The Cape Nelson Lighthouse is located at Portland on the southwest coast of Victoria.

The structure consists of an approximately 24m tall stone tower surmounted by an 9m tall cast iron lantern room.

The lighthouse was built in 1884 and is listed on the State and Glenelg Shire Heritage Register.

McElligotts were engaged by AMSA to refurbish the whole of the lighthouse including:

• Restoration of the lantern room
• Restoration of the stone structure, including new external coatings
• Restoration of internal access ways, including the removal, repair, and reinstallation of internal staircases
• Restoration of the powerhouse, including timberwork repairs and new internal/external coating
• New electrical systems for both the lighthouse and the powerhouse

Works took 10 months to complete and required the removal of the entire staircase and balustrading.

The staircase and balustrading were transported to Melbourne for refurbishment, before being reinstalled in Cape Nelson Lighthouse

AMSA Acting Executive Director Response Kevin McEvoy said the works were critical to preserving Victoria’s maritime heritage.

“Cape Nelson Lighthouse has a rich history, and it holds a special place in the heart of the local community,” he said.

“AMSA takes the responsibility of maintaining heritage lighthouses very seriously, because we know they are important to the tourism economy and cultural identity of many regional towns.

“With this refurbishment, the community will be able to appreciate the majesty and history of Cape Nelson Lighthouse for many years to come.”

Mr McEvoy said AMSA has a history of maintaining the safety of Australia’s aids to navigation network through in-house technical expertise and specialist contractors.

“Australia’s aids to navigation network has stood for over a century, evolving and expanding with the economic development of Australia and in response to advances in technological innovation, and growth in maritime trade and activity,” he said.

“AMSA has been the custodian of this network for the last 33 years, safeguarding the lives of seafarers and our precious seas and coastlines.

“Together with our state and territory partners, we have ensured the maintenance, modernisation, and growth of this network through our work – today, it stands at more than 22,000 aids to navigation, of which about 450 are directly managed by AMSA.”

Works for Cape Nelson Lighthouse began in November 2022 and were undertaken by McElligotts Pty Ltd.

“McElligotts have done excellent work on the restoration of the Cape Nelson Lighthouse, and we would like to thank them for preserving the heritage of the building while ensuring it remains safe for future use”.