Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2020L01271:front:0:p13
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King were successfully chosen as contractors for the project at a cost of £9970.

 Construction started in July of 1900 where the area was levelled (undertaken by day labour) and plots were outlined for:

  •       the lighthouse tower

  •       workroom

  •       kerosene store room

  •       two lighthouse keeper's cottages

  •       a signal station.

 However, construction was reportedly delayed temporarily owing to the lack of a nearby water source 11. Once construction  commenced,  the main tower was built out of pre-cast concrete units placed in a cylindrical formation with the workroom and storeroom at its base. A mercury floatation mechanism was installed in the light tower (see Sub-section 'Equipment when built' below) which was designed by lighthouse engineer Mr. Douglass

 and erected under the supervision of Mr. HC Cooper (engineer representative of WF Douglass Victoria Street Firm, London). The lighthouse keeper's quarters were constructed from concrete and tiled roofs.

 The lighthouse was connected telephonically to the Telegraph Office in Byron Bay by means of electric bells.

 Construction was complete by 1901 and it was intended that the Lighthouse be officially opened by the Honourable John See, Premier of New South Wales on Saturday evening, 30 November.
 However, due to inclement weather, the government steamer Victoria carrying the ministerial party was delayed and the Cape Byron Lighthouse was not officially opened until midday the following day on Sunday 1 December. The light was first lit that night.

Equipment when built

 The completed lighthouse was regarded highly for
 its modern fittings and composition.

  As reported by The Northern Star (local newspaper) on 4 December 1901,

 Figure 15. a) Ministerial Party at official opening (1901), b) view of Cape Byron lighthouse (1901)

   8      Stubbs, B. J., History of the Cape Byron Lightstation Precinct (2008), pg. 6.

   9      "The Cape Byron lighthouse," The Northern Star, Dec 4th, 1901, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ article/72080223?searchTerm=Byron%20Lighthouse%20construction%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20 &searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1899-01-01|||dateTo=1901-12-31|||sortby

  The light consists of a first-order lantern 12 feet internal diameter, and a first order revolving bi- valve double floating, "feu eclair" optical apparatus, manufactured by the Societie des Establiesement Henry Lepaute of Paris. The intensity of the flash is
  145,000 standard English candles, and the apparatus rotates in a mercury bath at the rate of one complete revolution in 10 seconds 12.

 The article also detailed the unique mercury float mechanism the lighthouse operated in conjunction with – the first of its kind in Australia:

  The lamp takes six concentric wicks, the outer one five inches in diameter, and fed by kerosene oil…The occulting or revolving gear is worked by a clockwork arrangement, and winding up massive weights in
  the centre of the tower. This gear, instead of working on rollers as with other revolving lights, is floated in a mass of 850