Cape Banks Lighthouse

Cape Banks Lighthouse is a lighthouse in the Australian state of South Australia located in the state's south-east on an unnamed headland in the gazetted locality of Carpenter Rocks about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) north-west of the locality's town centre. The siting of a lighthouse near Cape Banks was discussed as early as 1880, in conjunction with the rebuilding of the Cape Northumberland Lighthouse because it was suggested as a suitable site for the “optical apparatus” from the above-mentioned lighthouse to be reused and because it was a location “where so many shipping casualties have occurred.” In March 1882, construction of the new lighthouse at “the Carpenter Rocks, adjacent to Cape Banks” was announced. The proposal with a budget of £3,770 involved the reuse of the “catoptric apparatus now at Cape Northumberland lighthouse.“ The lighthouse was described as being about 9.1 metres (30 ft) high with the light's focal plane being about 18 metres (60 ft) about the high water mark and that it would be visible as far away as 16–19 kilometres (10–12 mi). On 27 July 1882, Goss & Lambert of Mount Gambier was contracted for an amount of “about £3,000“ to build the “lighthouse, a store, and two lightkeepers' cottages.” The light was first used on 1 January 1883. In May 1928, an automated light was commissioned resulting in the departure of the keeper and their family. Offers for either the removal of the keepers’ cottages or for the lease of the cottages and associated land for