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The Cape Otway Lighthouse at the northern end of The Eye of The
Needle was the oldest operational lighthouse with unbroken service
on the mainland Australian coast until it was decommissioned in
January 1994.
The 84 kilometre gap between, Cape Wickham on, King Island and
Cape Otway is known as the "Eye of the Needle". It is the Western
entrance to Bass Strait. Sea captains would hug the Victorian coast,
to avoid being driven into King Island in bad weather, resulting in
many wrecks.
Access was a problem in establishing the lighthouse and after three
attempts, the Cape was finally reached by land. A site was selected
and after great difficulty a road was cut. Construction began in
1846 with the light being lit in August 1848 making it the second
light to be established on the mainland coast.
The materials used consisted of stone quarried at the Parker River,
5 kilometres away.
The first keeper was dismissed after only three months for
"interfering" with the light. He was replaced by Henry Bayles Ford,
a former sea captain tended the light for 30 years. His son George
Ford rode on horseback to Camperdown to get help when the Loch Ard
was wrecked nearby in 1878.
The light was extremely isolated. Supplies were delivered every 6-12
months, landed at Parker River and brought overland. The only
contact was with the few farmers in the area and rare official
visits. Later a road was cut to Colac, but was not passable to motor
vehicles until the mid 1930s.
A fixed red light was added in 1881. The power of the light was
increased in 1891, in 1905 and again in 1939.
Walk, Tour, Stay with
Great Ocean and Otway Walks
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