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Website: www.amsa.gov.au

Attribution

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s preference is that you attribute this publication (and any material sourced from it) using the following wording:

Source: Australian Maritime Safety Authority Cape St Albans Lighthouse Heritage Management Plan – 2023

Front cover image:

Figure 1. Cape St Albans Lighthouse (© AMSA, 2018)

More information:

For enquiries regarding copyright including requests to use material in a way that is beyond the scope of the terms of use that apply to it, please contact us through our website: www.amsa.gov.au

Table of contents

Introduction

    Background and purpose
    Heritage management plan objectives
    Methodology
    Status
    Authorship
    Acknowledgements
    Language
    Previous reports
    Sources of information and images
Cape St Albans Lighthouse site

    Location
    Setting and landscape
    Site management
    Access
    Listings
History

    General history of lighthouses in Australia
    The Commonwealth Lighthouse Service
    Cape St Albans: a history
    Building a lighthouse
    Chronology of major events
    Changes and conservation over time
    Summary of current and former uses
    Summary of past and present community associations
    Unresolved questions or historical conflicts
    Recommendations for further research
Fabric

    Fabric register
    Related object and associated AMSA artefacts
    Comparative analysis
Heritage significance

    Commonwealth heritage listing – Cape St Albans Lighthouse
    Condition and integrity of Commonwealth heritage values
    Gain or loss of Commonwealth heritage values
Opportunities and constraints

    Implications arising from significance
    Framework: sensitivity to change
    Statutory and legislative requirements
    Operational requirements and occupier needs
    Proposals for change
    Potential pressures
    Processes for decision-making
Conservation management principles and policies
Policy implementation plan

    Plan and schedule
    Monitoring and reporting
Appendices

Appendix 1. Glossary of heritage conservation terms

Appendix 2. Glossary of historic lighthouse terms relevant to Cape St Albans Lighthouse

Appendix 3. Table demonstrating compliance with the EPBC Regulations

Appendix 4. Cape St Albans current light details

Endnotes

Reference list

List of Figures

Figure 1. Cape St Albans Lighthouse (© AMSA, 2018)

Figure 2. Planning process applied for heritage management (Source: Australia ICOMOS, 1999)

Figure 3. (Image: Landsat/Copernicus, Data: SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO. Google Earth)

Figure 4. Cape St Albans on eastern coast of Kangaroo Island (Image: ©2022 TerraMetrics, ©2022

CNES/Airbus, Data: SIO, NOAA, U.S Navy, NGA, GEBCO. Google Earth)

Figure 5. View of Cape St Albans landscape and tower (© AMSA, 2014)

Figure 6. Unsealed road to Cape St Albans Lighthouse (© AMSA, 2019)

Figure 7. Access track to Cape St Albans Lighthouse (© AMSA, 2019)

Figure 8. Incandescent oil vapour lamp by Chance Brothers (Source: AMSA)
Figure 9. Dioptric lens on display at Narooma (Source: AMSA)

Figure 10. Dalén's system - sunvalve, mixer and flasher (Source: AMSA)

Figure 11. Design plan of Cape St Albans Lighthouse, signed by Engineer-in-Chief 17 March 1908

NAA: A10182, CN 01 185 (© Commonwealth of Australia, National Archives of Australia)

Figure 12. Cape St Albans Lighthouse site (© AMSA, 2018)

Figure 13. Cape St Albans tower with recent external ladder (© AMSA, 2017)

Acronym List

List of acronyms utilised throughout this heritage management plan:

Executive summary

Built in 1908, Cape St Albans Lighthouse was built to assist lighting Backstairs Passage between Kangaroo Island and the South Australian coast. The lighthouse is notable for its heritage significance and was placed on the Commonwealth Heritage List in 2004 for its role in providing navigational assistance, and its standing as one of the earliest unattended lights established in South Australia. The lighthouse is demonstrative of a transition in lighthouse technology of the early twentieth century.

Situated approximately 8.5 kilometres away from Antechamber Bay, the Cape St Albans Lighthouse stands on the most eastern point of Kangaroo Island. After the cost of constructing a staffed light was considered too expensive, the lighthouse was designed by South Australia’s Engineer-in-chief as an automatic tower with an open lantern floor plan. Although keepers from the nearby Cape Willoughby Lighthouse were tasked with checking on the tower, the lighthouse operated automatically. As a working marine aid to navigation (AtoN), the lighthouse tower is operated and managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

The lighthouse was originally fitted with a self-contained lantern manufactured by Barbier, Bernard and Turenne in France. The current lens assembly is a 250mm focal radius fixed lens with a lamp-changer light source. The light runs on an automated mechanism as part of AMSA’s network of AtoN. The equipment is serviced by AMSA’s maintenance contractor who visits at least once per year. AMSA officers visit on an ad-hoc basis for auditing, project and community liaison purposes. Access to the site and inside the tower is restricted to authorised personnel only.

This heritage management plan is concerned mainly with the lighthouse, but also addresses the management of the surrounding land. The plan is intended to guide AMSA’s decisions and actions. AMSA’s Heritage Team has prepared this plan to integrate the heritage values of the lighthouse in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 (Cth).

Being well built and generally well maintained, the lighthouse precinct is in relatively good, stable condition. The policies and management guidelines set out in this heritage management plan strive to ensure that the Commonwealth heritage values of Cape St Albans Lighthouse are recognised, maintained, and preserved for future generations.

Introduction

1.1 Background and purpose

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is the Commonwealth agency responsible for coastal aids to navigation (AtoN). AMSA’s network includes Cape St Albans Lighthouse, built in 1908.

Section 341S of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act) requires AMSA to prepare a management plan for Cape St Albans Lighthouse that addresses the matters prescribed in Schedules 7A and 7B of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 (Cth) (EPBC Regulations). The principal features of this management plan are:

• a description of the place, its heritage values, their condition and the method used to assess its significance
• an administrative management framework
• a description of any proposals for change
• an array of conservation policies that protect and manage the place
• an implementation plan
• ways the policies will be monitored and how the management plan will be reviewed.

AMSA’s Heritage Team has prepared this heritage management plan to guide the future conservation of the place. This plan provides the framework and basis for the conservation and best practice management of Cape St Albans Lighthouse in recognition of its heritage values. The policies in this plan indicate the objectives for identification, protection, conservation and presentation of the commonwealth heritage values of the place. Figure 2 shows the basic planning process applied.

Figure 2. Planning process applied for heritage management (Source: Australia ICOMOS, 1999)

1.2 Heritage management plan objectives

The objectives of this heritage management plan are to:

• protect, conserve and manage the Commonwealth heritage values of the Cape St Albans Lighthouse.
• interpret and promote the Commonwealth heritage values of the Cape St Albans Lighthouse.
• manage use of the lighthouse; and
• use best practice standards, including ongoing technical and community input, and apply best available knowledge and expertise when considering actions likely to have a substantial impact on Commonwealth heritage values.

In undertaking these objectives, this plan aims to:

• provide for the protection and conservation of the heritage values of the place while minimising any impacts on the environment by applying the relevant environmental management requirements in a manner consistent with Commonwealth heritage management principles.
• take into account the significance of the region as a cultural landscape occupied by Aboriginal people over many thousands of years.
• recognise that the site has been occupied by lease holders since the early 20th century.
• encourage site use that is compatible with the historical fabric, infrastructure and general environment.
• record and document maintenance works, and changes to the fabric in the Cape St Albans Lighthouse fabric register.

The organisational planning cycle and associated budgeting process is used to confirm requirements, allocate funding and manage delivery of maintenance activities. Detailed planning for the AtoN network is managed through our internal planning processes.

An interactive map showing many of AMSA’s heritage sites, including Cape St Albans Lighthouse, can be found at AMSA Heritage Lighthouses Interactive MapP0FP0F[i]PP.

1.3 Methodology

The methodology used in the preparation of this plan is consistent with the recommendations of The Burra Charter and with the requirements of Chapter 5, Part 15 Division 1A of the EPBC Act. In particular, the plan:

details the history of the site based on information sourced from archival research, expert knowledge, and documentary resources

• provides the description of the site based on information sourced from site inspection reports and fabric registers
• details the Commonwealth heritage criteria satisfied by Cape St Albans Lighthouse as set out by schedule 7A of the EPBC Regulations.

The criterion set out at Schedule 7A (h) (i-xiii) informed the development of the required policies for the management of the Cape St Albans Lighthouse, in conjunction with input from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (Heritage Branch) on best practice management.

Consultation

In preparation of the plan, AMSA consulted with the Ramindjeri Heritage Association Inc. under direction from Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (SA). AMSA was provided with information on the history of the island and past and present associations held, and this was

This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.