Name and Location

Woodman Light, also known as Woodman Point Light and historically as Gage Roads Lighthouse, is an active major sea-mark serving Cockburn Sound and the approaches to Fremantle, Western Australia. The lighthouse is located at 597 Cockburn Road, Munster, City of Cockburn, WA 6166, Australia, with coordinates 32°07′51″S, 115°46′11″E.

Construction and History

The exact date of the first establishment of Woodman Light is not publicly recorded. The lighthouse was formerly known as Gage Roads Lighthouse and has guided shipping under that name. It does not hold heritage-listed status. Automation occurred at some point, but the exact date is not documented. The structure is a steel skeletal tower, typical of WA minor lights, with an architectural style that prioritizes functionality over decoration.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse is constructed using painted steel, in line with regional practice. Its design and construction materials are functional rather than decorative.

Light and Navigation

Woodman Light has a focal height of 37 meters above sea level and a range of 22 nautical miles. The characteristic is an occulting light with a period of 30 seconds, featuring coloured sectors: Sector 1 (Green), bearing 012°–074°; Sector 2 (Red), bearing 132°–145°; Sector 3 (White), bearing 145°–150°; and Sector 4 (Green), bearing 150°–160°. The sequence is 27+3 occultations every 30 seconds.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse itself is closed to the general public for safety and security reasons, but unrestricted views are available from nearby foreshore walking trails. Visitors can access the adjacent reserve carpark via Cockburn Road, then walk to the fenced base of the lighthouse. Facilities include picnic tables, informal beach access, fire-ring barbecues in Woodman Point Recreation Reserve.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the headland, visitors can enjoy a panoramic outlook over Cockburn Sound, Garden Island naval base, and Rottnest Island in the distance. The surrounding environment is coastal heath and native eucalypt woodland, with a sandy shoreline.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local folklore has it that Woodman Light is occasionally mistaken for a disused lookout due to its skeletal frame and remote setting. No significant shipwrecks are directly tied to this light, but it plays a crucial role in preventing groundings in the shallow approaches.

Technical and Operational Details

Woodman Light is managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). There is no reported AIS/radar on site, and nautical charts AUS 177 and Admiralty K 1774 cover Cockburn Sound approaches. The lighthouse marks the southern limit of Gage Roads and guides vessels into Fremantle harbour.

Further Information

OpenStreetMap node/60312138 provides additional information about the lighthouse. Further reading includes Australian Maritime Safety Authority publications, Fremantle Harbour Trust archival materials (State Records of WA), and "Lighthouses of Western Australia" by Peter Stone (please verify title).