Wollongong is one of the few places in the world (if not the only one) to have two lighthouses within 300 metres of each other.

The mouth of Belmore Basin / Wollongong Harbour faces roughly north, with the western breakwater running from the coast to the east. The other starts at a headland (Flagstaff Hill) which juts out into the ocean just a bit further to the south. (The newer and currently active lighthouse, not seen here, stands on that hill.) That breakwater runs north west to line up with the other breakwater, and together they form the harbour mouth.

The older lighthouse, which we see here, sits on the end of the latter breakwater. It was built in 1871 of wrought iron on a ferro-concrete base. Originally oil powered, by 1908 it was running on gas, and by 1916 acetylene gas. At a later but unknown time, it was changed to electricity before being decommissioned in 1974. It was allowed to run down before being restored in 1978-79 and again in 2000. The light does work, but is now only used for special occasions.

The morning was a bust in terms of sunrise, but I did like what sunlight there was shining through the glass. The seagull? Well, that was pure luck.

Meanwhile in the news... fully vaccinated people can now go to hairdressers, restaurants and gyms. The queues outside hairdressers continue to be so long that I continue to bear more than a passing resemblance to George of the Jungle and will do for some time. I am, however, going to have dinner at a restaurant for the first time in months tomorrow night.

And... the vaccine passport on our checkin app finally works, though let us not describe how absurdly fiddly it was to link it all up.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to "watch out for that treeeeee...."