Newly painted North Mole Lighthouse
The North Mole and South Mole lighthouses have been newly painted and, to protect them against vandalism and break-ins, new palisade fencing has been installed around them.
Marine and Equipment Maintenance Manager Jack Merolla said the lighthouses took seven days each to prepare and paint to the specific red (North Mole) and green (South Mole) colours required under International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) standards.
The lighthouses were last painted in 2008.
Navaids for safe navigation
We live on a treacherous coast. For safe navigation, ships enter the port via marked channels like airport runways.
Fremantle Ports has 110 advanced navigational aids (navaids) that guide traffic in and out. Three of those navaids are the 109-year-old lighthouses at North and South moles and Woodman Point that are still working through the use of the latest technology.
The heritage-listed, cast-iron North Mole and South Mole lighthouses were designed by CY O’Connor.
They were built in England, transported to Fremantle in 1902 and first lit in 1903 (South Mole) and 1906 (North Mole).
Red indicates port (left) and green indicates starboard (right), so the red lighthouse is on the left of a ship as it enters the harbour.
They use the lighting flash sequence GVQ (green very quick), which indicates port entry to mariners.
They have LED (light emitting diode) lights and a 12V battery system charged by solar energy, capable of 100,000 hours of life, and a sophisticated Automatic Identification System (AIS), which relays conditions to Fremantle Ports personnel and important navigational information to mariners.
This article has been taken directly from Fremantle Ports – all credit given.
