Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse - Popular Attraction in Margaret River
Cape Leeuwin derived its name from the Dutch vessel which navigated Western Australian during the early part of the 17th century. The lighthouse is now considered as a historic beacon and one of the major tourist attractions in the Margaret River area. Cape Leeuwin was built from local limestone. The groundwork had to be dug up deeper than the original plan to make sure that the rock layer was secured properly. It is the tallest lighthouse in Western Australia with an elevation of 56 meters above sea level. A 1,000-watt electric light has already taken the place of the original kerosene lamp.
The beacon serves as the main repository of all nautical information gathered by other towers within the country. It is not a functional lighthouse anymore but has become a favorite of foreign and domestic visitors. In fact, coffee shops and curio stores have already been built around the lighthouse. You need a lot of stamina to complete the lighthouse tour as you have to negotiate seven floors and 186 steps altogether. You have to pay a small fee to be able to climb up this marker.
Moreover, the winds blow strongly on the viewing deck. The Peninsula is considered as one of the most precarious coastlines in the whole world due to the huge boulders and underwater ridges. The weather is erratic and enormous waves are always present at the point where the Southern and Indian oceans converge. Notwithstanding these natural environment, the place remains as one of the most vital and active shipping lanes in the entire world.
More than 20 shipwrecks have been listed down from the time construction started in 1895 until the present but Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse will stand tall and full of pride forever. During the early days, it was always the first sign of land that sailors in vessels bound for Australia saw. The modern tungsten lamp flickers every seven seconds with the warning light perceptible 25 nautical miles away in the open sea. It became computerized in 1992.
The contemporary lighting system is a 12-foot lantern with 920-mm central rotating lens. It was designed and manufactured by renowned lighthouse engineers from Birmingham, England. Before, the lighthouse keepers and their families live in cottages with their extraordinary slanting roofs which have been built to endure the gusty winds. The last lighthouse custodian left in 1992 and only a battery backpack takes care of battery power in case of power failures.
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