Australian_Geographic_-_October_2015_

September–October 2015 59

Red tower. The distinctively hued Cape

Banks Lighthouse (above) guides vessels

along the treacherous coastline near the

small fishing village of Carpenter Rocks in

south-eastern SA. First lit in 1883 and raised

to its current height of 15m in 1928, its

14-sided Deville lantern room (formerly from

the old MacDonnell Light at nearby Cape

Northumberland) is one of only three surviv-

ing examples of this classic lighthouse top.

Calm scene. From atop Australia’s second-

tallest lighthouse on Gabo Island (far left),

VIC, the view north extends to Cape Howe

and Howe Hill on the mainland. The fore-

ground vista of keepers’ cottages and placid

seas belie the region’s reputation for unruly

weather, which is well known to sailors in

the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, who hit

the boisterous waters of Bass Strait here.

Although barely 500m off the mainland

and 15km from the township of Mallacoota,

Gabo was a challenging outpost for its

lightkeeping families (left), one of which

is pictured here in 1978. Operational since

1862, Gabo is one of Australia’s most attrac-

tive lighthouses with a red granite tower.

PANORAMA: PETER BELLINGHAM; HISTORICAL: NAA; GABO ISLAND: AG