Photos of the day are all about Wadjemup Lighthouse or commonly called as Rottnest Island Lighthouse Station which also located almost at the center of the island not far from Oliver Hill. Its original tower was the first stone lighthouse built in Western Australia made by native prisoners as the island used to be a prison for aboriginals. Then the second tower which is the current visible lighthouse was a replacement of the first that was demolished. I was reminded again that the designer of the lighthouse was William Douglass, the same designer of Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse that I had a chance to visit as part of Margaret River region tour. These photos are part of Rottnest Island Tour October 2016.
Notes :
Photo : Rottnest Island Lighthouse Station, Wadjemup Lighthouse
Location : Rottnest Island WA, Australia
Transportation :
1. Join Day Tours from Perth where different options are available or
2. Take cruise to the island with your own or rented boat
Official Website : Rottnest Island
I am always excited when traveling, that is why most of the time, every time I arrived in any new place I always feel joyful. I am always eager to see what the place has to offer. And the time we reached Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, a place which commonly called as the tip and the most south-westerly of Australia in the state of Western Australia, I jumped-off the bus with an ecstatic heart.
We walked towards the wooden gate of the precinct and went to the historical cottage where entrance and the cafe are located. There was an audio tours available in the precinct but at the time of the visit, I was not able to get the audio device therefore I only depended on the notes to read on in each audio tour stops. I almost complete capturing all the audio tour stops except for “Stop 14 – Flora and Fauna”.
At the start of my adventure in the precinct, the first thing to see is the Sarge Bay
To tell the story of my visit, I used the audio tour stops as guidance of what I saw while inside the precinct. For me, it was both fun and educational self-guided tour because I was in a place to see one of the heritage lighthouse in Australia and to be in the place that is extreme and dangerous most south-westerly of the country.
Around the lighthouse, where I got chance walk further as I can, a chance to see the dangerous waters that surrounds Cape Leeuwin. The St. Alouarn Islands and some rocks that in old times where lighthouse was not yet installed was a deadly place for mariners.
Seal Island (of St Alouarn Islands)
Somes rocks nearby
Self-Guided Tour At Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse Precinct
At the gate
Stop 1 – Welcome
The entrance of the Cape Leeuwin Precinct is in the first cottage where it also housed the cafe and the little museum about the lighthouse. It is the first stop, where the audio device is to be pickup (which I did not) to be able to listen to information on each stops at the precinct. I would like to emphasized that before I left the precinct that day, I had some time to explore the museum and even though it was little or small museum, it is full of information about the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse like its constructions down to its light apparatus. The museum also displays information about the following : lighthouse service, optics, lighthouse station, lighthouse keepers, signalling, shipwrecks, weather station, and hydroacoustic station.
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Some displays at the museum
Stop 2 – History
When I reached this stop, I kind of surprised that there are lots of things to see in the precinct, I just enjoyed my walking tour around the place.
Showing all the 15 Audio Tour Stops within the precinct
Looking back to the cottages while walking towards Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
Stop 3 – A Century of Community (Keepers Cottages)
Three Historical Cottages
Three residences were built in 1895-6 to accommodate the three lighthouse keepers required for the continuous operation of the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse Station. Three keepers were considered necessary to fulfill the day-to-day operational duties and to assure efficiency in case of sickness or emergency.
Married quarters were provided to allow the keepers to maintain a normal family life. Each cottage had three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, store, and bathroom. The two southern cottages were built using local limestone. The northernmost cottage was constructed of local granite, originally excavated for the lighthouse foundations. Steeply-pitched timber roofs enabled these structures to withstand strong winds.
All three cottages were continuously occupied until 1988 and the last keeper to live in a cottage at Cape Leeuwin did so until 1998.
Stop 4 – Service Buildings
Four service Buildings were constructed here in 1954 to 1975, each associated with the maintenance of the lighthouse.
The Kerosene Store was built in 1954 to store fuel for the lighthouse lantern (1954-1982) and as maintenance workshop.
The Radio Hut (1954) housed the radio transmitters as part of the Non Directional Beacon (NDB) navigational system. From 1975 to 1998 the hut was used as a base for sending meteorological data to the Bureau of Meteorology in Perth.
The Power House (1954) house three diesel-powered generators, which powered the radio transmitters.
The Engine Room/Transmitters Building was built in 1975 to house a single diesel-powered generator to power the NDB radio transmitters from 1975 to 1992.
Stop 5 – The Residential Precinct
Despite the homes’ magnificent outlook of beaches, bays, rocky islands, they are constantly battered by summer winds and winter gales of salty sea spray.
Stop 6 – Cottage Three
The duties of all Lightkeepers comprise the case and efficient maintenance of the light apparatus, tower, dwellings, equipment, jetties, roads, boats, etcetera, and the of the grounds attached to the Station.
We can thought initially that people lives in the precinct within almost the century life of the lighthouse lives their life with ease. Cape Leeuwin is located where a great spot to observe weather and it means it does not used to have a fairy weather. Therefore, their duties as lightkeepers were bounded by rules that focused on its true responsibilities around the lighthouse. Any visitors or activities that will affect their duties as lightkeepers are prohibited in the precinct.
Regulations at the Lighthouse Station
Duties of Lightkeepers as it describe
An incomplete list of Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse Keepers
Stop 7 – Lightkeepers Wives (Keeper’s Cottage)
The fourth cottage, constructed in 1908, was a timber-framed weatherboard building located just south of the main stone cottages.
This cottage accommodated the relief keeper who also collected firewood. The area surrounding Cape Leeuwin is coastal heath with few trees suitable for wood supply. The relief keeper would travel as fas as Augusta to collect wood, using a cart drawn by bullocks. Wood for heating, cooking, and laundry was an essential of daily living for the residents of Cape Leeuwin Station.
In 1921, the relief keeper was withdrawn from service after a Government report suggested the fourth keeper was unnecessary.
The house was demolished around 1928 and the remains are its foundations.
Stop 8 – The Light
The lighthouse which “dedicated to mariners” as per Sir John Forrest (Western Australia Premier) during the official opening of it last December 10, 1896, did not disappoint the world of its purpose the moment it was inaugurated.
The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Western Australia, and the third tallest in Australia, the tower soars 56 meters above sea level
The Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
The museum tells additional information about the lighthouse. It was designed by British Engineer William Tregarthen Douglass (Sir James Douglass’ son). And Colonial Architect George Temple Poole did the final plans.
The constructions of the lighthouse was not easy as they started the work, modifications are needed for the stability of the lighthouse and its was nice to know that even old days has intelligence to reuse things such as the rubble stone which excavated for the foundation of the lighthouse has been used for cottage that is now used as the entrance of the visitors.
Also learned from museum that its intended light to focused in dangerous waters that surrounds the cape such Alouarn Island, South East Rocks and Geographe Bay Reef has been installed in lighthouse in Rottness Island, which luckily I got a chance to see when I visited the island as my last adventure in Australia.
Foul Bay Lens
Foul Bay Lens captured inside the museum is loaned to Augusta Margaret River Tourism Association for display in this cottage due to close proximity of and historic link between two lighthouses.
Stop 9 – Whales (Marine Sanctuary)
The islands of Cape Leeuwin are nature reserves and important nesting sites for birds such as rock parrots (Neophemia petrophila) and fairy penguins (Eudyptula minor). Colonies of seabirds on the islands are unusual in that southern cool water species nest alongside tropical species. This mix of bird species is attributed to the warm Leeuwin Current. The islands are also habitants for the New Zealand Fur Seal, which visits the bay to feed or ‘haul-out’.
Through winter to mid spring each year, Flinders bay is host to the Humpback Whale. The life of this whale is geared to a cycle migration, feeding in cold waters well to the south in summer and heading north to breed and calve in winter. The Southern Right Whale also visits the bay during these months. It breeds and calves in the protected bays of the south coast.
Stop 10 – Nizam Memorial (N Class Destroyer – Wall of Remembrance)
This memorial is dedicated to the ten sailors aboard the HMAS Nizam who lost their lives off Cape Leeuwin in 1945. Please take a moment to remember them.
At approximately 2210 hours on February 11th the HMAS Nizam was 11 miles off Cape Leeuwin, in transit from Port Philip Bay to Fremantle, when it was hit by a rogue wave causing it to hell and throw ten sailors overboard. Although the area was thoroughly searched no trace of the ten men was found.
In 1991, a reunion of the ‘N’ class Destroyer Association in WA suggested that a memorial to those lost at sea be constructed at Cape Leeuwin. Since the memorial was unveiled in 1193, the February 11th ceremony has become an annual event here and the site is now recognized as an Australian War Memorial in 1999 at a reunion.
In the museum, I undertood more the story about Nizam Memorial as the ship was part of Allied operations during World War II. Due to a storm, 10 men overboard washed away last February 11, 1945.
Stop 11 – SS Pericles
Mr J. J. Lyons, the lighthouse keeper on duty, saw distress signals from his post. He sprang into action, mobilising all hands at Cape Leeuwin to light fires all along the beach to guide lifeboats to the safe side of the cape.
From the museum, an information board displays shows wherein anybody can learned that historically, there were 23 recorded ship wrecks in Cape Leeuwin. There were 22 cases before the lighthouse built and only 1 case after it was built.
Stop 12 – Where Two Oceans Meet & Stop 13 – Flinders Starting Point
One of the most exciting part of my walking tour was the discovery that Cape Leeuwin is exactly located where anyone can enjoy two oceans at the same time. I walked towards the stop 12 and 13 which both related as it both describes the meeting of two oceans, Southern Ocean and Indian Ocean. I thought before that it only happens in country or city to have a border and chance to be in two place. Though there is no physical border to be seen in Cape Leeuwin but just imaginary border, the location of the cape with latitude of 34° 22′ S and longitude 115° 08′ E made it as point or mark where the two oceans meet.
Cape Leeuwin – 34° 22′ S, 115° 08′ E
Cape Leeuwin marks the point where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean.
While standing in the front of directional board made me experience by just moving my eyes or even my head without even taking a single steps gave me a chance to see two oceans. Looking at my left side I will see Southern Ocean and looking at the right side I will see Indian Ocean. It’s a wonderful moment of my visit in the cape.
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Scenery to enjoy in the direction of Southern Ocean
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Scenery to enjoy in the direction of Indian Ocean
Cape Leeuwin Lookout Plaque
Cape Leeuwin marks the point where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. At various times of the year the differing ocean currents, waves and swell patterns are evident in the waters around the Cape. This can create unusual conditions in the nearby waters.
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current circles Antarctica west to east, between 40 degrees and 70 degrees south. Its northern edge turns north and heads up along the western Australian coast. From May to September each year the Leeuwin Current transports warm tropical water southwards around Cape Leeuwin and along Western Australia’s southern coastline.
Can you spot the meeting point?
Stop 14 – Flora and Fauna
I don’t have photos of this stop, therefore I don’t have information to tell what is this is all about aside from having idea that it tells what are the available plants to be seen around the cape.
Stop 15 – Radio Beacons
The concrete footings located on the west side of the road mark, the location of the towers that supported a radio navigation beacon. The system, known as a Non Directional Beacon (NBD) operated in the ‘long wave’ band with a nominal range of 200 nautical miles.
The beacon transmitted a continuous signal in Morse code that allowed passing ships to determine their location based on its frequency and call sign. Morse code was a method of encoding a message so that it could be sent electronically Letters of the alphabet were represented by combinations of dots (.) and dashes (-), which were sent as long and short pulses of power.
The beacon’s call sign at Cape Leeuwin was ‘AXB’, which in Morse code is: – (A) -..- (X) -… (B)
The beacon sent this call sign three times (taking 22.5 seconds), then transmitted a long dash (22.5 seconds), then sent AXB again (7.5 seconds), then another long dash (15 seconds), then finally AXB again (7.5 seconds). When the 105 second sequence was over, the transmitter would repeat it again.
Stop 16 – Weather Station
Cape Leeuwin has provided one of the longest continuous observational weather data records the exist in Western Australia, indeed in all of Australia
The strategic location of Cape Leeuwin is the main reason why it became a great place to put instruments that will observe the wind speed and direction, temperature, rainfall, barometric pressure, visibility, cloud formations and the state of the sea. Based on history, the station started to logged these information since Jan 1, 1897 until 1993 when non-staff ‘Automatic Weather Station’ installed in the precinct. The station is one of the longest continuous observational weather data records in Western Australia.
Notes :
1. Plan to visit Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse ? Please check latest information here.
2. Location : Leeuwin Road, AUGUSTA WA 6290, Australia
3. Directions to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse:
a. Join Day Tours from Perth or
b. Take Transwa Train from Perth Station to Bunbury Passenger Terminal. Then, take Pemberton Bus to Augusta and get off at Blackwood Avenue. Finally, take a taxi from Blackwood Avenue to Cape Leeuwin.
Official Website : Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
Chromatic Outlook (Post#50) : Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
Photos of the day are all about Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. This historic and heritage lighthouse is located at the tip and extreme most south-westerly point of Australia called Cape Leeuwin and constructed in 1895. The lighthouse is also the Tallest Lighthouse in Western Australia and third in Australia. Based on history, the lighthouse was proposed in 1881 but did not come to life immediately, it only happens after 15 years. The lighthouse still in operation and has been automated in 1992. These photos are part of Margaret River (Western Australia) Region Tour October 2016.
Notes :
Photo : lighthouse, monochrome, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
Location : Leeuwin Road, AUGUSTA WA 6290, Australia
Transportation :
1. Join Day Tours from Perth or
2. Take Transwa Train from Perth Station to Bunbury Passenger Terminal. Then
take Pemberton Bus to Augusta and get off at Blackwood Avenue. Finally, take a taxi from Blackwood Avenue to Cape Leeuwin.
Official Website : Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
It was Saturday and our second day in Japan. I had my itinerary for that day but initially I was having second thoughts on the plan, it’s just that too many places that I wanted to see for a short period of time. But since I can’t decide of places that will replace the activity for the day, I ended up following the plan that I created which was to visit Yokohama.
Yokohama is the second largest city by population (according to Wikipedia) in Japan following Tokyo. I think one good reason of being one of the largest city aside from being near or beside Tokyo as its strategic location is also because the city is part where Tokyo Bay is located. Currently Tokyo Bay was heavily industrialized where a lot of development occurred and Yokohama progressed along with it.
Based on history, Yokohama tremendously affected by what Japan called Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and World War II bombings which impacted the development of the city.
Seeing the city with my very own eyes, if there are historical evidence of war in the place or ruins of earthquake, it may not be evident to the sights and places that we visited during the day trip. The whole day that myself and my family spent in Yokohama was indeed a worthy visit.
Shimbashi Station
Yokohama Station
From Kayabacho Station, we took Tozai Line to Nihombashi Station, we transferred to Ginza Line to Shimbashi Station and from the same station we took JR Tokaido Line going to Yokohama Station. Around 10AM, we reached Yokohama Station, from the station we took Tokyu Toyoko Minatomirai Line which is a local train in Yokohama. We used the Passmo card in the local train.
We reached Minatomirai Station, we got off the station and we found ourselves inside the mall, wherein the Queen’s Square is just at the top of the station. I felt excited because it seems that there’s something exciting to discover in the city.
During our visit in the city, the places we saw in Yokohama were:
To be honest, one day was not enough to see everything in the city, seeing all the brochures that I got, there are more places that I wanted to enjoy and discover. I hope I can comeback again wherein time is not really a constraint.
It was my second and last tour in South Australia, I knew that one of the hardest thing to decide when traveling is choosing which tour or adventure to select and which one is to give up. When I’m planning my holiday in this state, I wished that I had a longer days of holiday but I don’t have. After spending some thoughts about it, I chose Grand Adelaide and Kangaroo Island tour. I already published the stories happened to me on my first day in Adelaide in my previous posts and this time I am focused in my Kangaroo Island experience.
Every time I travel, I tried my best to see the national park around the area or nearby area because I have this thoughts that there is something special in such kind of place, something considered as natural treasure that humanity must protect. Kangaroo Island has Flinders Chase National Park and conservation parks wherein Seal Bay Conservation Park is one of them. The name of the Kangaroo Island was made because the early explorer of the island was came from the group of Matthew Flinders and at that time they haven’t eaten meat for so long until they saw small Kangaroo which the group hunted. That kind of story behind the names of places sometimes quite fascinating to learn.
— Kangaroo Island Sealink Ferry Terminal – Cape Jervis Port
— Kangaroo Island from Kangaroo Island Sealink Ferry Terminal – Cape Jervis Port
From my hotel, the tour bus picked me up and we traveled to Cape Jervis for more than 1.5 hours where the Kangaroo Island Sealink ferry terminal is located. We jumped off the bus and transferred to the ferry that will bring us to the island which gave us a chance to cruise Backstairs Passage. In less than an hour we arrived at Penneshaw which is the ferry terminal of Sealink in Kangaroo Island. We left the ferry and transferred to the tour bus that’s waiting for us.
— Kangaroo Island Penneshaw Port – Bay Terrace
From Penneshaw, we took Bay Terrace and North Terrace. We turned left to Thomas Wilson St to Howard Drive, then straight to Hog Bay Road. I enjoyed the ride as my eyes wandering in sceneries that I saw in the island such as Penneshaw Hotel near the port and Sea Dragon Lodge where a yacht station for island residences and visitors. The island is said to be the third largest island in Australia which means that one day may not enough to see all of the island. While inside the bus, one of my self entertainment was capturing photos as much as I can to remember all the places that I had been.
At North Terrace
Penneshaw Hotel at North Terrace and Thomas Wilson St
At North Terrace
— Some window view snapshots from the bus along North Terrace road.
Kangaroo Island Boat Hire (Sea Dragon Lodge) from Howard Drive
Kangaroo Island Boat Hire (Sea Dragon Lodge) from Howard Drive
— Snapshots along Howard Drive
— Snapshots from Hog Bay Road
After passing Howard Drive, we stayed in Hog Bay Road in a while. Along the road, we saw American River which looks like a lake at first while inside the bus just to realised it is a river where it ends in Easter Cove of the island. Next thing happened that I noticed, we turned left on the way to Seal Bay Conservation Park. I can’t remember which road we took but one thing that I remembered, we passed the nearby island airport. We reached the Seal Bay Conservation Park. The park is located in the nearby coastal area or beach area called as Seal Bay Aquatic Reserve which is the access to many seals towards the bay. The park has boardwalk where visitors can walk through without disturbing the seals around the park. During our visits, most of the seals that I saw were sleeping or lets say they were resting. When I saw the seals, it actually confused me because they look like a sea-lion to me. But I noticed there’s difference between Seal and sea-lion. I found out that seal has small flipper, wriggle on their bellies on land and lack visible ear flaps while sea-lion has large flipper, walk on land using flipper and have visible ear flaps.
— American River from Hog Bay Rd
— Seal Bay Visitor Information Centre
— Seal Bay Conservation Park
— Sleepyhead Seals
I enjoyed my walk around the Seal Bay, with the help of our tour guide, we got a chance to walk in the nearby seashore area where we saw other seals in the sand, some were just came from the sea and some were sleepyhead seals. While looking and watching the seals, I can say they are one of the cutest sea-lion family that I saw. Seal Bay is in the southern part of the island where I experienced cold wind from the south because I visited the place during the end of month of Autumn season.
— Sleepyhead Seals with some group of birds flocked together
— Seal Bay Aquatic Reserve
After enjoying Seals, we move to one of the wild life park in the island called Kangaroo Island Wild Park. Before it was called as Parndana Wildlife Park. Here we got a chance to see other animals aside from seals wherein the park collaborates with the island as they also protects and takes care of the animal being by providing conducive environment for them. After the wild life park, next area of the island we visited was Remarkable Rocks. Before we reached the magnificent rock formation, we stopped at the Remarkable Lookout to see the rock formation from a distance.
— Some animals at Kangaroo Island Wild Park (Parndana Wildlife Park)
— Kangaroo Island Wild Park (Parndana Wildlife Park)
Flinders Chase National Park
— At Boxer Drive near Remarkable Rocks Lookout
Along Boxer Drive we appreciated exquisite sceneries along the edges of the island or the coastline. The bay is what they call Great Australian Bight. Within the area, where ever I turned my eyes into, I saw calmness and beauty of the place admiring the island and felt good knowing it is being protected as many generations will be able to visit the place.
— At Remarkable Rocks (Surrounding Area)
— Remarkable Rocks
Remarkable Rocks is one of the popular tourist site in the island. When I saw the rocks, I was surprised because of its unique shapes and the location where the rocks stands. Because the rocks standout, it is noticeable whether you are in the island or you are in the sea. The name remarkable is probably appropriate as the name of the rocks because it is distinguishable among other rocks known to the world.
Next thing happened was were driving to Cape Du Couedic Road where we saw Cape Du Couedic Lighthouse. The area is part of Flinders Chase National Park, like the Remarkable Rocks, the place has amazing sceneries to enjoy. Based on history, the coastline off Flinders Chase became the final resting place of 14 ships which came to grief on the rocky shores which led to push the building of the tower in the area though even there some contingency lights used before.
It is the same place where to find the Admirals Arch and the New Zealand sea-lion fur. Before we end our tour in the island, we had a short visit in Flinders Chase National Park Visitor Centre.
— At Cape Du Couedic Road on the way to Cape Du Couedic Lighthouse looking towards Great Australian Bight
