The Lighthouse located at Cape Byron is one of the most famous lighthouses in Australia and thousands of people walk around it every week – very few people get to go inside the lighthouse and up to the top of it. GV Byron Bay was able to arrange a tour inside for some fortunate students.
Here is one students report on the tour:
In the afternoon lesson on Thursday we went up to the Byron Bay Lighthouse (the most easterly point in Australia) We were given a tour and talk by one of the indigenous (aboriginal)rangers, a descendent of the original people to live on the land, 40,000 years ago!
He told us everything about the construction, operation and history of the lighthouse and we walked up inside it to the actual light. We also walked out on the ‘balcony’ to see the best view in Australia and saw dolphins in the water below.
Our guide also told us about the aboriginal dreamtime story of the formation of the two rocky outcrops or islands in the bay called Julian Rocks where people scuba dive and snorkel today.
The legend is that two lovers from different tribes who were not allowed to be together ran off into the ocean together and became the two rocks to be together for eternity. A beautiful story!
Now the light house shines on them every night to let them know they are not alone!