Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01287:reg:2023:p14
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01287
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2023 (pt 14/17)
Character Range: 36288–39061

Huckson & Hutchison, 1904. NAA: A9568, 5/13/4. Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia (© Commonwealth of Australia, National Archives of Australia)

The Marine Board's engineer, Mr J. R. Meech, told the members of the Consolidated Board that: 'due to the extreme difficulties of getting building materials to the Island , the lighthouse tower would have to be made of iron, and taken to the island in segments, and then put together'[21].

Marine Board architects, Huckson and Hutchison, forwarded plans and specifications for the Tasman Island Lightstation to the Hobart Marine Board in June 1904. As per Mr Meech's instructions, it was to be a cast iron tower on cement foundations and fitted with an incandescent light[22].

Construction
Following completion of Huckson and Hutchison's design, the board called for tenders and instructed the Master Warden to order the tower and lens from Chance Bros in Birmingham, England.
A tender of £10,487 and 10 shillings was awarded to Henrickson and Knutson for the erection of the lighthouse with an undertaking to complete the works in 18 months from the date of announcement being 18 August 1904[23].
Mr F. Reynolds was appointed Clerk of Works at Tasman Island to oversee the erection of the lighthouse. Following the arrival of the pre-fabricated tower and Chance Bros & Co. 1st Order lens from England, work commenced in October 1904 and it proved no easy feat. Due to the extreme height of the island and its formation, a landing, haulage system and a steam crane with a 60-foot radius, purchased second-hand after the construction of Hobart's General Post Office, was erected on the island beforehand. Building materials were brought to Tasman Island via steamer from Hobart and then hauled up the cliffs to site. The cast iron plates, estimated to have weighed 13cwt (660 kg) each took roughly eight hours to scale the cliffs and reach the site. Once all parts had successfully made it to the site, the plates were bolted together and the lens fitted.[24]
Equipment when built
Once completed, Tasman Island Lighthouse stood as a 29-metre tall cast iron tower, fitted with a 1st Order lens with an intensity registering at 275,500 candlepower. The light source operated with vapour kerosene and an 85mm burner with a six-wick emergency lamp. The tower was accompanied by brick keepers' cottages. The head keeper's quarters, a seven-room building, cost around £2,000, and the two six-room assistant cottages were £1,500 each to construct.[25]
The lighthouse was officially opened on Monday 2 April 1906. The Master Warden, J.E. Risby, and members of the Marine Board made the journey to the lightstation for a short ceremony, followed by lunch with the keepers and their families. Afterwards, the official