support framing was in poor condition, the lantern was removed. With careful attention to detail the structural joints in the heavy timber framing supporting the lantern were replicated.

The building was painted as closely as possible to the original colour scheme. The rotating ball vent on top of the lantern was repaired to be turned by a replica of the weathervane to vent the lantern away from the wind. Originally this ensured the acetylene flame of the light would not be blown out. While the building was being restored new timber piles were driven adjacent to the Rye Channel and 3 kilometres away from the original location. After five months the South Channel Pile Light was rolled out onto the wharf, lifted onto a large barge and transported down the bay to Rye. The tow took about seven hours and the building was carefully set down on the new timber piles.

References

* [http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=58#scfort Parks Victoria]