Project Manager Landscape Sam Bourne by the Point Lowly Lighthouse
Council wins $20k grant to paint lighthouse
The Point Lowly Lighthouse is set to shine, with Whyalla Council being awarded a $20,000 grant to repair and repaint the exterior of this much-loved structure.
Council successfully secured the maximum amount of funding available via the third round of the SA Heritage Grants program and will match the funding dollar for dollar.
Heritage Grants are aimed at helping rejuvenate the state’s built heritage, ensuring it is protected and preserved for future generations.
An iconic landmark, the oldest building in the Whyalla area and a sentimental favourite of locals, the lighthouse is a magnet to visitors.
The heritage listed Point Lowly Lighthouse, first flashing out its safety beacon in 1883, was raised a further nine metres in 1909, manned for 90 years before being automated, and eventually delisted from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority register in the 1990s.
Completed in 1883, the lighthouse eased the way for maritime traffic around Point Lowly.
Since 1995, the lighthouse has been owned by the City of Whyalla.
The lighthouse was last re-painted around fifteen years ago and this grant will be used to undertake exterior works including stone and concrete repair, rust repair, cleaning, preparation and external painting.
These conservation works will retain and safeguard the lighthouse while acknowledging its historical and cultural significance.
Wrapping the lighthouse in a new coat of paint is only stage 1 of an ongoing restoration project, with Council intending to apply for further funding to restore the light atop the lighthouse.