Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2020L01339:reg:372:p52
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2020L01339
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 372 (pt 52/62)
Character Range: 307454–310233

dependence of Australia with the sea. The property is located 18km from the central business district of Sydney, situated wholly within the Municipality of Woollahra in the suburb of Vaucluse. The Lightstation precinct covers an area of approximately 2.2ha. Over 170 years of settlement are represented on the site, including remnants of the colonial 1816 Lighthouse, retaining wall and various archaeological sites. There are four primary structures, predominantly of Victorian vintage. These include the Lighthouse, the head lighthouse keepers quarters and the semi-detached assistant keepers quarters, all substantially constructed in the 1880s. A townhouse complex occupies a south-eastern part of the property. This is the largest of the residential buildings, (consisting of four dwellings) and was constructed in stages from 1969-72. Macquarie Lighthouse was the first to be erected in Australia. The building of the signal station and Lighthouse, which was to be known as Macquarie Tower, commenced in 1816 and was completed on 16 March 1818. It was officially designed and supervised by Captain John Gill, Acting Principal Engineer of the Government and Francis Howard Greenway as architect. However, the sandstone walls soon began to crumble away and within fifty years the tower had to be strapped with iron bands. In 1881 the building of a new Lighthouse 12ft (3.6m) away from the original Lighthouse commenced. The light in the present tower was first exhibited on 1 June 1883. The Colonial Architect James Barnet designed the new tower based on the design of Greenway's tower. The lantern was slightly larger and the internal arrangements were quite different. The power for the new light was generated by two dynamos driven by two coal gas engines. The light proved far too costly and in 1912 was replaced by an incandescent kerosene gas apparatus. In January 1933, the light was again converted to electricity and the candle power, which in 1912 had been reduced to 100,000, was increased to 1,140,000 with the visibility being 25 miles (40km). The focal plane of the light is 344ft (105m) above high water and the Lighthouse is 85ft (26m) high. The Lighthouse is situated immediately landward of the original Lighthouse. The tower is 61ft (20m) high from ground to floor of lantern, divided into four storeys. All floors and staircases are of iron. It is circular in plan, 11.5ft (3.5m) diameter on the inside, built of sandstone, dressed both sides, designed to resemble as closely as possible the old Lighthouse. The base of the tower, externally is 23.5ft (7.17m) square, to a height of 17ft (5.2m), above which it is circular. The walls are 4ft thick at the bottom, tapering to 3ft (0.9m) thick at the top. It has a bluestone gallery around the lantern, with