The Kiama lighthouse has the distinction of being the second most famous attraction in Kiama playing second fiddle to it’s near neighbour the Kiama Blowhole. Notwithstanding the lighthouse has an interesting history of it’s own and the town is justifiably proud of this landmark.

The lands surrounding Kiama hold deep significance for the Wodi Wodi people of the Dharawal nation, who named this place “Kiarama,” meaning “where the sea makes a noise”—a fitting description for a coastline famous for its spectacular blowhole, where waves crash into underwater caverns, making a noise like thunder and eruption like a oceanic geyser. This natural phenomenon was a tourist attraction long before European settlement and happens a short distance from where the lighthouse now stands.

European mariners first noted this distinctive coastline in the late 18th century, with George Bass documenting the area during his exploratory voyage along the New South Wales coast in 1797. As cedar getters began harvesting the rich forests of the Illawarra in the early 19th century, Kiama developed as a crucial port for shipping timber, dairy products, and blue metal basalt from the area’s mines and quarries.

The increasing maritime traffic along this dangerous stretch of coastline inevitably led to tragedy. Between 1838 and 1866, at least seven vessels were lost to the treacherous reefs and unpredictable currents near Kiama. Among the most devastating was the wreck of the paddle steamer Rangoon in 1870, when an unexpected storm drove the vessel onto rocks just north of the Kiama headland, claiming twelve lives despite desperate rescue attempts by local residents.

These maritime disasters prompted colonial authorities to commission a lighthouse for Kiama. Colonial Architect James Barnet, whose architectural vision shaped numerous coastal beacons along the New South Wales shoreline, designed a structure that combined practical function with classical elegance. Construction began in 1886 using locally quarried basalt for the base and rendered brick for the tower.

Completed in 1887 at a cost of £ 1,350, the Kiama Lighthouse stands 15 meters tall from base to lantern. Positioned strategically atop Blowhole Point at 34 meters above sea level, its powerful beam reaches 27 kilometers out to sea. The tower’s distinctive design features a graceful taper from a wider base to the lantern room, with a decorative parapet surrounding the gallery—Barnet’s architectural signature blending strength with visual harmony.

The lighthouse was initially equipped with a state-of-the-art dioptric lens manufactured by Chance Brothers of Birmingham, England—then the world’s preeminent maker of lighthouse optics. This precision instrument concentrated light from kerosene lamps into a fixed white beam that became a familiar and welcome sight to mariners navigating these waters at night or during poor visibility.

Life for the lighthouse keepers of Kiama blended routine with occasional high drama. Unlike their counterparts on remote islands or isolated coastlines, Kiama’s keepers enjoyed the relative comfort of living in a developing township. Yet their responsibilities remained constant—maintaining the light, keeping meticulous logbooks, monitoring weather conditions, and remaining ever vigilant for vessels in distress.

One such keeper, Thomas Charles Evans, who served from 1889 to 1913, gained fame for his remarkable dedication during the catastrophic gale of August 1904. As hurricane-force winds lashed the coast and waves crashed over the headland, Evans refused to abandon his post despite genuine concerns the lighthouse itself might collapse. Throughout that terrifying night, he repeatedly ascended the tower to check the light and make urgent repairs when flying debris damaged the lantern room windows. Thanks to his perseverance, the light remained burning, guiding several vessels to safety away from the rock-strewn coastline.

The lighthouse has weathered countless storms throughout its existence, but perhaps none as fierce as the notorious “Maitland Gale” of 1898, named for the ill-fated paddle steamer that sank further north with the loss of 27 lives. While the Maitland perished, the Kiama Lighthouse’s beam helped several other vessels seek safety in sheltered waters, though the keeper reported seawater splashing against the lantern room windows—an astonishing 34 meters above sea level—during the height of the tempest.

Technological advances gradually transformed lighthouse operations. In 1920, the kerosene lamp was replaced with an automated acetylene gas system, and in 1969, the lighthouse was converted to electric power. By 1971, full automation eliminated the need for resident keepers, ending an era of human vigilance that had spanned nearly a century.

Like many lighthouses, Kiama has accumulated its share of curious tales and unexplained phenomena. Local folklore includes accounts of mysterious lights sometimes visible inside the tower on particularly stormy nights, despite the lighthouse being fully automated. Some attribute these to the restless spirit of a young woman who, according to legend, threw herself from the tower in the 1890s after receiving news her sailor fiancé had been lost at sea. Historians dispute this tale, finding no record of such a tragedy in official documents, yet the story persists in local storytelling.

More verifiable is the peculiar incident of the “stolen bulb” from 1982, when the lighthouse’s main lamp disappeared overnight, apparently removed by skilled hands familiar with the equipment. The theft remained unsolved until three months later, when the pristine bulb was anonymously returned with a note claiming it had been “borrowed” for a university engineering experiment. The incident prompted significant security upgrades at lighthouses throughout Australia.

Despite the advent of GPS and modern navigational technology, the Kiama Lighthouse continues its nightly vigil, maintained by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority as an active aid to navigation. The light characteristic—one white flash every 15 seconds—remains a familiar rhythm that has guided generations of sailors along this coastline.

In 1982, the lighthouse and surrounding precinct were heritage-listed in recognition of their historical and architectural significance. Extensive restoration work in 2001 returned the tower to its original splendor, repairing weather damage and replacing corroded metalwork while carefully preserving the structure’s historical integrity. Today, the Kiama Maritime Museum, housed in the former keeper’s cottage adjacent to the lighthouse, tells the stories of this coastal sentinel and the maritime history it has witnessed.

Now an iconic symbol of Kiama, the lighthouse draws thousands of visitors annually, its silhouette featuring prominently in tourism materials and artistic representations of the region. As it approaches its 140th year of operation, the Kiama Lighthouse stands as a testament to colonial engineering, architectural excellence, and the enduring relationship between coastal communities and the sometimes perilous waters that have shaped their history and identity.