Heading out

Montague Island

Montague Island is off the south coast of New South Wales (the south east coast of Australia).

A lighthouse was erected there in 1881 and has operated since. The island was home to lightkeepers and their families until the 1980s, when the light was automated.

The island is now a National Park and home to many thousands of seabirds and hundreds of seals. The old buildings associated with the…  (read more)

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18 Nov 2018

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Heading out

On a boat heading for Montague Island, the second largest island (after Lord Howe Island) off the coast of New South Wales. It is now a National Park and the old lighthouse (still working) is National Heritage listed. HFF, everyone. Explored.

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18 Nov 2018

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Our escort

The boat on which we were travelling was accompanied for part of the voyage by a pod of dolphins. If we had made the trip earlier in the season, we would have expected to see whales heading south to the Antarctic. Explored.

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18 Nov 2018

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Australian Fur Seals

Australian Fur Seals were almost wiped out in the 1800s for the fashion of wearing fur. They now are protected and numbers are recovering. Their territory is confined to the south eastern coasts of Australia, where they gather in harems in the breeding season (see PiP) - these are at Montague Island.

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18 Nov 2018

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The lighthouse

Montague Island lighthouse, seen from the former light keepers' houses. The lighthouse and buildings are now listed on the Register of the National Estate. HFF everyone. Explored.

18 Nov 2018

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391 visits

Raw materials

This was one of the granite boulders quarried to provide the rock for construction of the lighthouse. Back in the 1800s, that work would all have been done by hand - no power tools! One of the original drill holes can be seen toward the left of the boulder.

18 Nov 2018

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Above the door

Showing when the lighthouse was completed. Back in the 1800s, Australia was still a British colony with Queen Victoria on the throne. It seems to have been almost mandatory to add VR (Victoria Regina) to all manner of buildings at the time. This does show the excellent quality of the stonemasonry in the lighthouse: amazing to think it was all done on site, from quarrying to completion.

18 Nov 2018

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401 visits

Another view of the lighthouse

With the change of the Montague Island lighthouse to automatic operation (and a halogen lamp), it also was changed to solar power (panels at left). The light has a range of 20 nautical miles (about 40km) and the 21 metre tower is 80 metres above sea level. More details with the other images (also shown in the PiPs). View large. Explored.

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18 Nov 2018

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The colony

Colony of Crested Terns ( Sterna bergii ) at Montague Island. View large.

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18 Nov 2018

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Family portrait

Crested Tern ( Sterna bergii ) and chick at Montague Island. This species of tern is found around the Australian coast. View large. I hope I'll be excused for this musical link. :-) Explored.
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