9/2/419/0004

Supplied by Chance Brothers of Smethwick, England in 1892, this cast-iron structure originally stood at Mahlongwa Head, but was moved to St Lucia in 1906 after a new system was devised for marking the Aliwal Shoal. It is the sister of the Port Shepstone Lighthouse and is of the same design being a fairly plain structure with a modest pediments above openings. It has a catwalk supported by simple brackets just below the lantern. The lantern is not original having been replaced when the petroleum vapour light was removed and an acetylene unit installed in 1915. The new lantern was manufactured by AGA. In 1964 the system was electrified and presently exhibits a double flash every ten seconds. It is still a manned lighthouse, but being very remote is one of the most unpopular in the system. Whilst called 'St Lucia' the lighthouse is in fact situated about 20km south of the Umfolozi River about 40km from Kwambonambi, the nearest urban centre.