More light needs to be shed on Nobbys plan

Historical Documents on Nobbys Lighthouse Digitised

The University's Coal River Working Party released two digitised historical reports relating to the Light House and the proposed blowing up of Nobby's Island dating from 1852 and 1854 respectively.

The two reports were prepared for the Legislative Council of the Government of New South Wales and contain eye witness testimony and illustrations. They form part of an online library of historical documents digitised and made available to the local community relating to Newcastle's historic Coal River Precinct.

1852, August 31st. New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Select Committee. Newcastle Light House. Report from the Select Committee on Newcastle Light House with Appendix and Minutes of Evidence. Ordered, By the Council, to be printed 31st August 1852. Sydney: Government Printing Office, 1852. [1.1MB PDF file]

1854, July 18th. New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Nobby's Island. Laid upon the Council Table by The Colonial Secretary, and Ordered by the Council to be Printed, 18th July, 1854. Papers relating to the blowing up of Nobby's Island. [727KB PDF file] Thanks to the New South Wales Parliamentary Archivist.

Nobbys Lighthouse Newcastle 150th Birthday

Nobbys Lighthouse 150th Birthday

Nobbys Light turned 150 years old midnight 31st December 1857 -2007:

An important group of caring citizens celebrated this occasion today at Nobbys.

Newcastle took the lead in 1804 with the first navigational light on the Australian coast. It was a coal fired beacon on Signal Hill fuelled by coal from the convict worked mines at Colliers Point, the birth site of the city of Newcastle.

At midnight on the 31 of December 1857 the coal fired beacon was extinguished and the Nobbys Lighthouse was brought into operation.

The Nobbys Light has operated continuously for 150 years today never missing a night as a steadfast beacon at the entrance to the Port of Newcastle in fair and stormy weather always guiding shipping in one of the busiest ports of Australia.

Newcastle people who know of the national significance of this unique Commonwealth Heritage Place are appalled at the proposal to alienate this important navigational beacon with private commercial development and insist that it be protected and allowed to stand free as a sentinel at the entrance to the Port of Newcastle as it has done for 150 years.

Any development of Newcastle’s iconic headland and signal station cottages should be by adaptive reuse rather than by new buildings impacting on and impairing the 150 year old Nobbys Lighthouse.

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Celebrate Nobbys Lighthouse 150th Birthday

You are cordially invited to an informal gathering to celebrate the 150th Birthday of Nobbys Lighthouse on News Years Day at 4pm at Nobbys Breakwater.

It would be a shame to let this day pass us by. It is our opportunity to offer our thanks to the leading light of Newcastle that has guided many a soul home to safe shores.

More Info: Ann Ph: 0438509139