Green Cape Maritime Precinct

Item details


Name of item:	Green Cape Maritime Precinct
Other name/s:	Green Cape Lightstation
Type of item:	Archaeological-Maritime
Group/Collection:	Transport - Water
Category:	Light Station
Location:	Lat: -37.2606409791 Long: 150.0485558440
Primary address:	Green Cape Road, Ben Boyd National Park, Green Cape, NSW 2551
Parish:	Wonboyn
County:	Auckland
Local govt. area:	Bega Valley
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Eden

Boundary:

Non-contiguous curtilage to include the southern-most peninsula of Green Cape encompassing the lighthouse, lightstation cottages, Ly-ee-Moon shipwreck, shipwreck cemetery and associated built structures. The curtilage will extend 1/2 nautical mile (approx. 1km) into the ocean to capture the shipwreck site and associated maritime evidence. At Bittangabee Bay, the curtilage will include the southern shoreline to capture the storehouse and the remnant jetty footings. Again, the curtilage will extend 1/2 nautical mile (approx. 1km) into the bay to capture any archaeological remains of the former jetty.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Green Cape Road, Ben Boyd National Park	Green Cape	Bega Valley	Wonboyn	Auckland	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Deparment of the Environment	Federal Government
National Parks and Wildlife Service	State Government

Statement of significance:


	The Green Cape Maritime Precinct is of state heritage significance as a notable lightstation in the 'highway of lights' that were erected along the NSW coastline during the late nineteenth century. Recommended by Captain Francis Hixson (President of the Marine Board of NSW) and designed by the colonial architect, James Barnet, Green Cape Lightstation was an ambitious and unique development for its period. Although the 1880s was the most productive period for the construction of lighthouses in NSW, Green Cape was one of the earliest and most extensive concrete constructions ever attempted in Australia. The construction of the lightstation was possible because of the development of Bittangabee Bay as a trans-shipment point to receive materials, equipment and labour for the construction. These materials were then taken along a horse-drawn tramway, seven kilometres through the forest to the site of the lightstation. The lightstation was also the site of the wrecking of the Ly-ee-Moon on the night of May 30th, 1886. Considered to be one of NSW's worst maritime disasters, the loss of 71 lives that night was one of the greatest shipwreck tragedies in the state's history. Fifteen people survived the wreck and 24 bodies were recovered and buried in unmarked graves in a small cemetery a short distance from the lightstation.
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	James Barnet
Builder/Maker:	Albert Wood Aspinall
Construction years:	1881-1883
Physical description:	Green Cape is the location of the southern-most lightstation in NSW - some 400km from Sydney and 27km north of the Victorian border. The lightstation is a tightly-knit complex of buildings that comprises the original lighthouse; the 1994 light tower; the Head Keepers Quarters; duplex quarters for the two Assistant Keepers; stables; telegraph station; ancillary buildings; communication tower; solar panels; and remnant foundations of various structures. At the eastern end of the main precinct, the Green Cape Lighthouse stands 29m tall, 23m above sea level. An octagonal concrete tower on a square base, the lighthouse is built of locally quarried rock aggregate and was finished with a Chance Bros lantern house. A small domed building, formerly used as an oil store, adjoins the lighthouse. The complex of buildings that make up the lightstation include a number of simple painted rendered brick buildings typical of rural lightstations around Australia. Residences: The residences of the Head Keeper and the two Assistant Keepers (and families) were built in the Victorian Regency style and retain much of their original features and layout. The Head Keepers Quarters comprises four bedrooms with a parlour and living room, surrounded by a verandah on three sides. An adjoining annex houses storage rooms and an updated bathroom and kitchen. The Assistant Keepers Quarters are an identical duplex comprising two bedrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom (similarly updated). The duplexes are surrounded by verandahs on three sides also. The original arrangement of the quarters remains identifiable but a door has been fitted between the two living rooms to enable its use as a single residence. The NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service has 3 agreeably restored gas-fireplace warmed cottages offering tourists accommodation. They have varnished wooden floorboards and period-looking lamps, white walls and panelled ceilings (Hardwick, 2020, 72). The original form of the other buildings in the lightstation complex (the stables, telegraph station etc) are also evident despite later modifications that were made to support changes in use over time. Immediately outside of the lightstation precinct, and 300m from the lighthouse, is the Ly-ee-Moon cemetery and, located off-shore, the shipwreck itself. The small cemetery is bound by a simple metal wire fence and contains 23 graves, each marked by a pair of white head and foot stones. The graves are positioned in two rows of ten and one smaller row of three but, with the passing of time, the graves are no longer identifiable. A bronze plaque was placed in the southern corner in 1986, on the centenary of the disaster. Located further afield, some 7km north of the lightstation at Bittangabee Bay, there are remnants of the original port and jetty that was built prior to the construction of the lighthouse. A mass concrete store still stands (without windows, doors or a roof); concrete footings of the former jetty are evident on the rocky shore and there are existing remnants of the beginning of the tramway that transported materials and equipment to Green Cape for the construction of the lightstation.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The ongoing use of the site as a lighthouse and as a tourist destination has ensured that the site is maintained to a very good standard. Permanent staff in residence at the site see to its day-to-day maintenance. Despite more recent alterations and modifications to kitchen and bathroom facilities to ensure the ongoing use of the site, the original detail and layout of the main buildings in the lightstation remains clearly evident today.
	Date condition updated:01 Jun 12
Modifications and dates:	The most noticeable changes to the Green Cape Lightstation have been its ongoing adjustment to technological improvements. The lighthouse was converted from kerosene to electricity in 1962 and was fully automated in 1992 with the construction of a new steel-framed structure with a solar-powered light source. With this conversion, the lightstation was effectively de-manned and a caretaker installed at the site. The lightstation complex has also undergone minor changes. The layout of each of the residential buildings remains largely unaltered but the facilities have been updated. Recent modifications to the site include the conversion of the Head Keepers and Assistant Keepers Quarters to residences for the site caretaker and for holiday accommodation. Today, the site also has had solar panel boards installed and new fencing, car park and walking trails created. In 2012, the National Parks and Wildlife Service undertook necessary maintentance works (including rust removal, reglazing the light tower dome, treating rising damp in the residences, roof works, new paint, timber replacement and an electricity upgrade).


Current use:	Tourist destination, accommodation
Former use:	Aboriginal land, Lightstation

History

Historical notes:

Green Cape is traditionally part of the Yuin nation and is the land of the Thaua people. The land occupied by the Thaua group stretches from Merimbula in the north, to Green Cape in the south, and west to the Dividing Range and has traditionally been divided between two groups -the Katungal (coastal) and the Baianbal/Paienbara (forest) people.

First contact between the European explorers and the Aboriginal people of the far southern region of NSW occurred in 1798 when Matthew Flinders visited Twofold Bay, south of Eden. On this exploratory journey, Flinders made reference to Green Point or, as he called it then, 'the Cape'. Permanent European settlement of the region did not, however, begin until the 1830s and 1840s when the pastoralist and whaling industries developed at Twofold Bay.

"Twofold Bay afforded the potential for raising stock on unoccupied Crown Land in the vicinity of a commodious harbour" (NPWS, 'Ben Boyd National Park Bicentennial Project', p75) and it quickly became a commercial and trading centre during the mid-nineteenth century. The Imlay brothers were the first settlers to permanently occupy the area from the late 1830s and established a pastoral and whaling company in the region.

The developing industries around Twofold Bay soon revealed the potential of the region and began attracting competition for the Imlay brothers. The British entrepreneur Ben Boyd arrived and went about establishing his own commercial empire during the 1840s - the ambitious but short-lived 'Boyd Town'. By the time Boyd had entered the whaling industry, the once thriving business was reaching the end of its boom period - the Imlay brothers had fallen victim to the economic depression in the late 1840s and, by 1849, Boyd too had abandoned his pastoral lands following the collapse of his empire.

Although whaling had not been a sustainable industry in the region, the Green Cape area was a notable point in the shipping trade along the NSW coastline. A prominent natural headland projecting out into Disaster Bay, Green Cape was a known obstacle for passing ships. Since shipping had accelerated following the gold rush of the 1850s, the entire NSW coastline in fact had been regarded as dangerous and increasingly treacherous. Despite the first lighthouse being constructed at South Head in 1818, it was some 40 years before the government systematically began installing lightstations along the coast.

Initially, consideration was only given to the north coast of NSW but, by 1872, the entire coastline was under review. Captain Francis Hixson, President of the Marine Board of NSW, famously proclaimed "that he wanted the NSW coast 'illuminated like a street with lamps' " (NPWS 'Lighthouse Keeping (Part A)', p15). Hixson was ultimately successful in achieving his vision - by the early twentieth century, the 'highway of lights' was complete with 25 coastal lighthouses and 12 in Sydney Harbour. The late nineteenth century had proven to be the most productive period for lighthouse construction in NSW.

At the 1873 conference of the Principal Officers of Marine Departments of the Australian Colonies, it was resolved (on Captain Hixson's motion) that a lightstation be erected at Green Cape. It was not until 1879, however, that 17,000 pounds was reserved for its construction.

With an approved design by the colonial architect James Barnet, a tender of 12,936 pounds was accepted from Albert Wood Aspinall to build a mass concrete tower for the lighthouse, three associated residential structures and a number of service buildings. Aspinall also received an additional 357 pounds for essential works at Bittangabee Bay.

James Johnstone Barnet (1827-1904) was made acting Colonial Architect in 1862 and appointed Colonial Architect from 1865-90. He was born in Scotland and studied in London under Charles Richardson, RIBA and William Dyce, Professor of Fine Arts at King's College, London. He was strongly influenced by Charles Robert Cockerell, leading classical theorist at the time and by the fine arts, particularly works of painters Claude Lorrain and JRM Turner. He arrived in Sydney in 1854 and worked as a self-employed builder. He served as Edmund Blacket's clerk of works on the foundations of the Randwick (Destitute Childrens') Asylum. Blacket then appointed Barnet as clerk-of-works on the Great Hall at Sydney University. By 1859 he was appointed second clerk of works at the Colonial Architect's Office and in 1861 was Acting Colonial Architect. Thus began a long career. He dominated public architecture in NSW, as the longest-serving Colonial Architect in Australian history. Until he resigned in 1890 his office undertook some 12,000 works, Barnet himself designing almost 1000. They included those edifices so vital to promoting communication, the law and safe sea arrivals in colonial Australia. Altogether there were 169 post and telegraph offices, 130 courthouses, 155 police buildings, 110 lockups and 20 lighthouses, including the present Macquarie Lighthouse on South Head, which replaced the earlier one designed by Francis Greenway. Barnet's vision for Sydney is most clearly seen in the Customs House at Circular Quay, the General Post Office in Martin Place and the Lands Department and Colonial Secretary's Office in Bridge Street. There he applied the classicism he had absorbed in London, with a theatricality which came from his knowledge of art (Le Sueur, 2016, 6).

Due to the isolation of the selected lightstation construction site, access was only achievable from Bittangabee Bay and any materials, equipment, goods or labour were received here before being transported 7km by horse-drawn tram to the lightstation. Aspinall started work at Bittangabee Bay in late 1880 with the construction of a jetty, storehouse and a wooden tramway from the port to the Green Cape site.

The construction of a lightstation at Green Cape was considered essential and the project was ambitious from its beginnings. Concrete construction was a bold initiative for the period and Green Cape Lightstation was the one of the earliest and most extensive concrete constructions ever attempted in Australia and the tallest in NSW at the time. Prior to 1880, some small houses were built using concrete but no public buildings, and certainly none as substantial as the Green Cape, had been constructed using the material.

Work began in 1881 but Aspinall soon encountered significant difficulties that led to increasing delays and an extension of the budget to over 18,000 pounds. A 20-foot thick clay bed required extensive excavation and, with drifting sand continually covering the tramway and building foundations, the demanding circumstances of the build led to the eventual financial collapse of Aspinall's career. Ultimately, the Green Cape Lightstation was completed by his creditors and was fully operational, with a kerosene-powered light visible for 35km, by 1883. The final cost for the lighthouse was 19,388 pounds, 8 shillings and 9 pence.

The newly completed Green Cape Lightstation was in this functional state on May 30th, 1886 - the night of the Ly-ee-Moon disaster. On a clear, calm night en-route from Melbourne to Sydney, the paddle-steamer ran full-speed into rocks at the base of the lighthouse and quickly broke apart. Seventy-one lives were lost in the sinking - one of the greatest losses of human life in a single shipwreck in the state's history. Fifteen men (ten crew and five passengers) survived the shipwreck but only 24 bodies were ever recovered and buried in unmarked graves in a small cemetery a short distance from the lightstation.

The wreck of the Ly-ee-Moon is considered to be one of NSW's worst maritime disasters but the far south coast of NSW has been responsible for a number of shipwrecks since the nineteenth century. Often caused by heavy seas and rough weather, Disaster Bay has become "a veritable graveyard" of ships (Francis Scott, p2).

Throughout the twentieth century, the Green Cape Lightstation underwent the same technical advancements as did all coastal lighthouses in Australia. With responsibility transferred to the Commonwealth in 1911, the lightstation was converted from kerosene to electricity in 1962 and gradually de-manned over the next 30 years. Since being replaced by a new and fully automatic lighthouse in 1994, the station has become a tourist destination and is being increasingly recognised for its heritage values. In 2009, Green Cape Lightstation was designated a National Engineering Heritage Landmark - the first lighthouse to be accorded this level of recognition in Australia.

The NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service has three agreeably restored gas-fireplace warmed cottages offer tourists accommodation. They have varnished wooden floorboards and period-looking lamps, white walls and panelled ceilings (Hardwick, 2020, 72).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Other open space-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Changing the environment-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Cultural - Coasts and coastal features supporting human activities-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Communication-Activities relating to the creation and conveyance of information	communication by signals-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes of cultural and natural interaction-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes used for self reliant recreation-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes and parklands of distinctive styles-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes of scenic beauty-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Events-Activities and processes that mark the consequences of natural and cultural occurences	Developing local landmarks-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Wharf and shipping history-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Maritime navigation and regulation-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Maintaining maritime transport routes-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Building and maintaining public light houses and stations-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Shipwrecks-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Shipwrecks-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Transport-Activities associated with the moving of people and goods from one place to another, and systems for the provision of such movements	Lighthouse-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Residential-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Building settlements, towns and cities-National Theme 4
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Adapted heritage building or structure-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Victorian era residence-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Architectural design-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Housing public servants and officials-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Accommodating workers in workers' housing-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Resuming private lands for public purposes-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Changing land uses - from rural to tourist-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Administering and alienating Crown lands-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	19th Century Infrastructure-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	State government-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - administration of land-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Open Space Provision-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - parks and open spaces-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - public land administration-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Public works-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - conserving cultural and natural heritage-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Providing public offices and buildings-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Administering ports and shipping facilities-Includes maladministration.
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Industrial buildings-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	work of stonemasons-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Interior design styles and periods - Victorian-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Parks and public gardens-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Applying architectural design to utlilitarian structures-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Landscaping - Victorian period-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Architectural styles and periods - Victorian (mid)-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Designing structures to emphasise their important roles-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Building in response to natural landscape features.-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Technological innovation and design solutions-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1900-1950-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1950-2000-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Ways of life 1850-1900-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in a bushland setting-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Holidaying near the sea-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Domestic life-Activities associated with creating, maintaining, living in and working around houses and institutions.	Living in, adapting and renovating homes for changing conditions-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Outdoor relief-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Tourism-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Going to the park-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Visiting heritage places-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Activities associated with relaxation and recreation-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Visiting places of romantic inspiration-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Going bushwalking-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation	Visiting lookouts and places of natural beauty-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Social institutions-Activities and organisational arrangements for the provision of social activities	Places of informal community gatherings-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Social institutions-Activities and organisational arrangements for the provision of social activities	Belonging to an historical society or heritage organisation-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with James Barnet, Colonial (Government) Architect 1862-90-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	Associations with Albert Wood Aspinall, builder-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The Green Cape Maritime Precinct is of state heritage significance as a notable lightstation in the 'highway of lights' that were erected along the NSW coastline during the late nineteenth century. Green Cape is a prominent headland projecting out into Disaster Bay and the lightstation was a significant development in protecting the shipping trade along the far south coast. At the time of its construction, the lighthouse was one of the earliest and most extensive concrete constructions ever attempted in Australia and the tallest in NSW. The construction of the lightstation was possible because of the development of Bittangabee Bay as a trans-shipment point to receive materials, equipment and labour for the construction. These materials were then taken along a horse-drawn tramway, seven kilometres through the forest to the site of the lightstation. The lightstation was also the site of the wrecking of the Ly-ee-Moon on the night of May 30th, 1886. Considered to be one of NSW's worst maritime disasters, the loss of 71 lives that night was one of the greatest shipwreck tragedies in the state's history.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	The Green Cape Maritime Precinct is of state heritage significance for its association with a number of significant people and events. At the 1863 conference of the Principal Officers of Marine Departments of the Australian Colonies, Captain Francis Hixson (President of the Marine Board of NSW and the Superintendent of Pilots, Lighthouses & Harbours) proclaimed that he wanted the NSW coastline "illuminated like a street with lamps" (NPWS 'Lighthouse Keeping (Part A)', p15). At the southern most tip of the state, Hixson recommended the placement and construction of the Green Cape Lightstation - considered to be an important element in the NSW 'highway of lights'. The ambitious design of the lightstation is attributed to the colonial architect, James Barnet, who was responsible for more than a dozen lighthouses constructed in NSW in the late nineteenth century. The Green Cape Lightstation also has an association with the Ly-ee-Moon shipwreck. The loss of 71 lives on the night of May 30th, 1886 is considered to be one of NSW's worst maritime disasters. Only 15 survived the tragedy and 24 bodies were recovered for burial in unmarked graves in a small cemetery a short distance from the lightstation.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	At the southern-most point in NSW, Green Cape Lightstation is a dominant feature in an isolated but picturesque landscape - bounded by both state forest and the Tasman Sea. One of NSW's 'highway of lights', the Green Cape Lightstation is a compact group of simple nineteenth century buildings that are visually unified by alignment, scale and the use of common materials.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	Despite its isolated location, the Green Cape Maritime Precinct has layers of social significance. For over 100 years, the lightstation was permanently manned by a Principal Keeper, two Assistant Keepers and up to three families at any one time. Maintaining the light was of paramount importance to their experience of Green Cape. Additionally, their lives were inextricably linked to the landscape and ultimately shaped by the natural elements - the water, the cliffs and the native flora and fauna. There is also social significance evident in the Ly-ee-Moon shipwreck and the small cemetery located a short distance from the lightstation. Considered to be one of NSW's worst maritime disasters, 71 people perished on the wreck of the Ly-ee-Moon but only 24 bodies were ever recovered for burial. Although the gravesites are no longer identifiable, a memorial has been erected at the cemetery and, each year, the anniversary of the wreck is commemorated. While there are limited remains of the Ly-ee-Moon shipwreck extant, the site has social significance for the impact the event of its wrecking had on the population of NSW at the time.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	Within the Green Cape Maritime Precinct, there are opportunities to uncover further heritage values. The tramway that once ran 7km through the forest, transporting goods from Bittangabee Bay to the Green Cape Lightstation, has now been, in the most part, lost from living memory. Further land analysis and archaeological surveys may reveal the location of this track. More recently, several investigations have revealed new information about the Green Cape site. Further archaeological surveys of the Ly-ee-Moon cemetery have been undertaken as well as oral histories of those lightkeepers and families that manned the Green Cape light for over 100 years. It is also highly likely that there is evidence of Aboriginal occupation of the Green Cape area. Previous investigations have revealed one shell midden and artefact scatter on the Green Cape headland and a number of other archaeological sites within the area. There is further scope to elaborate on these investigations to reveal new information.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The Green Cape Lightstation is of state heritage significance for its rare and distinctive design. Although the complex of buildings is typical of a late nineteenth century rural lightstation, the colonial architect James Barnet designed Green Cape with a square base merging into a tapered octagonal tower form - a design quite unlike the common circular towers that were being built at the time. Barnet's design was also rare in being one of the earliest mass concrete lighthouses in Australia and, standing at 29 metres, was the tallest tower in NSW at the time. Concrete construction was a bold initiative for the period and, although some small houses were built of the material prior to 1880, no public buildings (and certainly none as substantial as the Green Cape Lightstation) had been constructed using concrete. The use of Bittangabee Bay as a trans-shipment point for building materials indicate the extremely difficult logistics involved in the construction of a mass concrete structure in an isolated location during this period. The significant association between the lightstation and the Ly-ee-Moon shipwreck is also particularly unique. The wreck of the Ly-ee-Moon is considered to be one of NSW's worst maritime disasters and the existence of a substantial burial ground for the victims of this one shipwreck is rare in NSW.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	The Green Cape Lightstation is representative of NSW's 'highway of lights' - a system of navigational aids installed along the coastline in the late nineteenth century. Important to the safe passage of shipping in NSW, the system of lightstations has a collective significance that reflects the logistical management for installing coastal infrastructure and the technical evolution of the stations. There is also an architectural coherency between lightstations across NSW. As a representative example, the simple design and compact nature of the building group at Green Cape reflects the typical layout of regional lightstation complexes around Australia.
Integrity/Intactness:	Although the lightstation buildings have undergone some modifications to support the ongoing use of the site, the original detail and layout of the buildings remains evident today. As a complex, the integrity of the lightstation and its ability to demonstrate its history remains strong. This ability is reflected in its contemporary use as a tourist destination.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Recommendations

Management Category	Description	Date Updated
Recommended Management	Review a Conservation Management Plan (CMP)
Recommended Management	Prepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines
Recommended Management	Carry out interpretation, promotion and/or education

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act - Site Specific Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT SITE SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL Green Cape Maritime Precinct SHR No. 1897 I, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales, in pursuance of section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977, do, by this my order, grant an exemption from section 57(1) of that Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out of any activities described in Schedule “C” by the owner or lessee of the land described in Schedule “B” on the item described in Schedule “A”. The Hon Robyn Parker, MP. Minister for Heritage Sydney, Day of 2012 SCHEDULE “A” The item known as the Green Cape Maritime Precinct, situated on the land described in Schedule “B”. SCHEDULE “B” Part of Ben Boyd National Park in Parish of Wonboyn, County of Auckland and extending ½ nautical mile into the ocean as shown on the plan catalogued HC 2549 in the office of the Heritage Council of New South Wales. SCHEDULE “C” Approved works in accordance with Green Cape Statement of Heritage Impact (February 2012, as prepared by Shirley Goodwin & Caroline Lawrance)	Feb 1 2013
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) OF THE HERITAGE ACT 1977 Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977. I, the Hon James Griffin MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage, pursuant to subsection 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales do by this Order, effective at the time of publication in the New South Wales Government Gazette: 1. revoke the order made on 9 November 2020 and published in the Government Gazette Number 318 of 13 November 2020; and 2. grant the exemptions from subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 that are described in the attached Schedule. The Hon James Griffin MP Minister for Environment and Heritage Signed this 2nd day of June 2022. To view the standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 click on the link below.	Jun 17 2022

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		01897	01 Feb 13	7	255

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Anne Bickford, Sandy Blair & Peter Freeman	1988	Ben Boyd National Park Bicentennial Project: Davidson Whaling Station, Boyd’s Tower, Bittangabee Ruins
Written	Australian Construction Services	1993	Conservation Management Plan - Green Cape Lighthouse (superseded)
Written	Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Department of Transport	1977	Green Cape Lightstation
Written	Cosmos Archaeology Pty Ltd	2011	Ly-ee-Moon Shipwreck Cemetery: Ground penetrating radar survey
Written	Douglas Boleyn	2009	Nomination of Green Cape Lightstation for recognition as a National Heritage Landmark
Electronic	Douglas Boleyn, Sydney Division Engineering Heritage Committee, Engineers Australia	2011	SHR Nomination of 'Green Cape Lightstation and associated infrastructure at Bittangabee Bay'
Written	Graeme Barrow	2010	Who Lied? The Ly-ee-Moon Disaster and a Question of Truth
Written	Graham Brooks & Associates Pty Ltd	1999	NPWS Draft Conservation Management and Cultural Tourism Plan - Green Cape Lighthouse
Written	Hardwick, Steve	2020	The Shape of Water (Far South Coast tourist promotion)	View detail
Tourism	Heritage Division	2013	Green Cape Maritime Precinct	View detail
Written	John Francis Scott		The Whimsicality of Fate or the Long Arm of Coincidence
Electronic	Kijas Histories	2011	Lighthouse Keeping - A Parnership: A Report on the NPWS Lighthouses of NSW Oral History Project (Part A)
Written	Le Sueur, Angela	2016	Colonial Architects - part 2
Written	Riddel Architecture	2010	Green Cape Light Station: Conservation Management Plan
Written	Tom Mead	1993	The Fatal Lights: Two strange tragedies of the sea

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5061556
File number:	12/02722

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