Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, Maritime lighthouse in South West, Australia
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse is a maritime lighthouse on the southwest coast of Australia, sitting on a high bluff above Geographe Bay with a cylindrical stone tower painted white and topped by a lantern room. The tower rises above the surrounding coastal scrub and offers a wide view of the bay and the Indian Ocean beyond.
The lighthouse was built in 1903 to warn ships away from the reefs that had already caused many wrecks along this stretch of coast. Its construction marked a turning point for safe navigation along a coastline that had long been difficult and dangerous to pass.
Inside the lighthouse, an original Fresnel lens made by Chance Brothers is on display, showing how light was projected far out to sea using glass prisms. Seeing it up close gives a clear sense of how much skill went into guiding ships before modern navigation tools existed.
Visitors can climb the tower to reach the viewing platform, though this involves a series of steps and may not suit everyone. The site sits at the tip of the cape and is best visited in the morning when the light falls across the bay most clearly.
In July 1907, a fireball struck the tower during a storm, injuring one of the keepers and leaving visible marks on the stonework. Fireballs of this kind, a rare form of lightning, were barely understood at the time and were often reported by sailors as strange, unexplained events at sea.
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