a visit to australia’s oldest lighthouse
It would be tough to pick that it was winter from the blue skies, the sun shining and the 21 degree Celsius day. It was perfect conditions to visit a lighthouse; Australia’s oldest lighthouse, Macquarie Lighthouse. 
From Macquarie Lighthouse situated in the eastern suburb of Vaucluse, there is a stunning view of Sydney Harbour and of the Opera House, especially on a clear sunny day like today.
Apparently from the Opera House, the lighthouse can be seen – we will have to check it out next time we are that way.
Every 2 months, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust runs 20-minute guided tours (with lovely and entertaining volunteer guides) to go up the lighthouse. Today happened to be one of those open days!
We booked the tickets 2 weeks ago to ensure we got the time slot we wanted. And for $5 per person, it was well worth it to be able to climb the 100 steps for a magnificent view of the ocean and of Sydney Harbour…
… and also learn a little more about lighthouses and Sydney history.
Hope you all had a lovely weekend, we sure did!
wise monkeys abroad 
August 19, 2015 at 7:05 pm
For $5 you got the most gorgeous view…what a bargain. I love lighthouses. They have such interesting stories.
August 20, 2015 at 10:01 pm
We think it could be the bargain of the century for Sydney 😉 Everything seems to come with a price tag these days!!
August 19, 2015 at 1:32 pm
Phenomenal view from the top! I love lighthouses – something about a keeper tending a light to make sure that ships can get in really speaks to me. Or maybe I’ve just read too many books featuring lighthouses and lighthouse keepers!
August 19, 2015 at 5:15 pm
The whole idea behind lighthouses are so innovative and so significant. We were so fascinated to learn how the light is emitted through reflection. Growing up, we always assumed it was a rotating spotlight. And to think back in the day, the light house keeper had to run all the way to the top, to ensure that the light stayed on.
August 19, 2015 at 8:34 am
[…] as we were in the “neighbourhood” following our climb of 100 steps up then down in Macquarie Lighthouse (which really is hardly anything), we were famished for a hearty […]
August 19, 2015 at 12:54 am
Ha, this definitely doesn’t look like a winter’s day – in fact it’s sunnier than it is in the UK at the moment! Having grown up at the seaside, I look lighthouses too and you got a great view from this one 🙂
August 19, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Lucky you to be have grown up by the seaside – we can see why you would have an affinity to lighthouses and probably all things water-related 🙂
We are very fortunate to get the winters that we do… but that means we also get crazy HOT summers too.
August 18, 2015 at 10:58 am
Awww…I love lighthouses…so mysterious…..but a little scary too, like you mention above…..ghosts and spirits….
August 18, 2015 at 3:35 pm
Yes, there is something about about lighthouses but we’ve never been up one before! It was really fun… We will have to visit more 🙂 Hope you are well!
August 17, 2015 at 4:06 pm
That is one cool lighthouse. I have an affinity to them, if there’s one around, I’ll go see it, but my sister is like obsessed with them, collects models of real ones. I guess it’s a thing? Great post.
Hey get this. In Bali, near Ulu Watu, there is a place (bar or guest house??) named Wise Monkeys!! Thought of you guys when I saw it a few days ago! I wonder if there are any wise badfish?
August 18, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Tight houses are very fascinating structures and many with quite interesting histories!
Fancy that – a ‘Wise Monkeys’ place 🙂 We will have to check it out! Not sure how many wise badfish are out there – maybe you can be the first 😉
August 18, 2015 at 9:32 pm
Maybe more like not-so-wise badfish
August 19, 2015 at 5:22 pm
😉
August 17, 2015 at 9:40 am
Great to get out and explore. I have always had a love of lighthouses. Would love to visit this one one day. When are you guys coming to visit the ones here in WA. We would be pleased if you came and surfed at our place. Pru 🙂
August 17, 2015 at 8:26 pm
Our best friends live in Perth and we are due to visit that part of Australia again soon. So maybe we will come and visit the lighthouses in WA next year or so 😉
August 18, 2015 at 9:38 am
Great, look forward to seeing you then. 🙂
August 17, 2015 at 5:15 am
What a beautiful piece of history in a place on my Bucket List.
August 17, 2015 at 8:25 pm
Ahhh… hope you get to Australia soon 🙂
August 16, 2015 at 10:02 pm
what a perfect location for a lighthouse! You do a whole series of lighthouse posts!
August 17, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Hmmm… don’t think we can do a whole series – this was our first and only ever lighthouse that we have gone up but we have seen a few on our travels.
August 16, 2015 at 7:46 pm
Yeah, who can complain about winter in this Paradise? 😉 Love your pics, as always, L&D.
August 16, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Thanks Ken! Sydney was so beautiful these past few weeks! Cannot wait to Spring!
August 16, 2015 at 7:43 pm
That is so lucky, being able to visit the oldest lighthouse in Australia. It looks rather big and sizable too, and still looking very white after all these years. What a view from the top. I actually been up a lighthouse before. Perhaps one day 😀
21’C? That is fantastic weather indeed. Hopefully that means we will get an early spring soon 🙂
August 16, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Ahhh – pretty sure they paint and clean these structures regularly!
As one of the other readers correctly pointed out – this is technically a rebuild! They did mention that during the tour. But the location is where the original was built.
This was our first light house! Very very fascinating!
Can’t wait for Spring 🙂
How’s Melbourne weather?
August 16, 2015 at 11:25 pm
Aaahhh. Yes. Cleaning buildings. I completely forgot about that 😀 Though it was a rebuild, I’m sure it is pretty close to the original.
It will be cold here in Melbourne early this week but then it’s temps near the twenties. Hopefully the forecast stays that way!
August 17, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Fingers crossed that Spring is here early!!!
August 16, 2015 at 7:38 pm
Very controversial guys! This lighthouse was rebuilt in the 1880s so some don’t that’s it as the oldest in Australia. There are other lighthouse structures that are technically older! We ran into this issue covering the Cape Otway lighthouse in Victoria. The original Macquarie Lighthouse building was definitely the first built however. 😄
August 16, 2015 at 7:57 pm
Yes – good point! The original was the oldest! Thanks for mentioning that because they did say that during the tour.
August 16, 2015 at 6:57 pm
How interesting that it is still functional. In Germany the oldest functional one dates back to 1855 but there are many older which are out of service already.
I think I have never visited any lighthouse so far even though there are so many around us!
August 16, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Well as one of the other commenters mentioned, this was a rebuilt – so technically the original was the oldest! 🙂
It was very cool! Our first ever lighthouse!
August 17, 2015 at 12:16 am
When I was a child I often imagined actually living in a lighthouse :p
August 17, 2015 at 8:25 pm
Really?? We’ve always associated lighthouses with ghost stories… we watch too many movies probably 😉
August 17, 2015 at 11:31 pm
I didnt even know that there are ghost stories about lighthouses :p
August 18, 2015 at 3:33 pm
Stories of shipwreck?? And pirates and probably mainly sea tales!! 😉 Our imaginations are way too active!
Oooh – how many more days now until your trip?
August 18, 2015 at 4:56 pm
I think I got these notions to live in a lighthouse due to a japanese
August 18, 2015 at 4:58 pm
Oops half got lost…was supplied to go on like this: due to a Japanese/ Finnish TV show called moomin a in which they fix and live for a short time in a lighthouse
August 19, 2015 at 5:22 pm
Never heard of that one! Will have to look it up 🙂