The Lighthouses of Australia
July 26, 2011
My mother loves lighthouses. She adored the Barnegat Lighthouse, in southern Ocean County, NJ, which we could see from across the bay at Island Beach State Park, and the Cape May Lighthouse at the very tip of the state. The way she lit up at the sight of these coastal towers spawned many birthday and Christmas gifts involving lighthouse pictures, paintings, candles, decorations and other items. The last lighthouse gift I gave her was a blue and white title I made in a pottery class.
Like her green eyes, love of the beach and Irish pride, my mother also passed down to her oldest child a fascination with lighthouses. These beacons beckon as I travel around Australia. I even once walked for miles as a storm approached to see a lighthouse up close, its gleaming whiteness in sharp contrast to the black clouds behind it.
It occurred to me the other day that I’ve never directly asked my mother why she loves lighthouses so. I emailed her yesterday to find out and this is what she wrote:
I love the fact that ships were guided from the sea to find land, that people lived in them and took care of them for the safety of ships. I just think they are so unique…no two are alike.
So to my mom in New Jersey and all you other lighthouse-lovers out there, this is for you.
Split Point Lighthouse, Aireys Inlet, VIC
Wollongong Head Lighthouse, NSW
Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse at Seal Rocks, NSW
Australia's first lighthouse, Macquarie Lighthouse, outside Sydney, NSW
Kiama Lighthouse, NSW
Cape Byron Lighthouse, Byron Bay, NSW
Bulwer Island Light, Brisbane, QLD
Ahh, love these! There’s a special place in my heart for lighthouses…must be the whole growing-up-next-to-the-water thing. 🙂
Thanks Candice – I’m sure there are some beautiful ones throughout Canada. Maybe that can be the next road trip theme?
I love lighthouses! We have quite a few here in Michigan! That would make an interesting tour!
It would! You should organize it 🙂
I love this post! Lighthouses are so fun to take photos of. I love the one in Byron Bay – I have a picture of it that’s by far one of my favorites I’ve ever taken!
Thanks Amy! I think the Byron one is one of my favs as well — that’s the lighthouse I walked miles to get to as a storm blew in. A cool memory. Is the pic up on your site? Would love to see it.
I need to work on getting more photos up in a gallery type setting. There’s a small version of it that appears in the rotating image on my homepage, but no big version. I’ll let you know once I get it up there. 😉 Hoping to take a few more lighthouse photos at the end of the year – love those things!
Lighthouses are sentinels of strength against the darkness and the elements, they show us how to be strong and to light the way no matter what may come our way. There’s a great one in Ponce de Leon Fla.near Daytona Beach. We love you and your writing and your mom too! Say hi for us.
Aww, thanks so much Joe! I will say hi and hopefully one day I can check out this Florida lighthouse.
This got me thinking. I am relatively certain I’ve only ever actually seen the one lighthouse, and that was off Nobby’s Point in Newcastle. They really do offer a great photo opportunity. They’re so lonesome and striking. Some great snaps in here.
You know it’s weird, I just looked up Nobby and it looks quite similar to Sugarloaf and they’re probably an hour apart. Maybe all the ones in that area were made to look similar. Thanks for the kudos on the pics! I hope there are more lighthouses in your future 🙂
My grandma loved lighthouses and pictures, tokens, etc. of them all over her house from her travels. They always remind me of her. They are very special.
Hi Lauren
Like the lighthouse. You missed a lovely one up the coast (Central Coast). Its Norah Head Lighthouse. Its a lovely lighthouse with great views.
http://www.norahheadlighthouse.com.au/
Ohh, this one’s pretty! I will have to check it out next time I head up that way. It reminds of the one in Byron Bay with the blue trim on the bottom. Thanks for the link!
I saw a link to this just as I’m drafting my own post about my obsession with visiting lighthouses through eastern Canada.
Did you know that the first one you posted had a fairly famous TV show filmed in it – Round the Twist (a show for kids in the late 80s/90s)?
Hi Claire! I had no idea about the TV show — I will have to look it up. I hope to read your post when it’s up.
Laur,
I love lighthouses too and seak them out any time I’m on vacation. I even went on a lighthouse tour when in Maine last Sept!
Love it and love the reasons your mom gave!
Lex
Thanks Alexis! That lighthouse tour in Maine sounds awesome! Glad you got to go 🙂