Environmental Minister Rejects Project

Nobby’s Head Lighthouse near Newcastle, New South Wales, won’t be getting a proposed redevelopment anytime soon if Minister Peter Garrett has his way. A plan by Newcastle businessman Neil Slater to add accomodations, restaurant, viewing platform and a kiosk has been tentatively put on hold, even while his own department, the Ministry for Environment, Heritage and Arts has given the go-ahead for the project. The plan was conceived to allow the public access to the site for the first time in its 150 years of existence. Because of the public outcry against this stance, however, Garrett says he will open a ten day comment period for interested parties to respond.

Barney Collins from EJE Architecture, the firm hired for this undertaking, says he will be lodging a submission, hoping to convince the Minister to change his mind.

“We’ll try and reinforce the positive aspects of the proposal for the public to be able to interpret the heritage and not just the lighthouse,” he said. “It’s every aspect about the heritage of Nobbys Headland…the Aboriginal aspects, the maritime aspects, the lighthouse the lightkeeper aspects, the observation that has been done on that site for 150 years.”

According to a story on the Newcastle Star, the Newcastle Trades Hall Council secretary Gary Kennedy said they were amazed by the planned rejection and vowed to fight on. “We are going to send another letter to the minister outlining again why we think this development is in the interest of the community.”

Heritage Lost?

Proponents of the development feel that this development will not impact the heritage of the site as much as Garrett fears. Kennedy claims there will be more of a loss of the historical aspects if the site change is not approved. “The Port Corporation (the owners of the site) is not going to spend to money to make it safe to go up to the site, where Neil is willing to spend the money to make it safe for everyone to go up there. If this proposal does not go through, it will be the end of the lighthouse. I can not see anyone else willing to go through with it.”

Kennedy says the rejection deals a blow to the city’s tourism industry. The Environmental Ministry itself decided the boost to the area’s economy and social benefits far outweighed any damage to the heritage value of the lighthouse

Nobbys Interesting History

Nobbys Head was the third lighthouse in NSW, and the small coastal islet on which it sits was first discovered by Captain James Cook. The head was originally over 60 meters in height (almost 200 feet) but as sailors entered Newcastle, the height of the rock would take the wind out of the sails, stranding the mariners. To correct this, the height was reduced by more than half, with the rock being used to build a breakwater and pier. Convicts provided the hard labor. Later, it was decided to blast the headland out of the water, but public complaints stopped that plan. The top was leveled, and the lighthouse was built in 1854.

The signal station, which dwarfs the lighthouse, was added in 1858. Three lightkeepers at a time staffed the station. From the Newcastle Port Corporation site:

Once the Port’s lighthouse and communication center, as well as home to the signal station staff of the Newcastle Port Corporation and their families, today the lighthouse remains with plans for limited commercial use, allowing the site to be opened to the public.

Not if Minister Garrett has his way. If even the site’s owners are so agreeable to the limited development proposed, as is the Ministry itself, why would Garrett be so adamantly against it?

Photo Credits:

• Nobby’s Lighthouse from Stockton Break Wall by Tasumi1968. Some rights reserved.
• Peter Garrett campaigning in Melbourne, 2004. Photo by Adam Carr (public domain).

Keep up with Lighthouse News. Get articles by Email or in a Reader.