Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01231:reg:2023:p9
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01231
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2023 (pt 9/12)
Character Range: 22898–26184

was in turn replaced by kerosene, a mineral oil.

In 1900, incandescent burners were introduced. This saw the burning of fuel inside an incandescent mantle, which produced a brighter light with less fuel within a smaller volume. Light keepers were required to maintain pressure to the burner by manually pumping a handle as can be seen in Figure 9.

In 1912, Swedish engineer Gustaf Dalén, was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for a series of inventions relating to acetylene-powered navigation lights. Dalén's system included the sun valve, the mixer, the flasher, and the cylinder containing compressed acetylene. Due to their efficiency and reliability, Dalén's inventions led to the gradual destaffing of lighthouses. Acetylene was quickly adopted by the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service from 1915 onwards.

Figure 11. Dalén's system - sunvalve, mixer and flasher (Source: AMSA)
Large dioptric lenses, such as that shown in Figure 10, gradually decreased in popularity due to cost and the move towards unmanned automatic lighthouses. By the early 1900s, Australia had stopped ordering these lenses with the last installed at Eclipse Island in Western Australia in 1927. Smaller Fresnel lenses continued to be produced and installed until the 1970s when plastic lanterns, still utilising Fresnel's technology, were favoured instead. Acetylene remained in use until it was finally phased out in the 1990s.

In the current day, Australian lighthouses are lit and extinguished automatically using mains power, diesel generators, and solar-voltaic systems.

  3.2 The Commonwealth Lighthouse Service
When the Australian colonies federated in 1901, they decided that the new Commonwealth government would be responsible for coastal lighthouses—that is, major lights used by vessels travelling from port to port—but not the minor lights used for navigation within harbours and rivers. There was a delay before this new arrangement came into effect. Existing lights continued to be operated by the states.
Since 1915, various Commonwealth departments have managed lighthouses. AMSA, established under the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Act 1990 (Cth), is now responsible for operating Commonwealth lighthouses and other aids to navigation, along with its other functions.

  3.3 Tasmanian Lighthouse Service
The table below details the various authorities responsible for Tasmanian lighthouse management from 1915 to present.
Time Period  Administration
1915–1927:   Lighthouse District No. 3 (Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania), Hobart Headquarters.

             Deputy Director of Lighthouses and Navigation, Tasmania.
1927–1963:
             Department of Shipping and Transport, Regional Controller, Tasmania.
1963–1972:
             Department of Transport [III], Regional Controller, Tasmania.
1972–1982:
             Department of Transport and Construction. Victoria–Tasmania Region, Transport Division (Tasmania)
1982–1983:
             Department of Transport [IV] Victoria–Tasmania Region, Hobart Office.

1983–1985    Department of Transport [IV] Tasmanian Region.

1985–1987:   Department of Transport and Communications, Tasmanian Region.

1987–1990:   Australian Marine Safety Authority.

1991–

  3.4 Cape Sorell: a history
Aboriginal history
The full extent of