Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse

Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse, also known as Wollongong Harbour Lighthouse, is a historic lighthouse situated on the southern breakwater of the heritage-listed Wollongong Harbour, in Wollongong, a coastal city south of Sydney, New South Wales in Australia. Wollongong is the only place in the east of Australia to have two lighthouses located in close proximity of each other, the other being Wollongong Head Lighthouse. While no longer used, the lighthouse was restored in 2002 as operational and is listed an official local heritage building.The Wollongong Harbour is home to private vessels and the local fishing fleet in the inner Belmore Basin. South of the city lies Port Kembla, a major steelmaking, minerals, grain and vehicle handling harbour. A further hazard to shipping is an island group known collectively as The Five Islands lying a short distance off the coast.HistoryThe Wollongong Breakwater Lighthouse, known affectionately by the locals as Old Wollongong Lighthouse, was built in 1871 after an earlier request made by the Wollongong Borough Council in 1866 to help mariners safely navigate the port of Wollongong in the early days of the coal industry in the Illawarra region. It is situated on the southern breakwater, within walking distance to its newer twin, the Wollongong Head Lighthouse.