Williamstown Lighthouse, Maritime navigation site in Point Gellibrand, Australia
Williamstown Lighthouse is a navigation structure made of bluestone in Point Gellibrand, Victoria. The 27-meter-tall tower has a square base with a castellated parapet and features a spherical copper timeball mechanism on top.
The site began with a wooden structure in 1840 and was later replaced by the current bluestone tower, which served ships until 1987. The construction reflected how British colonial authorities built maritime infrastructure along Victoria's coast.
The lighthouse shows how early colonists developed maritime technology in Victoria and adapted it to local conditions. Visitors can observe how the structure fits into the harbor landscape and what role it played in the region's growth.
The timeball mechanism operates daily at 1 PM and visitors can watch this historical timekeeping system in action. It is good to plan a visit during daylight hours to see both the tower and the harbor views clearly.
Prisoners from local jails quarried and shaped the bluestone used to build the tower, making them part of the construction effort. This labor connection is a lesser-known aspect of how the structure came together in the 1800s.
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