Published Resources Details
Conference Paper
- Title
- Cape Leeuwin lighthouse - a guiding light in the west for east coast shipping
- In
- 19th Australasian engineering heritage conference: putting water to work: steam power, river navigation and water supply
- Imprint
- Engineering Heritage Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2017, pp. 60-75
- ISBN/ISSN
- 9781922107923
- Url
- https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.384036928638223
- Subject
- History of Applied Sciences Engineering and Technology
- Abstract
The Cape Leeuwin lighthouse, completed in 1896, was a particularly important link in the development of coastal lights that eventually circled mainland Australia. It is a fine example of stone lighthouse construction typical of the late 19th century. The lighthouse is located on rocky ground only 20 metres above sea level, necessitating a tall tower to lift the light to the operational height necessary to make it visible for 20 miles out to sea in order to warn passing vessels of the dangers of the rocky coast that extend some distance from the mainland. A number of technical innovations were needed to achieve this at the time, including the specially designed large (and heavy) optics, and the first implementation by the lighthouse specialists, Chance Brothers, of a mercury bath bearing to accommodate the weight of the optics while allowing for an unusually high flash frequency.
- Source
- cohn 2018
Related Published resources
isPartOf
- 19th Australasian engineering heritage conference: putting water to work: steam power, river navigation and water supply edited by Engineers Australia and Engineering Heritage Australia (Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Engineers Australia, 2017), 536 pp. Details