The Sailing Directions book of 1868 carried the following notice:
NOTICE TO MARINERS
From Francis Hixon Superintendent of Pilots, Lights, and Harbours. Sydney, 9th July, 1868:
Stewart’s Lights, Broken Bay
On and after Monday, the 20th July, two temporary fixed lights will be exhibited on Barrenjuey, the inner south headland of Broken Bay.
The lights will be situated E.S.E and W.N.W from each other, at a distance of 1,180 feet apart, the higher one being 347, and the lower one 315, feet above high-water mark, and they will be visible at a distance to seaward of about 8 miles.
Convict-born George Mulhall, and his son George Junior, kept Stewart’s Lights for 13 years.
But disaster struck on September 11, 1876 when the furious storm known to history as the Dandenong Gale, after one of the many ships it sank, hit Sydney with winds of up to 245 kilometres per hour. The Mulhalls struggled to keep Stewart’s Lights alight but the task was impossible. They could only watch helplessly, through the flying foam and spray, as the schooner Industry foundered in Broken Bay.
Clearly Barrenjoey needed a more powerful and permanent lighthouse. Isaac Banks was chosen as the builder of Barrenjoey Lighthouse in October 1879 and the building was completed, using locally quarried stone by July 29, 1881. Barrenjoey Lighthouse was first lit on August 1, 1881 and the Mulhalls were installed as its keepers.
Unfortunately, the Mulhalls were human lightning rods. George Mulhall Senior was supposedly struck by lightning while gathering firewood and instantly burned to a crisp (it’s more likely he died of a stroke.) He is buried next to Barrenjoey Lighthouse. George Mulhall Junior was badly burned on the arm by yet another lightning strike and wore a snakeskin bound around his arm for the rest of his life, in an attempt to ward off further strikes.
As of the 25th of September 2007, this cache is now a plastic box. A pencil is supplied and small swaps are now possible.
Stewart’s Lights (also known as Stewart’s Towers) were demolished over a century ago but you can see where they once stood. A cairn marks the eastern tower. The trig-station was built over the west tower. The cache is near one of those places.
There are no taps and no toilets on the top of Barrenjoey and the paths are steep and rough. Take sunscreen, insect repellent, and at least a litre of water. Wear a hat, proper hiking boots and your snakeskin, just in case of lightning!
Barrenjoey Lighthouse is open on Sundays 11am to 3pm and you can take an escorted tour around the lighthouse for $5. No matter how calm it is on the ground, there always seems to be a strong gale up on the balcony. Hang onto your sunglasses and try to imagine how a 245 kilometres per hour gale would feel up there. For further information about the tours, call 9451 3479 or 9472 8949.
Please place the cache on the bare ground between the surrounding rocks so the large flat covering rock is supported by those rocks and not crushing the container.