The cultural significance of the lighthouse resides in its fabric, and in its intangible aspects, such as the meanings people ascribe to it, and the connections to other places and things. The survival of its cultural value depends on a well-informed understanding of what is significant, and on clear thinking about the consequences of change. The Burra Charter sets out good practice for conserving cultural significance.
Below, each part of the lighthouse is listed and the description, condition and significance of each part is discussed. Criterion listed under ‘Heritage Significance’ refer to the criterion satisfied within the specific Commonwealth heritage listing (see section 5.1).
(All images in sub-sections 4.1 and 4.2 - Source: AMSA)
Lighthouse feature: Lantern roof
Photograph of white lantern house with wind vane sitting atop a granite tower. A balcony wraps around the lantern house.Photograph of white dome roof. Sun can be seen low in the sky in the distance.Photograph of dome roof and gutter. Windbreak wall and service building can be seen on ground below.Photograph of underside of dome roof and its painted inner skin.
Part-spherical dome of copper sheets lapped and screwed to ribs.
Ribs – Not visible, but the pattern of screws indicate radial ribs.
Inner skin – Copper sheets lapped and screwed to ribs.
Ventilator – Ball type with wind vane attached.
Wind vane – Attached to the top of the ventilator. Fixed, does not turn with the wind.
Lightning conductor – Vertical pole on roof, with three spikes at top, and two braces to roof. Six vertical spikes attached near the gutter.
Gutter – Polygonal fabricated gutter attached to ring of cast iron pieces bolted together.
The lantern roof contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The lantern roof is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Lighthouse feature: Lantern glazing
Photograph of white lantern house, covered in white blanking panels. A lightning conductor stretches from the roof of the lantern house and out of view below.Photograph of white lantern house covered in white blanking panels with white lattice catwalk attached to external lower edge.Photograph of white lantern house with white lattice catwalk curved around external edge of house, above a set of glazing panes. Mountains can be seen in distance.Photograph of white lattice external catwalk as seen through glazing panes inside lantern house. A rocky cliff edge can be seen below.
Section 4 - Gabo Island Lighthouse Heritage Management Plan 2023 - Fabric | Zoe
Polygonal in form, with 16 sides.
Panes – Flat trapezoidal glass, three tiers. Two upper tiers blanked off with fibrous-cement sheet, except for one pane of clear glass on the top tier, presumably for the auxiliary light.
Astragals – Chance Bros vertical and horizontal astragals of triangular section, bolted to gutter ring at top, and to lantern base below.
Ladder rail – Attached to gutter.
Handholds – Three on each vertical astragal, fixed to cover strips.
Finish
astragals and glazing strips: painted
Condition
intact and sound
Significance
high
Integrity
high
Maintenance
keep in service, reglaze as necessary, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works
none
The lantern glazing contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The lantern glazing is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Lighthouse feature: Auxiliary light platform
Photograph of steel platform with stanchions and pipe rail fitted.Photograph of square steel platform taken from above. Platform is fitted with steel stanchions and rail pipe.
1935 square platform framed with rolled steel channel joists and floored with steel plate, standing on rolled steel angle columns on the lantern floor. Around the platform is a balustrade of steel pipe rails and steel angle stanchions. Access is by fixed steel ladder from the interior catwalk.
Finish
painted
Condition
intact and sound
Significance
moderate
Integrity
high
Maintenance
prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works
none
The auxiliary light platform is an important feature in the lighthouse’s history.
1862 Chance Bros, irregular 12-sided polygonal prism in form, with alternating long and short faces. Panels of cast iron bolted together with flanged joints. Decorative relief pattern on outside – diamond pattern in centre, border around each face.
Internal lining – timber vertical tongue-and-groove boards with beaded joints.
Vents – round air inlet in the middle of exterior of each panel (sealed off). Corresponding circular openings below the internal catwalk (each closed off with plywood disk).
Doors – two Chance Bros cast iron doors on opposite sides of the lantern. Both have timber boarded linings to match the lantern base. One door is sealed closed and has a steel patch applied to exterior bottom. The other door is hung on copper alloy hinges and secured with a recent cast strong-back, stud and hand wheel.
The lantern base contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The lantern base is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Lighthouse feature: Lantern floor
Photograph of curved plate floor of lantern room. Winding stair treads lead from fixed position on floor to level out of view.Photograph of curved plate floor of lantern room.
Iron plate floor set flush with the top of the tower wall (which is visible between the lantern base and the edge of the iron floor), screwed to rolled iron T-beams set into the tower wall stonework.
The lantern floor is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
1962 welded mild steel balustrade with top and bottom rails of rectangular section joined by square section balusters. The balustrade is made in sections, bolted together, and bolted to steel feet attached to the edge of the balcony floor. Aluminium expanded metal mesh attached to inside of balusters.
Fixed glazed timber window sashes in timber frames. The sashes are fixed by means of bolts and wing nuts accessible from the inside.
| Finish | frames and sashes: paintedglass: clear |
The windows contribute to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The windows are original features of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Lighthouse feature: Door
Photograph of double doors set into granite lighthouse tower with arched top.Photograph of open double doors leading out of lighthouse tower. Winding pathway and rocky landscape seen outside.
Timber double doors to the main entrance (upper entrance floor) and the store entrance (ground entrance floor).
Main door – recent pair of timber framed and sheeted doors with rebated meeting styles, hung in recent timber frame with arched head, transom, and fixed glazed fanlight. Each door leaf has a panel of fixed metal louvres inset in the bottom. One leaf secured with interior bolts top and bottom, the other with mortice lock and pad bolt.
Store door – recent pair of timber framed and sheeted doors with rebated meeting styles, hung in recent timber frame with arched head, transom, and solid panel over. One leaf secured with interior bolt at top, the other with exterior pad bolt.
| Significance | moderate |
The doors are replicas of an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Six 1862 intermediate half-floors, of original iron plate mixed with some portions of recent steel chequer plate, carried on rolled iron beams built into the stone tower walls. Central cast iron column support.
Handrails – iron handrails to match stairs, with cast iron sockets attached to floor framing. Clear acrylic sheeting is attached to the balustrade with U-bolts, to close the gaps between stanchions and raise the height of the balustrade.
Finish
painted
Condition
one of the upper landings has a crack across near the stairother locations: some corrosion along wall with some gapsotherwise intact and sound
Significance
high
Integrity
high
Maintenance
keep in service, prepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works
Investigate and perform repair to stabilize cracked landing
The intermediate floors are original features of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Lighthouse feature: Upper entrance floor
Photograph of round floor inside lighthouse tower. The base of a winding staircase and a green column are fitted to floor.Photograph of the underside of a round floor, supported by beams and a central column.
This the entrance floor, one storey above ground, reached by the external entrance stair.
Recent steel chequer plate on original rolled iron T-beam built into the tower walls. Central cast iron column.
The upper entrance floor is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
1978-1988 reconstruction of 1862 geometric stair with cast iron treads and risers bolted to the tower wall, with original handrails. Each flight is broken in the middle by a short landing carried on a cast iron bracket bolted to the tower wall.
Handrails – 1862 tubular handrail and wrought iron stanchions fixed to the open side of the stair, and to intermediate floors.
Topmost flight – the flight below the lantern floor has timber treads and risers, and is enclosed by a curved timber boarded wall and recent glazed framed door. Recent aluminium handrail.
This is the floor of the ground level store room, accessible only through a separate door in the base of the tower.
1862 stone floor with concrete topping.
Finish
bare concrete
Condition
intact and sound
Significance
high
Integrity
high
Maintenance
none
Rectification works
none
The basement entrance floor is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Lighthouse feature: Entrance stair
Photograph of base of granite lighthouse tower, with staircase leading up to set of white double doors.Photograph of base of granite lighthouse tower with staircase leading to open double doors, and windbreak walls running off both sides.Photograph of granite stairs leading from base of lighthouse tower to doorway.Photograph of granite entry steps leading down from lighthouse to path.
1862 granite steps with solid balustrade walls with rounded tops.
Finish
bare stone
Condition
intact and sound
Significance
high
Integrity
high
Maintenance
keep in service, monitor condition of pointing and stonework
Rectification works
none
The entrance stair contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The entrance stair exemplifies the exquisite stonemason craftsmanship employed at Gabo Island Lighthouse (criterion f).
The entrance stair is an original feature of a feature designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
Photograph of a granite windbreak wall with a path and vegetation running alongside it.Photograph of granite lighthouse base with entry steps leading to double doors. A white path leadings from the bottom of the steps and past a granite windbreak wall.Photograph of path weaving between granite windbreak wall and lighthouse base.Lighthouse feature: Paths
Recent concrete path leading to the store door and the bottom of the entrance stair.
Finish
trowelled bare concrete
Condition
sound
Significance
low
Integrity
medium
Maintenance
none
Rectification works
none
Lighthouse feature: Windbreak walls
Photograph of tall granite lighthouse tower against blue sky. A long granite windbreak wall runs from the base of the tower out of sight.Photograph of granite windbreak wall with a path and grassy vegetation running alongside it.Photograph of granite windbreak wall.Photograph of granite windbreak wall running to base of granite lighthouse.Photograph of granite windbreak wall with small access opening leading to small granite store shed.Photograph of granite windbreak running through landscape to base of tall granite tower. A small shed sits at base of tower.
1862 windbreak walls of un-coursed granite rubble, abutting the base of the tower. The walls have a cement mortar coping applied to their tops.
Finish
bare stone
Condition
stable
Significance
high
Integrity
high
Maintenance
keep in service, monitor condition of pointing and stonework
Rectification works
none
The windbreak wall contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse within its setting (criterion e).
The windbreak wall is an original feature of a lighthouse designed by an influential figure in Victoria’s architectural field (criterion h).
4.2 Related object and associated AMSA artefact
There are no AMSA artefacts stored on-site at Gabo Island Lighthouse.
Parks Victoria holds a collection of artefacts related to Gabo Island which are displayed at the lightstation.[38]
4.3 Comparative analysis
Gabo Island Lighthouse somewhat resembles Montague Island Lighthouse in design and history. Designed by renowned colonial architect James Barnet and constructed in 1881, Montague Island Lighthouse is located approximately 150 kilometres north of Gabo Island along the coast of New South Wales. Both island lighthouses had their granite quarried on-site and assembled to form tapering tower walls. Chance Bros. & Co. was responsible for the original 1st order lenses installed at Montague and Gabo.
Similarly, the original contractor assigned to construct Montague Island Lighthouse was forced to give up the contract after controversial difficulties and delays, as was the case with Robert Huckson for the Gabo Island Lighthouse.
Gabo Island Lighthouse’s unique upper entrance floor and basement design resembles Table Cape Lighthouse (Tas) and Eddystone Point Lighthouse (Tas). All three lighthouses have upper entrance floors accessed via external stairs, and basements accessed on the ground floor where battery equipment is stored.
Photograph of grey granite tower and white lanternhouse sitting atop granite boulders. A track leads to a collection of white buildings to the left of the lighthouse.
Decorative cover page which reads "5. Heritage Significance."