Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons contributors. Used under Creative Commons licence.
About Bathurst Lighthouse
Bathurst Lighthouse is one of two lighthouses on Rottnest Island, the other being Wadjemup Lighthouse. It is located on Bathurst Point, in the northeast of the island, and was activated in 1900. The lighthouse was erected in response to a series of shipping disasters in the area, which included the loss of City of York in 1899.
The light source and lantern house were originally to be used at Cape Leeuwin but were then built in on Rottnest Island. In 1920 the original acetylene flame was replaced by a flasher, which made the keeper superfluous. An electric light was installed in 1986.
Bathurst Lighthouse serves as the rear light in the pair of Kingston Reef's leading lights, which guide ships departing from Fremantle through the reefs near the island. Its light is characterised by a group of four flashes that occurs every sixteen seconds.
The original land allocation for the lighthouse and surrounds was reduced in size in 1934.
Location
Bathurst Lighthouse is located in Western Australia at approximately -21.8264°, 114.1575°. A map pin at these coordinates will take you to the approximate lighthouse site — note that some historic lights are on active marine reserves, islands or private land, and visiting may require a boat or permit.
Visiting Bathurst Lighthouse
Access to Australian lighthouses varies widely. Some are on publicly accessible headlands with car parks and interpretive signage; others are on remote islands that require chartered boats. Most operational lights managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) are not open to the public interior, but the grounds and keepers' cottages at heritage-listed stations are often open during daylight hours.
If you're planning a visit, check with the relevant state parks service or heritage body for current conditions, access restrictions and opening times. Many of Australia's finest lighthouses are within national parks, and fees may apply.
Further reading
Read more on Wikipedia → — used under CC BY-SA 4.0. This article includes contributions from the Wikipedia community.