Lighthouse gates open for showcase

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has approved the Point Moore Lighthouse to be opened to the public on Sunday for the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend.

The Batavia Coast Maritime Heritage Association will hold a short opening ceremony at 10.15am, during which members of the association and City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn will share a few words before the lighthouse is opened at about 10.30am.

As with last year, those interested in having a look around will be able to enter the base of the lighthouse, but will not be able to climb the tower.

The event will also cap off the annual Goodness Festival. Community groups including Geraldton Amateur Radio Group, TS Morrow, the Geraldton Volunteer Marine Rescue Group, Friends of Point Moore, the Geraldton Historical Society, the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council and local artists will gather across the road to provide entertainment and information.

Event co-ordinator Garry Simmons said groups of about 15 people would be allowed on the lighthouse grounds at any one time, so there could be a queue to get in.

“We can’t let people get inside the grounds until the signal (from AMSA) goes, then hopefully there won’t be a rush to get in and we can do things in an orderly way, but we’ll see,” he said.

Mr Simmons said because of the restricted numbers, it would also unfortunately be impossible to re-create last year’s “Lighthouse Hug”, but there would be a display of the BCMHA’s concept plan to make the lighthouse grounds more open to the public. He encouraged people to show their support by contributing ideas.

“We want to transform the grounds of the lighthouse and surrounds — really beautify the area,” he said.

“We’re hoping that people will be able to contribute their ideas to our plan, which has already been JUpartially developed by the heritage group, to create a product that we can work on over time.”

“It’s all about promoting and supporting the interest of the community in the West End area.”

BCMHA chairman Howard Gray said the organisation would also show off its inflatable prototype for the giant Discoverers’ Globe installation that celebrates the 400th anniversary of Dirk Hartog’s landing on the west coast.

“This particular globe will have a couple of outings in Geraldton — it’ll be at the International Lighthouse Day, a night at the museum when theDuyfken arrives, and at the 400th Hartog anniversary in Denham,” he said.

“It goes through the history of the West Australian coast, from the first indigenous inhabitants to the arrival of the Dutch thousands of years later.”

Dr Gray said one of the highlights of the event this year was how many different community groups got involved.

“It’s really pointed out the lighthouse as a focus for looking at the region’s heritage and something of an icon for bringing everyone together,” he said.