Are you going round the twist?
In this series we cover everything you want to know about Australian Lighthouses (and even things you didn't want to know you wanted to know) including what it was like to live at a lighthouse, shipwrecks, harrowing tales, women and first nations stories, the lens, how lighthouses have inspired artists and much, much more.
Sit tight and strap in, because this will be a doozy.
Episodes
Cape Class: The Don with CJ Manjarres-Wahlberg
This episode is all about the Cape Don, the only surviving Cape Class ship left. CJ Manjarres-Wahlberg, Co-Director of the Sea Heritage Foundation and one of the "maritime enthusiasts" who are doing their best to raise funds to rehabilitate the Cape Don through the "Dock the Don" project. Co-hosted with Gus MacDonald.
Cape Class: Meet the Crew with Steve Best
Today we meet one of the crew, Steve Best, a seaman who served on all 3 Cape Class ships over 10 years. Psst…we also hear there is a shortage of seaman in Australia, so if you're interested in training to be one after listening to this episode, reach out to us via Instagram and we can put you in touch. Co-hosted with Gus MacDonald.
Cape Class: An introduction with Lyn Carters
Lyn Carters, former manager of the Cape Class ships Fleet Management gives us an introduction in episode 8A into the Cape Class ships, and what it was like working as a woman in the maritime industry at that time. Co-hosted with Gus MacDonald.
The Lens: Maintenance with Mark Sheriff OAM and Lance Wilson
We meet two unsung heroes in the lighthouse world - Mark Sheriff OAM and Lance Wilson, the maintenance men who spent their lives preserving lighthouses in this episode. Co-hosted with Lucy Deller.
The Lens: Chance Brothers with Mary Iles
This is about as close as we will get to lighthouse royalty in this series….in this episode we introduce you to Mary Iles, great-great-great-many other greats-granddaughter of the Chance Brothers, English pioneers in glassworks famous for not only the manufacture of lighthouse lenses but also Crystal Palace and the clockface of Big Ben. Co-hosted with Lucy Deller.
The Lens: Technology evolution with Ian Clifford & Janice Haynes
So what's all the hype about the lens? It's just a giant lightbulb right? Unfortunately not! It is both a piece of art and an engineering masterpiece. Ian Clifford and Janice Haynes give us a lesson in lighthouse lens technology evolution. Co-hosted with Lucy Deller.
First Nations with Rueben Berg
Rueben Berg, a proud Gunditjmara man from Melbourne, Victoria, a member of the First People's Assembly of Victoria who are progressing treaty and a member of Heritage Council of Victoria, takes us deeper into the stories of the First Nations people to conclude this part. Co-hosted with Anna Nguyen.
First Nations with Anna Nguyen
Let's face it, lighthouses enabled colonisation by safely guiding ships to Australia, hastening the destruction of the First Nations way of life. This episode is a compilation of stories of the First Nations people and their experiences generally and in and around lighthouses. Note the stories are not first-hand accounts and are told by non-First Nations people that were gathered along this podcast journey. Co-hosted with Anna Nguyen.
Women with Janice Haynes
This is what I call a special edition...we welcome back Janice Haynes as a performing artist, breathing life into the stories of Rosanne Hyland, Mary-Anne Ford, Catherine Evans and Joan Brack. Co-hosted with Anna Nguyen.
Women with Anna Nguyen
Women and First Nations - it's their time to shine in this narrative. We kick off a four-episode part featuring stories about Women and First Nations people. In today's episode, we discuss a collection of stories about Women and Lighthouses including Aida Tapp with Janice Haynes and the Maids of Middle Island with Neil Mergard. Bonus edit: Jess Cooke with more on the Maids of Middle Island. Co-hosted with Anna Nguyen.
Extreme Lighthouses: Shipwreck Coast with Janice Haynes and Lance Wilson
This is the final episode in the Extreme Lighthouses part. Today, we cover the infamous Shipwreck Coast in Victoria, including what gold rush sailors did with ships on arrival. We also get to know the White Queen, Otto and Shelly with Lance Wilson and Janice Haynes. Bonus edit: Ian Clifford on lighthouse supplies. Co-hosted with Max Halden.
Extreme Lighthouses: The Last Manned with Ron Fehlberg
In today's episode we cover Tasmanian Lighthouses with Ron Fehlberg, including Maatsuyker Island Light, the last manned and most southern lighthouse in Australia. Bonus edit: Jess Clifford and the carrier pigeons of Maatsuyker Island. Co-hosted with Max Halden.
Extreme Lighthouses: The First with Peter Schirk
I know it is a bit of a stretch to feature Macquarie Lighthouse as an extreme lighthouse, but not only is it the site of Australia's first lighthouse, it is located in the glitzy Eastern suburbs of Sydney and probably has one of the most extreme price tags! Bonus edit: Ted Peers on Gabo Island. Co-hosted with Max Halden.
Extreme Lighthouses: The Most Isolated with Rob Trezise
Sure, all lighthouses are isolated, but none is more deserving of the title than South Solitary Island Light, situated on a rock in the middle of the ocean. By popular demand I interviewed Rob Trezise, the last keeper on South Solitary and a legend in the lighthouse community who established FOSSIL - the Friends of South Solitary Island Light, dedicated to its preservation for posterity. Bonus edit: How Lance Wilson swum a case of beer across to South Solitary Island Light. Co-hosted with Max Halden.
Extreme Lighthouses: The Wild Wild West with Paul Sofilas
We shine a light on a new part in this series on EXTREME LIGHTHOUSES, a collection of episodes on the first, the last, the most isolated and more. In this episode we visit the wild wild west - Western Australian Lighthouses with Paul Sofilas, Western Australian representation of Lighthouses of Australia, Inc and tour guide and caretaker at Cape Leeuwin Light. Co-hosted with Max Halden.
Harrowing Tales: More stories with Jessica Clifford, Peter Braid and Rob Trezise
Hopefully this doesn't ruin your bright and chirpy view on lighthouses...This episode is a compilation of ghost stories from various lighthouses around the country. Bonus edit: Jessica Clifford and Hells Gates, Tasmania. Co-hosted with Zoe O'Connor.
Harrowing Tales: Bustard Head Lighthouse with Stuart Buchanan and Jess Cooke
We had a light taster of Bustard Head Light in the previous episode, but not all is sunshine and rainbows...now we flip to the dark side of lighthouses with the first of two episodes on Harrowing Tales in and around lighthouses. This episode is about the Lighthouse of Tragedy, a.k.a Bustard Head with Stuart Buchanan and Jessica Cooke. Stuart is a former light keeper and key person who restored Bustard Head Light to its former glory and Jessica Cooke is part of the 1770! LARC Tours through whom you can visit Bustard Head Light. Bonus edit: Jess Cook on how you can get yourself on a LARC! Tour at Bustard Head and more on the Lighthouse of Tragedy book. Co-hosted with Zoe O'Connor.
Shipwrecks: Treasure with Peter Braid and Neil Mergard
Arrrr Matey!!! There may not be very much golden buried treasure left to find, but there sure are a heap of other natural wonders! In this episode we explore the natural treasures of lighthouses with Peter Braid and Neil Mergard. Bonus edit: Jess Cooke on Jenny Lind and swimming echidnas. Co-hosted with Mark.
Shipwrecks: Maritime Archaeology with Cosmos Coroneos
We dive deeper into maritime archaeology with Cosmos Coroneous, maritime archeologist and director of Cosmos Archaeology. We will uncover a mutiny and and discover that shipwrecks a lot closer to home than we think. Bonus edit: Jess Clifford on why Point Perpendicular Light was built. Co-hosted with Mark.
Shipwrecks: Maritime Archaeology with Mike Nash
We are shining a light on a new topic for the next few episodes…..SHIPWRECKS the reason why lighthouses were built in the first place. Mike Nash Manager Historic Heritage at Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service explores shipwrecks and heritages with us. Co-hosted with Mark.