• Baker, whose annual salary in 1919, including rent,
was 216 pounds, maintained an active social life and loved a
quiet drink. He is said to have scratched a small hole in the
black paint on the back of the lantern, which prevents the light
shining inland and annoying residents. The hole lined up with
the Airey's Inlet Hotel so that each time the lenses flashed,
the light winked through the hole assuring Richard (who was
in the pub) that all was well.
• The head light-keeper
ensured that the light was correctly lit 15 minutes before dusk
and he was replaced after five hours by an assistant. Five hours
later the third keeper relieved him. They overlapped their shifts
for an hour to ensure that the new watch was awake. There were
communication pipes between the lantern room and the three main
bedrooms of the cottages.
• Kerosene required
active maintenance to ensure that the wick was always burning
at the correct length and that maximum oxygen was available
to brighten the light. It produced a stinky vapor and black
soot which had to be cleaned from the lens and the windows.
The fuel also needed to be lugged up the stairs. •
Further tasks for the keepers involved maintaining the light
tower( including washing the outside windows!), taking weather
readings, and rocket launch practice once a month for shipwreck
rescues.
• Life at Aireys Inlet also involved growing fresh
food and looking after farm animals which provided them with
eggs and milk. The farmers in the valley were able to provide
some food as well. In the early 1890s a supply boat provided
all other provisions twice a year.
• There were up to 20 children living in the two residences,
so store rooms were turned into bedrooms in the quarters to
house all of them. There were enough children to open the
first Aireys Inlet school. They were able to ride horses and
helped with the farm work. |
|
• Communication to Sea: The lighthouse communicated
to ships in two ways. At night an acetylene Morse lamp was
used, and by day a signal tree - a T-shaped flagpole system-
from which maritime flags were hung. If, for example, a ship
was coming into danger the letters J.D was to be hoisted as
warning.
• The First cottage was sold to the Williams family
in 1935 and in 2004, the two assistant keeper's cottages were
put up for auction. Much speculation and publicity surrounded
the event, and there were hundreds of people at the auction
on 6 March. The cottages were reportedly sold for an undisclosed
figure over AU$1.5 million. |
Click above to read pages from 'Instructions to Lightkeepers' |
