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Physical Description

Context:
The headland projects out into Broken Bay forming its southern entrance. To the north is Boudi National Park along the Central Coast. Lion Island and the northern shore of Broken Bay present a natural backdrop. Ku-ring-gai National Park defines the western side of Pittwater, with West Head as the most prominent topographical feature.In Broken Bay are three island Nature Reserves. Lion Island, located just inside the entrance to Broken Bay and visible from Barrenjoey, was classified as a Nature Reserve under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1967. Long Island and Spectacle Island Reserves, dedicated in 1972, are located further inland and are important for their natural and cultural values.Palm Beach sweeps south of the Barrenjoey Headland. Further south, stretches of beach are framed by the various points and headlands.

Setting:
Barrenjoey Lightstation is located on the Barrenjoey Head at the southern entrance to Broken Bay. The headland was once an island joined to the mainland through the formation of a tombolo (Palm Beach) at the end of the last ice-age (approximately 10,000 years ago). The lighthouse reserve is about 10 hectares in area, the remainder of the headland being part of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.The Barrenjoey Headland is located at the northern end of Palm Beach, separated from the Sydney suburbs of Whale Beach and Palm Beach by a spit, with the lighthouse as focal point on the headland. The natural character of the headland, curving into Broken Bay and Pittwater, contrasts with the heavily urbanised backdrop of Palm Beach and similar areas to the south of Pittwater.

Natural Attributes:
Barrenjoey Headland itself retains plant associations typical of other headlands in the Sydney region before clearing occured. Black she-oak scrub covers the more exposed areas, with Bangalay forest and small rainforest patches in more sheltered parts.Ocean rock platforms are inaccessible and less subject to scavenging than other Sydney platforms. These, together with associated rocky reefs and the sea grass beds in the sheltered bay, form a valuable littoral and sub-littoral environment.

Buildings and Structures:
The principal buildings are the Lighthouse tower, Head Keeper’s cottage, and Assistant Keepers’ duplex with two semi-detached dwellings, associated outbuildings, boatshed and other site features. The three cottages are cut into the ridge behind the tower, giving protection against the prevailing north easterlies. This composition utilises a strong pattern of sandstone retaining walls to define the front yards of the cottages and to link the main house to the tower.Barrenjoey is the only face sandstone tower in the NPWS collection. The tower is 19.5m high and the focal plane of the light is 112m above high water. It has a range of 40 kilometres. The tower base is octagonal in plan to a height of 4m and circular above. It is divided into three storeys with iron floors and staircases. The walls are 900mm thick at the base tapering to 600mm at the top.The gallery around the lantern is cantilevered on massive stone brackets capped with elegant gunmetal balustrade. A square oil room at the base of the tower is connected to the head keeper’s cottage by a covered stair with a windbreak wall integral with both buildings.The Head Keeper’s Quarters is constructed in sandstone, with timber floors and a pyramidal pitched roof of corrugated steel. The north western facade has a bay window flanked by verandahs which return along to the southern facade. The bay looks into a courtyard enclosed by sandstone walling. A covered way to the tower joins the verandah at the north eastern corner. The house is on two levels, with kitchen and service areas below and six rooms arranged around a central hallway above. The six rooms are currently set out as four bedrooms, storeroom and sitting room containing the north facing bay window. Five fireplaces remain. A privy is also located at the south eastern corner of the lower level.The Assistant keepers’ duplex is also of sandstone with timber floors. Each has four rooms about a hallway and the pair is symmetrical about a central party wall. Each cottage has a verandah, reached by stair on the north and connected by another stair to a service building at its rear. The main section features four rooms about a central hallway of sandstone, with timber floors. A single hipped roof clad in corrugated steel spans both dwellings. This building has been substantially rebuilt after being burnt. The internal walls have been completely stripped of their internal finishes. Joinery has been reconstructed and the rooms adapted to suit the occupants’ lifestyle.A sandstone kitchen, store room and separate privy occupy the rear yard enclosed by a sandstone wall. Two underground water tanks are located in the space between the main building and the service structure.The timber framed and weatherboard clad Customs Station cottage has four main rooms about an open west facing verandah with several other rooms to their rear. It is built with a timber floor and colorbond corrugated roof.

Lighthouse Equipment
The tower contains the 12ft. diameter Chance Bros cast iron and copper lantern house of segmental cast iron, copper clad dome and precast internal and external catwalks. It has diagonal pattern glazing system associated with fixed optics.The optic does not rotate on a chariot but sits on its original cast iron main pedestal. The optic glass is horizontally banded in “belts” and the centrally light is mounted on a smaller cast iron pedestal. The Barrenjoey lens and pedestal are rare in Australia as being a 700mm Chance Bros fixed optic light. Disused 1932 acetylene sun valve and flasher associated with the place are present in a stored condition. The light was converted to electricity in 1972.The light is still operational and is maintained as a navigational aid by the NSW State Government serving recreational boating in Pittwater.Cultural LandscapeThe foreground to the headland, when approached from Palm Beach, is the extensive Council Car park. Access to the lightstation is by 4 wheel drive road, by walking along Pittwater Beach and up the rough stone flagged road to the summit or by walking the "smugglers trail". The summit forms a cultural precinct with the buildings nestled behind the trees on the rear face of the ridge. The timber cottage and boat shed are located south west of the lighthouse complex, on Barrenjoey beach facing Pittwater. The cottage is associated with the Customs Station.A vegetable garden is believed to have been located to the rear of the timber cottages. A number of Coral trees presently surround this cottage and the boatshed adjacent. Lantana and privet also attest to European occupation. Otherwise, the vegetation is coastal heath, modified in the vicinity of the lightstation.A man proof fence as protection against vandalism presently surrounds the Lighthouse tower.The location of a flagstaff blown down about 1950 is indicated by eyebolts near the Trig Station. An earlier flagstaff (probably associated with the Stewart Tower) is shown on Barnet’s 1877 plan and on a c.1885 photograph. A memorial cairn/obelisk was unveiled in 1935 on the site of the Stewart Towers and named after PW Gledhill, a noted local historian.The two graves to the east of the tower are those of the first lightkeeper, George Mulhall, who apparently died when struck by lightning in June 1885 and of his wife Mary who died the following year. The Gledhill Lookout Cairn is built from stone taken from the first lighthouse.Other features on the headland summit include the quarry, lookout markers and water tanks. At the rear of the houses and in front of the tower, random stone terracing was constructed. Remnants of a World War 2 concrete searchlight mount adjoin the Trig Station. Other defence related features might be present.

Modifications

Changes:The cottages were heavily damaged by vandals during the 1940s, following unmanning of the station and later leased by residents who have repaired and adapted the houses for their own use. Australian Maritime Safety Authority also undertook basic maintenance. The boat shed was apparently constructed by the Nott family in the 1970s. It is small timber framed structure clad in aesbestos cement sheet with concrete floor and corrugated colorbond roof.In 1972 the light was converted to electric operation from mains power with a backup emergency battery start generator. The original optical lens supplied by Chance Bros. of Birmingham is still in use today with a focal height of 113 metres above sea level and a range of 19 nautical miles.

Condition

Lighthouse and main residence intact. Duplex stable condition. adapted with loss of finishes following fire circa 1940s.

History

Aboriginal HeritageThe area was known to be occupied by the Guringai tribe. There has not been a systematic search undertaken on the headland but numerous sites are known including three listed Aboriginal archaeological sites on Barrenjoey Headland, two middens and a cave. None of the known sites are close to the Lighthouse precinct. A number of aboriginal shell middens were exploited in Colonial times as for the burning of lime.European HistoryThe headland was first named as “Barrenjuee” by Governor Phillip in 1788 from the Aboriginal name for small wallaby. After many interpretations the name is now “Barranjoey” on Admiralty maps and “Barrenjoey” on road maps.Broken Bay was once, due to the Hawkesbury trade, a thriving port. The River was then navigable to Windsor allowing steamers carrying passengers and produce. The trade was extensively agricultural and also included the valued commodity, rum.During these early years of the Bay’s use as a port, a stone jetty was constructed and a number of buildings erected to house Customs and cargo. The Customs Station established in 1843 included a wooden hut on top of Barrenjoey from which all vessels entering and leaving the port could be observed. A light was reputedly first displayed at Barrenjoey Head in rough weather in 1855, reputedly a fire basket lit in the hut, however the first official lighthouse began operating in 1868 when two wooden buildings called the Stewart Towers were erected and lanterns shown from them as guides to mariners. The Stewart Towers, named after the member for East Sydney who lobbied for their erection, were erected as temporary navigation aids. In 1873 it was recommended by Francis Hixson (President of the Marine Board of NSW) that a single permanent lighthouse replace the temporary Stewart Towers. Plans were subsequently prepared and the present lighthouse and surrounding buildings were completed and the light was first exhibited on 1 August 1881. The need for the navigational aid around Broken Bay was highlighted by the number of wrecks in the area. Among the fist of many wrecks in Broken Bay was the schooner Endeavour in 1825. Three lives were lost in the wreck of the ketch Traveller in 1868 and six died when the brig Minora was wrecked in 1898. Barnet had made a survey of the headland in 1877 and decided on the best location for the light. The land was then in private ownership and known as Larkfield Farm having been originally granted to James Napper in 1816.After some delay the foundation stone was finally laid in April 1880, by Miss Rosa Barnet. The buildings are constructed from sandstone quarried on the headland, and were constructed by Mr Isaac Banks as designed by James Barnet. The original light shown from the present tower was fixed red and featured four wick burners with red screens.The tower base is octagonal in plan and features a number of small openings and Victoria Regina 1880 insignia carved in the stone. The circular tower rises above the base three storeys and features large stone brackets which support the gallery around the lantern. An oil room and corridor at the base of the tower provides access to the tower which internally features iron floors and stairs. It is connected to the head keeper’s cottage by a covered stair with a windbreak wall. The Headkeepers quarters and assistants quarters are built within a series of sandstone walls which give a compound like environment relatively protected from prevailing winds. The head keepers quarters feature verandah covered by the sweep of the corrugated iron clad roof, the decorative timber fretwork long gone. A large bay breaks the verandah at the north western corner in the Headkeepers quarters. The basement features a kitchen fireplace and courtyard enclosed by a massive rubble wall and with a privy in the south east corner. The semi-detached cottages essentially consist of four rooms about a central corridor with a service block and privy in the rear courtyard. Verandahs shade the chief rooms and a covered walkway links them with the service block at their rear. During the 1931 a live bombing range was established at the entrance of Broken Bay. A target consisting of a carley float was towed into position and anchored when required for the excersises. Bombing signals were installed at the Barrenjoey Lighthouse and monitored by the keepers. The lighthouse boatsheds were used for the storage of the float and equipment.In 1932 the light was converted to group flashing white automatic light, powered by acetylene gas. With automation the lightkeepers were no longer needed and finally withdrawn. This left the area unprotected.During the 1940s correspondence concerning the lease of the headland and cottages outlined certain conditions. A lease of a portion of the defence reserve including part of the lighthouse property required an agreement that no structures be erected or any other work be carried out that will obstruct view of or from the Lighthouse, Trig Station or Gledhill Lookout Cairn. Also should not interfere in any way with the Mulhall’s grave and old Lighthouse monument.A memo to the property officer dated 1944 noted that the cottages at the lighthouse were broken into and one cottage in particular was damaged. A number of enquiries were made from this time relating the lease of the cottages and surrounding land. In 1949 approval was given the Warringah Shire Council for a permissive occupancy of an unleased portion of the defence reserve at Barrenjoey.The cottages were finally reoccupied during the 1950s and have since been restored and altered according to the needs of the tenants.

Internet links

Webpage	Source
Barrenjoey Head Lightstation	Attraction Homepage
Barrenjoey Lighthouse	Tourism NSW

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