News
New site to open: Signal Master's Cottage at Nobby's Lighthouse [06.02.2011]
Renew Newcastle is pleased to announce a new location in our repertoire of re-opened shop fronts, studios and galleries; an iconic site that will see Renew Newcastle expand from the streets to the entrance of the harbour itself.
Photograph of Nobby’s Head Signal Station by Winsome Bonham via Lighthouses of Australia Inc website
The Signal Master’s Cottage is one of three accommodation buildings at the site of Nobbys Head Lighthouse. The cottages have been vacant since 2001, when the last of the Signal Tower live-in caretakers moved out. The Lighthouse site sits as a welcome handshake at the entrance to Newcastle harbour, but has been admired only from afar; Nobby’s Head Lighthouse site has never been open to the public despite being a key tourism landmark and postcard location.
While the future long term activity of the site is being considered, public access via a series of Open Days has been made a priority. In co-operation with the NSW Government through the Land and Property Management Authority (LPMA), Renew Newcastle is excited to participate in these public visits to the site with a series of temporary projects.
We plan to resuscitate the Signal Master’s Cottage with its first use in ten years: a photographic exhibition of Newcastle moments, captured by Novocastrians.
We are inviting photograph submissions for an exhibition of Newcastle Morning Photos: the waking moments of this city, the morning routines of its inhabitants, surprise moments captured as the senses stretch awake.
Newcastle Morning Photos began as a collaborative project by everyday local people and this exhibition will see a selection of photographs grace the walls of the Signal Master’s Cottage as many Novocastrians come together to explore the landmark for the very first time.
Submit your photos to the Newcastle Morning Photos Flickr pool by 5pm Monday 14 February to have your work considered for the exhibition. See our previous news item for more on Newcastle Morning Photos and information on how to submit your image.
LPMA is opening up the Nobby’s Head site for public Open Days on Friday 25th, Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th February and Friday 11th, Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th of March, 10am – 4pm. The Newcastle Morning Photos exhibition will be open for public viewing on those days.
HOW TO GET TICKETS
To book tickets for access to the NObbys Open Days please contact Ticketek directly. The tickets are FREE, and we strongly suggest you pre-order your ticket. Tickets are available from:
::the Ticketek outlet at 375 Hunter St Newcastle
::by phoning Ticketek outlet Newcastle (02) 4929 1977
::a mobile Ticketek outlet at Nobbys Beach car park during each Open Day
More information on tickets is here.
Comments
I would be happy to be a volunteer in this! Let me know what shifts/tasks etc you have to fill & I’ll be there! Cheers, Lauren
Wow! I wish I wasn’t 12,000 miles away. When I visited last year I had a great walk out to the lighthouse. I’m so impressed that you’ve got hold of it for a meanwhile use. Well done. I’ll put a link up on the meanwhile website – Renew Newcastle is an inspiration to (and will now be the envy of) meanwhilers everywhere.
Awesome, stoked we have community access to this site! looking forward to helping out let me know what shifts (Im available 26th) well done Renew Newcastle :D
Hi I’m happy to volunteers for this exhibition if you still need some helpers,
Cheers
Jo
Great work. Nobbys has been a wasted tourist icon for Newcastle. Would love to see it and the exhibition in March. Would need two tickets. many thanks, Glenda M.
Please could I have 4 tickets to visit the lighthouse and also the exhibition Thank you Stephanie
Please do not request tickets via this website. To arrange tickets you need to contact Ticketek. MOre information http://renewnewcastle.org/news/post/important-information-tickets-for-visiting-nobbys/
I grew up on Nobbys. My dad worked in the Signal Station and I lived in the cottage closest to the fog horn! Cheers Anne (née Baker)
Great to hear your stories about the site. I believe there was a wedding up there recently http://www.livesites.org.au/news/upcoming_news/nobbys_wedding
Livesites is now managing more regular ongoing access to Nobbys, which you can find out about via their website http://www.livesites.org.au/events.
Update Feb 2012: Renew Newcastle hosted Open Days to the site in February-March 2011 as a one-off special project. The information on this page is only relevant to the visits to Nobbys in February-March 2011.
Since that time, new arrangements for visiting Nobbys are in place. Renew Newcastle does not own the site, nor do we manage its ongoing use.
NSW Government Department of Primary Industries – Catchment & Lands have control of the site, and they provide information about it on their website.
http://www.lpma.nsw.gov.au/about_crown_land/publications/exhibition_and_information/2011/information/nobbys_headland
L!vesites are managing access to the public on behalf of the state government.
For more up to date information about Nobbys Open Days see the L!vesites website http://www.livesites.org.au/events/upcoming_events/nobbys_lighthouse_open_days
Interested locals and Renew Newcastle supporters can get a sneak preview of the site and the Newcastle Morning Photos exhibition by signing up for a volunteer shift. We need ushers for the exhibition and some event assistants.
If you are interested in getting involved, please email volunteers@renewnewcastle.org