Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse

The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is the westernmost lighthouse located on the continent of Australia. It is located on the southwestern tip of the continent Australia at Cape Leeuwin.

The lighthouse is listed as a monument to the list of Commonwealth Heritage in Western Australia.

History

The 39 -meter high lighthouse was built from 1895 to 1896. It had, however, lasted 15 years, until it came to the decision to build, because Western Australia finanzschwächste the British colony at that time was on the Australian continent, which was able to realize a project of such size is difficult. Further, there were problems with the static foundation, since the required thickness and hence strength of the substrate was insufficient.

Originally it was planned to create two lighthouses, one of which should be fired with a red light with a white and the other. Although the foundations of both towers were completed, this concept was not pursued because of this type of lighting irritation of the vessels were expected.

The lighthouse as well as the homes of the lighthouse keepers were prepared from the upcoming limestone and its firing ranges in a distance of 40 km. The tower has seven floors and 186 steps. In 1925 the lighthouse was fired with kerosene, while its light intensity could be tripled. 1955 beacon signal has been established.

The tower was manned up to the kerosene stove in 1982, until it was as a set of the last in the world out of service and installed a 1000 watt halogen lamp. In September 1992 the light was automated.

On the site there is also an automated weather station.

Although Cape Leeuwin is not the southernmost point of the Australian continent with its lighthouse, it applies to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn as one of the three "big" Cape of southern hemisphere and symbolic waypoint for reaching or passing of Australia for the deep sea shipping from or to the open Indian Ocean.

Tourism

The lighthouse can be reached on a paved road via Augusta, also there are tours organized by the Augusta Margaret River Tourist Bureau. An accommodation for tourists in the guard houses is not possible.