The cultural significance of the lighthouse resides in its fabric, and also 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[31] sets out good practice for conserving cultural significance.
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 showing a white pyramidal roof.Photograph showing underside of pyramidal roof with exposed cast metal ribs.Photograph showing underside of roof, metal ribs and top ring are exposed.Photograph showing round ventilator fitted to top of white roof.
Recent 16-sided pyramidal roof of glass-reinforced-plastic panels on 1846 cast metal ribs and top ring.
Ribs – cast metal ribs
Inner skin – none
Ventilator – recent GRP replica of ball type ventilator, without ventilation holes
Wind vane – none
Lightning conductor – single spike on top of ventilator
Gutter – none
| Significance: | original fabric: highother parts: low |
The lantern roof is an essential part of the lighthouse (with the cast metal ribs and top ring being an original feature). The lantern roof retains significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
The lantern roof contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse (criterion e).
Polygonal in form, with 16 sides. The vertical astragals extend from a base ring at lantern floor level up to the lantern roof – there is no separate lantern base.
Panes – flat rectangular glass. Two tiers of glass, with tier of blank panels below (forming the lantern base).
Astragals – vertical astragals of moulded profile with thickenings at intersections with horizontal astragals and at top and bottom. Horizontal astragals of similar moulded section.
Handholds – one on each vertical astragal, fixed to cover strips.
Section 4 - Goose Island Lighthouse Heritage Management Plan 2023 - Fabric | Zoe
Finish:
bottom tier: blanking panelsastragals and glazing strips: painted
Condition:
intact and sound
Integrity:
high
Significance:
high
Maintenance:
keep in service, reglaze as necessaryprepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works:
none
The lantern glazing is an essential part of the lighthouse. It maintains significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
The lantern glazing contributes to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse (criterion e).
Lighthouse feature: Lantern base
Photograph showing external side of lantern house. Clear glazing panes are fitted above blank white panels. Photograph showing internal side of lantern house. Clear glazing panes are fitted above blank black panels.
Formed by the bottom tier of the lantern glazing which has been re-fitted with blank panels (originally fully glazed).
Vents – recent cast cowls fitted over round vent holes in blank panels
Door – two doors set into the lowest tier of the lantern
| Significance: | blank panels and vents: lowother parts: high |
Heritage Significance: High
The lantern base is an essential part of the lighthouse. It maintains significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
Original lantern base was formed within the top of the existing masonry tower walls. The earlier cast iron pedestal for the Fresnel lens is still located on this level, but not in service. Fixing positions of the original internal catwalk brackets into the masonry walls are visible.
Vents – original round vent openings still exist through masonry walls at this level. They are fit with circular brass regulators.
Door – there was no door in the original lantern base and the balcony was accessed through the existing doors in the lantern glazing from the internal catwalk.
Finish:
masonry wall: bare renderpedestal: painted
Condition:
There is fretting of the top course of sandstone masonry on the internal face, otherwise sound.
Integrity:
medium
Significance:
high
Maintenance:
keep in serviceprepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works:
none
The lantern base is an original part of the lighthouse. It maintains significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
Lighthouse feature: Lantern floor
Photograph showing access opening in floor. Mesh cover is propped open.Photograph showing painted lantern floor. A metal stand is bolted to floor.
Recent floor of compressed fibre-cement sheet on frame of galvanised steel rectangular hollow sections (RHS) sections bolted together. The frame sits on the top of the tower wall around the edge.
Access opening – rectangular, with expanded metal mesh cover.
The lantern floor is an essential part of the lighthouse – it maintains its significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
Vega VRB-25 self-contained rotating beacon. Fitted with four fixed masks to stop parasitic flashes, suspended from an aluminium framework on top of the beacon.
1846 slate slab floor supported on the tower wall and cornice.
Finish:
Painted
Condition:
intact and sound
Integrity:
high
Significance:
high
Maintenance:
keep in service, maintain joint sealsprepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works:
none
The balcony floor is an essential part of the lighthouse – it maintains its significance due to the lighthouse being one of five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b)
1846 stone walls, probably originally with exposed rock faced stone in courses with finely dressed freestone cornice courses at the top. It has render and stucco coatings inside and out, probably a later modification. Internal projecting ledges indicate probable earlier locations of intermediate floors, since removed.
Finish:
painted
Condition:
intact and sound
Integrity:
high
Significance:
high
Maintenance:
keep in serviceprepare and paint at normal intervalsmonitor condition of pointing and stonework
Rectification works:
none
The tower walls are both an original and essential part of the lighthouse – they maintain significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
The tower walls contribute to the aesthetic value of the lighthouse (criterion e).
Six original window openings with fixed glazing in stainless steel sashes and frames.
Finish:
frames and sashes: bare metalglass: clear
Condition:
intact and sound
Integrity:
high
Significance:
window openings: highglazing, sashes and frames: low
Maintenance:
keep in servicereplace broken panes as required
Rectification works:
none
The window openings are both essential and original to the lighthouse – they maintain significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
1846 door opening. Later timber framed and sheeted door with stainless steel vent cover, hung in timber door frame. Secured with hasp and staple and CLS padlock.
| Condition: | sound |
The tower door is an essential part of the lighthouse – the original door opening maintains significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
Three intermediate landings, of timber boards on rolled iron beams built into the tower walls. (Original intermediate floors at lower levels have been removed when the cast iron stair was installed, but their positions are marked by projecting ledges inside the tower walls).
Finish:
painted
Condition:
corrosion on beam endsotherwise intact and sound
Integrity:
medium
Significance:
high
Maintenance:
keep in servicetreat corrosionprepare and repaint at normal intervals
Rectification works:
none
The intermediate floors are an essential part to the lighthouse – they maintain their significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant, pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
Cast iron spiral stair integrated with central weight tube/column, rising from the ground floor to a floor two storeys below the lantern floor. The stair structure is free-standing, independent of the stone tower. Cast iron treads/riser units with lattice treads are bolted to one another and to the weight tube, the connecting bolts extend vertically as balusters supporting a wrought iron handrail on the outside of the flight. A separate flight of stairs, with a wrought iron outer string, leads from the lower intermediate floor to the one below the lantern floor.
The tower stairs are an essential part to the lighthouse – they maintain their significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant, pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
Lighthouse feature: Ground floor
Photograph showing round concrete floor. Grey weight tube fitted to centre of floor. Photograph showing curved racks holding battery packs.
Concrete floor slab.
Equipment – batteries on racks mounted against the tower walls at ground floor level, control equipment wall- mounted.
Finish:
bare
Condition:
intact and sound
Integrity:
high
Significance:
high
Maintenance:
keep in serviceclean at normal intervals
Rectification works:
none
The ground floor is an essential part to the lighthouse – it maintains its significance due to the lighthouse being one of only five extant, pre-1850 lighthouses in Tasmania (criterion b).
Early free standing building with rubble stone walls and hipped roof clad with recent (2012) corrugated stainless steel roofing sheet.
Stainless steel guttering and downpipe.
Condition:
Sound. Some movement is showing by the cracks in the un-coursed rubble stonework. This movement in the wall has been visible for a length of time and the walls are in a stable condition.The red clay bricks used to in-fill the old window and door are eroding and a few of the clay bricks in the window have fallen out of place.The door frame has also moved causing the door to not fit properly.
Integrity:
medium
Significance:
high
Maintenance:
monitor conditionprepare and repaint parts as required
Rectification works:
none
The store shed is an essential part of the lightstation – it maintains its significance due to the lightstation being one of only five extant pre-1850 lightstations in Tasmania (criterion b).
The store shed contribute to the aesthetic of the lightstation (criterion e).
There are no AMSA registered artefacts at the Goose Island Lighthouse.
4.3 Comparative analysis
Exhibiting similar stylistic features, both the Swan Island Lighthouse, first lit 1845, and Goose Island Lighthouse were built by ex-convict Charles Watson and his team of prisoners. Both masonry towers were constructed of cement rendered rubble stone and fitted with a catadioptric lens with silvered mirrors. In 1872, Swan Island’s mirrors were removed and fitted in the Goose Island lantern room. Located on isolated islands, the two towers are situated approximately 54.5 km apart in Bass Strait and are considered to be the two major coastal lights operating north-east of Tasmania.
Photograph showing white lighthouse tower against blue, cloudy sky.Photograph showing white lighthouse tower in isolated landscape beside blue ocean.
Figure 15. Swan Island Lighthouse, TAS. First lit 1845 (Source: AMSA, 2021)
Figure 16. Goose Island Lighthouse, TAS. First lit 1846 (Source: AMSA, 2020)