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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-07-05 Daily Xml
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Shine On Kingston!

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (15:27): I stand today to talk about Shine On Kingston! At the beginning of the year, my home town of Kingston hosted Shine On Kingston!, an event to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the town's iconic lighthouse. The 19th century Cape Jaffa Lighthouse became a virtual landmark for Kingston and the South-East following a century of service when it was decommissioned and brought ashore in 1973.

Originally, the lighthouse was situated about eight kilometres offshore. It was known as the Wells Screw Pile lighthouse, as it was held and secured by being screwed into the dangerous Margaret Brock Reef. It had eight rooms, enough to accommodate two lighthouse keepers and their families, with enough stores to last several weeks. The brave lighthouse keepers, who worked to maintain the structure, rotated shifts, with three months on the lighthouse followed by one month ashore.

The idea to bring the symbolic lighthouse to shore was unprecedented. Moving the 41-metre high lighthouse landside was undoubtedly complex, requiring the Victorian-era construction to be dismantled and reassembled once on land. This seismic task made the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse the first in Australia to be dismantled and brought to shore. The lighthouse has since been recognised by the Kingston District Council and the National Trust of South Australia for its potential to revitalise tourism and promote maritime history in South Australia.

Currently, the lighthouse sits proudly near the foreshore in the Kingston town precinct. Volunteers of the National Trust were the drivers of the preservation of the lighthouse and did the work to bring it ashore. I was delighted to see the same resourceful spirit on show again from Kingston National Trust branch members, together with the Kingston District Council, who brought together the Shine On Kingston! event.

I credit both groups for their determination and success in drawing hundreds of people from the Kingston community and beyond to promote and enjoy the lighthouse. Shine On Kingston! was held between 13 and 20 January, and each night the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse was lit up in different luminous colours. Planning the event amid the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the festivities were spread across four venues within the township.

Organisers of the event planned several activities, including a spectacular kite flying display on the Kingston foreshore. There was also a stunning lantern parade, which saw a turnout of between 200 and 300 people, and a sailing regatta on the bay opposite the lighthouse. However, the nightly illumination of the lighthouse itself was a definite highlight and attracted up to 200 people. Many enjoyed the spectacle so much they returned on following evenings. There is no doubt that the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse really did look stunning under lights.

The ability to achieve such a successful event is a credit to event organisers and a supportive community who recognise the importance of welcoming tourists to the region. I would like to thank the members of the main committee, Sharryn Tiller, Katherine McBride and Alison Stillwell (who are in the house today), as well as Maureen Andrews for dedicating their time, and to congratulate them on their success of this wonderful event. I would also like to thank Delphine Allert, Katherine Lisk, Elaine Starling and Pauline Johnston for their substantial input.

The Kingston branch of the National Trust and the Kingston District Council have assembled a business case to establish the lighthouse as a permanent tourist attraction for the Limestone Coast and to create a must-visit destination. They aim to expand on the potential of the lighthouse by upgrading the asset as a tourism and community hub. Key features of the business case included the establishment of:

a visitor centre and meeting facilities;

kiosk and toilet facilities, cafe and gift store;

gallery space and outdoor exhibition spaces; and

an exhibition of Meintangk dreamtime stores.

This project is an important one, which would provide a stimulus opportunity for the local area and the Limestone Coast. A partnership approach is needed to progress this opportunity. The Kingston Lighthouse has been a hidden gem within the South-East since it was brought ashore, and I am pleased that the National Trust of South Australia has seen fit to preserve and celebrate this historic lighthouse.

I would like to thank the National Trust of South Australia, including the National Trust's South Australian president, Paul Leadbeter, and also the CEO, Darren Peacock, who is also here today. I would also like to thank the National Trust’s Kingston branch members and the Kingston District Council, as well as the business and community members, who sponsored the Shine On Kingston! event.

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