Year first lit 1858 Light source mains power First lit 1858 Focal height 155 m | Construction stone tower Height 10 m Range 38,892 m Automated 1989 | |
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Location Kangaroo Island
South Australia
Australia Tower shape square prism tower with balcony and lantern Markings / pattern white tower and lantern, red balcony rail Similar Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, Cape Willoughby, Seal Bay Conservation Park, Cape Willoughby Conserva, Admirals Arch | ||
Regan firing a cannon at cape borda lightstation jan 10th 2009
Cape Borda Lightstation is a lighthouse in South Australia located at Cape Borda on Kangaroo Island.
Contents
History
It was built in 1858 and is the third oldest remaining and only square stone lighthouse in South Australia. The Lighthouse was built to guide ships travelling along the Roaring Forties trade route heading into the Investigator Strait towards Port Adelaide. Originally there was no road linking Cape Borda to the rest of Kangaroo Island and all supplies had to be hauled up from ships via a steep steel railway at a nearby cove known as Harvey's Return then taken to the lighthouse every three months.
Its focal plane is situated at a height of 155 metres (509 ft), the light characteristic is a group of four white flashes that occurs every 20 seconds. The lightstation was automated in 1989 and is still fully operational. In 1999 the original fog signal cannon was restored, today it is fired daily at 12:30 hours.
Today
The lightstation and surrounding cottages are looked after by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources while the top floor of the lightstation and the light itself is the property of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. Visitors are able to go on tours of the lighthouse and stay in the surrounding cottages.
The lighthouse is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.
