Western Channel Pile Light, also known as the West Wedding Cake due to its shape, is an active
pile lighthouse located at the
Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...
,
New South Wales,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, off Georges Head at
Mosman. It marks the western end of the
Sow and Pigs Reef. It collapsed in December 2006 and was reconstructed and restored to operation in December 2008.
History
Western Channel Pile Light was established in 1924, replacing a marker
buoy
A buoy () is a floating device that can have many purposes. It can be anchored (stationary) or allowed to drift with ocean currents.
Types
Navigational buoys
* Race course marker buoys are used for buoy racing, the most prevalent form of yac ...
, together with
Eastern Channel Pile Light.
It was constructed from concrete bottom (originally known as the "gas house"), supported by twelve piles, with a copper top and a wooden stakes skirt. It was originally gas powered (probably a
carbide lamp), and was later converted to
solar power.
In 1996 a stainless steel mast, serving as a weather station, was installed on the structure, providing information about weather conditions in the harbour.
The lighthouse was due for replacement in 2007, and a budget was set, but on 12 December 2006 it collapsed, as one or two of the supporting piles broke. The Sydney Ports Corporation employed Waterways Constructions to reconstruct the lighthouse.
The new tower was designed to look as similar as possible to its predecessor, using the salvaged and renovated lantern house, and a new lower section. Reconstruction completed and the light returned to operation on 18 December 2008.
Site operation and visiting
The light is operated by the Sydney Ports Corporation. It is accessible only by boat, and is closed to the public.
See also
*
List of lighthouses in Australia
Notes
References
* Listed as "Western Channel Beacon."
*
*
*
*
External links
*
{{Authority control
Lighthouses completed in 1924
Lighthouses in Sydney
1924 establishments in Australia