Holidaying On The Southern Coast Of New South Wales

The Southern Coast of New South Wales is another Australian region that has many engaging places to go to and you can drive there with Campervan Hire Sydney. If you are especially enthusiastic about natural attractions and the great Australian outdoors, then the many national parks, nature reserves and sea parks in the area are waiting for you to drop in.

If you drive along the coast road from Sydney toward Melbourne, you will be available to see lots of Australia’s natural attractions and this road is commonly referred to the Great Pacific Drive. Montague Island is one such place and is now a nature reserve, albeit with an operational lighthouse. You can stay in the old lighthouse keepers house for one or two nights if you need to.

Montague Island Lighthouse has gone thru a few refurbishments since it was first lit up in 1881 with a kerosene powered lamp. An electrical lamp was installed in 1969 through a diesel generator and it shone to the equivalent of one million candlepower. This system remained in place till 1986 when all of the original lightening hardware was removed and replaced by an automated solar unit.

The lighthouse and the keepers living quarters were designed by James Barnet in the Georgian style and all buildings are on the southern side of the island, providing a historical retreat composed of the lighthouse, keepers quarters, sheds and jetties. You can try and think what it was like to live in the isolated circumstances for around 100 years.

There are a couple of children’s graves and the grave of an aid light-house keeper on the island too , testifying to the vicious conditions. A program of conservation of the natural habitats on the island has been under-way for some time now and many dedicated volunteers work to save the native flora and fauna.

This work was created by Anton Maverick who has travelled Australia at length by campervan he reccomends when touring the southern states either campervan Hire Australia or campervan hire Melbourne good luck with your travels.