Name and Location

Nobbys Head Lighthouse, also known as "Nobbys Head Light," is located at 41B Nobbys Road (Unnamed Road), The Hill, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia. Its coordinates are 32°55′6.85″ S, 151°47′54.24″ E.

Construction and History

The lighthouse station was first established in 1856-57 to help ships navigate the treacherous bar at Newcastle Harbour. The present sandstone tower dates from 1858, replacing an earlier temporary beacon. Convict labor is believed to have quarried much of the local stone. The fog-signal was installed in 1884; originally powered by compressed air, now automated electric. Automated under remote control in 1934; keepers withdrawn.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse's designer is attributed to the Colonial Architect's office, c. 1857-58. Its style is Mid-Victorian functional maritime, featuring a simple cylindrical tower with a corbelled gallery. The materials used are local sandstone masonry, cast-iron lantern housing painted white, and bluestone headstone base. The tower height is 12.2 meters above ground, with a focal plane of 35 meters above mean sea level.

Light and Navigation

The light characteristic is a group-flashing white every 20 seconds. The sequence is flash 0.3 s, eclipse 2.7 s, flash 0.3 s, eclipse 8.2 s, flash 0.3 s, eclipse 8.2 s. The range is 24 nautical miles. Sectors: White light visible between bearings 201°-037°. Fog signal: Siren (one blast every 60 seconds)—used during storms, heavy tidal flows, and nighttime approaches.

Accessibility and Visiting

The grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk; the tower interior is not generally open but may be toured by arrangement with the Newcastle Maritime Museum. Access is via footpath along Nobbys Road or via the Bathers Way coastal walk from Newcastle Beach; limited vehicle parking at nearby Nobby's Beach car park. Facilities include interpretive panels, picnic seating, and coastal walking trails.

Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse offers panoramic views over the Pacific Ocean, Nobbys Beach, and Newcastle Harbour. It is adjacent to the historic Fort Scratchley precinct, King Edward Park, and the Bathers Way. Popular vantage points for whale-watching and sunrise photography.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local folklore speaks of the headland as the resting place of a great sea serpent—hence its original name, Coal Island, which was later reshaped by colonial engineers. The SS Cawarra disaster of 1866 is often recounted by local guides when visiting the lighthouse precinct.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is an active aid to navigation, managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). It is equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmitter; no radar installation on site. The official listing in US NGA Pub. 111 is Ref. K 2728.

Further Information

New South Wales State Heritage Register: Nobbys Head Lighthouse listing. Australian Maritime Safety Authority website: Aids to Navigation. US NGA Pub. 111: Lights, Signals, and Radio Aids. Newcastle Maritime Museum (local history archives). Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobbys_Head_Light