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For
31 years, from 1968 until 1999, I leased Cottage 2 at Barranjoey
lighthouse, Palm Beach, NSW, Australia. It was an assistant
keeper's cottage and had no electricity nor running water.
When I took over the lease it was a vandalised ruin, and over
many years
I restored it to a comfortable 1800s era home, full of warmth and character.My
Montreal born wife
Bridget and I were married there in 1974. We were the unofficial caretakers
of the lightstation and the headland.
In 1992 I published the first definitive history of that lighthouse,
Tales From Barranjoey, written on a Macintosh powerbook 100 and powered
via a solar panel. 3,000 copies were printed and the few remaining
copies are collector's items, as the book is now out of print.
Forced to vacate to Queensland when the management of all Australian
lightstations (now all automatic and without any keepers or other
protective human presence) was transferred from Commonwealth control
(Australian Maritime Safety Authority or AMSA) to State control,
which in our case meant the National Parks & Wildlife Service
(NPWS) of NSW. However, I am still an advisor to NPWS on all matters
historical and environmental pertaining to Barranjoey headland.
Before leaving, Bridget and I were awarded the first ever issued
Pittwater Medal (modelled on the Australia Medal) by Pittwater Council
for all our years of volunteer, historical and environmental work
for the benefit of Barranjoey, Palm Beach and the Northern Beaches
in general.
With
decades of accumulated research, I decided to complete a quartet
of books about Barranjoey lighthouse, and now the second book, The
Red Light of Palm Beach, is being published.
It details the lives of many of the lighthouse keepers who manned
Barranjoey
from 1881
until 1932, when it became automated.
Jervis Sparks
•ABOUT
THE NAME BARRANJOEY
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