City - South Coast - New South Wales - Beecroft Peninsula in the Jervis State - NEW SOUTH WALES Country - Australia
About
The Point Perpendicular Lighthouse was established in 1899 to replace the inaccurately placed Cape St George Lighthouse.
The original 1860 lighthouse had been built in the wrong position due to inadequate supervision by the authorities of the day. It was not visible to the northern approach at Jervis Bay and failed to warn of offshore reefs. Even though when the error was realised it was intended to show a light at Cape St George only as a temporary measure it was not until 1898, over 30 years later, that work began on its replacement on the northern side of the entrance to the bay. This tower is believed to be a "first" in New South Wales. It is erected on a flat concrete base and is the first tower to be constructed of concrete blocks - made on the ground - lifted into position, then cement-rendered on both the inside and the outside. This building technique eliminated the use of heavy scaffolding and shuttering which is necessary for the "concrete poured" construction of towers. Most of the stores and materials for the new lighthouse were landed at Bindijine Wharf, constructed in 1898, on Honeymoon Bay inside the sheltered side of Jervis itself. They were then carted by house and cart to Point Perpendicular.