Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00967:front:0:p12
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00967
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it would be built and maintained by Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.[15]

Design
Tasmanian-based engineer W B Falconer was chosen to design the light for Cape Wickham. Upon attempting to visit the Island in 1858 for a site inspection, the whaleboat carrying Falconer overturned and a fellow traveller was drowned. Falconer managed to pull himself to safety and went on to inspect the proposed lighthouse site.[16]

Following this visit, Falconer produced two differing tower designs – one masonry tower at an estimated cost of £19,507, and a pre-fabricated cast iron tower at an estimated cost of £23,743. The masonry tower design was eventually chosen for the site.[17]

In order for the light to be visible in an arc from south-south-west to east-south-east at a distance of 37 kilometres, it was reccomended that the tower be 100 metres above high water mark. Owing to the selected Cape Wickham site being a ridge 52 metres above sea level, it was calculated that the tower needed to be 48 metres in height.[18]

Construction and equipment when built
Following the acceptance of a design, tenders for the construction of Cape Wickham Lighthouse were called in November 1859. The successful contractors were Kirkland and Co. of Melbourne, and construction started shortly thereafter.[19]

By 1860, two thousand tons of granite had been quarried on King Island and transported via tramway to the chosen site. By October of the same year, the foundations for the tower had been laid. The masonry tower was complete by 4 June 1861, and the lantern and apparatus arrived on King Island shortly thereafter.

Following its completion in 1861, the Cape Wickham Lighthouse stood at 158 feet (48 metres) with 11 flights of wooden stairs. The lantern room housed a large Wilkins and Co. single-wick
lamp which shone through a 1st Order Chance Bros. catadioptric lens and powered by sperm whale oil (intensity: 7,500 candlepower). The tower, which came to a final cost of £18,281, was also accompanied by three keeper residences and a superintendent's house (these buildings were later demolished circa. 1921).[20] The light was first exhibited on 1 November 1861, however the lighthouse was never officially opened.

Figure 10. Blueprints for Cape Wickham lantern house, c. 1861 Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. NAA: A9568, 5/4/1 (© Commonwealth of Australia, National Archives of Australia)
Figure 11. Blueprint of Cape Wickham Lighthouse tower, 1861. Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. NAA: A10182, CN 01 131 (© Commonwealth of Australia, National Archives of Australia)
  3.5 Lighthouse keeping

Presided over by a superintendent and three assistants, the Cape Wickham Lighthouse was staffed from its construction in 1861 until 1921. Captain Duigan was the first superintendent stationed at the