Cape Leeuwin

Hi guys
Missed you all over Christmas, I'm in windy Perth. Below are a couple of pictures taken at Cape Leeuwin the south western most point of Australia
The guide named Shaun reminded me of Dave Martin, maybe he is a distant cousin.

Historic Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is situated at the most south westerly tip of Australia, standing at the point where the Indian and Southern Oceans
meet. With a stunning blue backdrop of the ocean meeting the sky the lighthouse appears to glow in white splendour during summer, whilst during
winter the awesome force of the fierce Southern Ocean and powerful Indian Ocean crashing against the Cape makes a visit to the Cape a unique, awesome
and contrasting experience year round.
A famous maritime land mark and important meteorological site from which data is collected, the tower stands 39 metres high from ground level and 56
metres above sea level. Its piercing beam, which has an intensity of one million candles, shines over the surrounding rugged sea and landscape for 26
nautical miles or 48 kilometres.

Cape Leeuwin on which the lighthouse stands is also the start point for the Cape to Cape Track. Nearby is also the Old Waterwheel, a wooden water wheel
that once supplied water to the lighthouse from a fresh water spring in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge. The water wheel has now calcified from the lime
in the water, and although the wheel no longer turns water still trickles over the structure, as fresh as the day the water wheel was first erected.
Built from 1895 to 1896 the tower and cottages are built of local limestone.

The Cape Leeuwin Light was first mooted in 1881, but took 15 years to eventuate.
Disputes raged over the best site for the lighthouse. Until the Kalgoorlie-Coolgardie gold rushes Western Australia was our poorest State,
and with no assistance from the Eastern States, it was unable to proceed with a project of this size.
Further delays occurred when it was found the the initial test bores that showed bedrock at 2.5 metres had only found a rock shelf and it was then
necessary to excavate to 6.7 metres.

The original 1895 plan included two lights. The present high white light tower and in front of it, a low red light tower. Although the foundations
for this low tower were completed, the structure was never built because it was considered that a second light would cause confusion and draw ships
closer to the Cape.
Almost as famous is the waterwheel and wooden flume constructed to bring fresh spring water to the lighthouse from a distance away.
It has been calcified by the minerals and salts reminiscent of a limestone area known for its huge caves.

The original light source was kerosene wick lamp, then the world's largest, revolving in mercury bath.
This light had an intensity of 250,000 candelas and was visible for 40km.
In 1925, the light was upgraded to vaporised kerosene with a mantle, giving a light intensity of 780,000 candelas.
In 1955, a radio beacon was installed.

The light was totally manually operated until 1982 when it was converted to electricity replacing the clockwork mechanism & kero burner, one of the last
in the world. The new 1,000 watt halogen lamp increased the candelas to 1,000,000.
This light was automated in September 1992.
The tower has seven floors and 186 steps.

There has only been one shipwreck on this section of coast since the light was first commissioned .It was interesting to learn that the "Bearing" of
the revolving section of the light is actually a trough of mercury that the mechanism floats on . it was installed when the light was built and there is
no modern replacement for this efficient system

Leaving Perth on the 14th of Jan to drive back across the Nullarbor and on to the great ocean road .
Should get some good photos of that .

Hope to be back for the next meeting
Regards Ian G sc 003