THE Crookhaven lighthouse may be in its death throes but there appears to be no shortage of interested parties prepared to administer CPR to the historic landmark in an attempt to save it from vandals and red tap.
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Following a report by the South Coast Register on Monday that the heavily vandalised lighthouse had been land marked “Death of a Lighthouse” by Google Earth, a number of parties stepped forward with ideas to save the historic landmark.
Pat Welch, a radio watchkeeper at Shoalhaven Marine Rescue and a member of the lighthouse steering committee, tabled a document outlining his proposal to relocate the Marine Rescue radio base from the pilot house to a building to be constructed adjacent to the lighthouse. This would be followed by refurbishment of the lighthouse, returning it to working condition.
Mr Welch said his ideas were well received by most at the meeting.
“There are some people on the committee who would like to see the lighthouse moved because of cost factors, but I would like it to stay where it is,” he said.
“The talk is if they move it, it will not be restored to an active lighthouse and that will impact on its historical value.
“I’m a bit disappointed with that.”
Mr Welch also suggested the existing radio room, kitchen and office at the pilot house be transformed into a kiosk and museum to cater for picnic makers.
“If a suitable road was constructed from the existing Shoalhaven Marine Rescue pilot house to the lighthouse it could be used by staff and visitors, it would open up this wonderful area.
He added that security would be from the manned radio room and a night-time eight-hour shift for the lighthouse with security fences and monitoring cameras.
Moving the radio base out to the lighthouse would also address the problem of poor visibility. Its present ground level location and overgrown vegetation blocks the radio operators view of Greenwell Point boat ramp and the lead-in markers that guide boats into the channel.
“ We have had two occasions just recently where people have gone over in a boat right in front of us and we have had to rescue them less than 150 metres away.
“If the vegetation was any worse we would not have seen that and would not have known about it,” he said.
Mr Welch suggested the project be jointly funded by Marine Rescue Shoalhaven, the NSW Government and Shoalhaven City Council with some assistance from large business.
“People like Bluescope steel and major organisations if that’s possible,” he said.