GRIFFITHS ISLAND

GRIFFITHS ISLAND PORT FAIRY, MOYNE SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Register

GRIFFITHS ISLAND SOHE 2008

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    GRIFFITHS ISLAND - History

    The Victorian Government placed four light stations along the coast in 1859 to provide navigational facilities for harbours at Portland, Port Fairy, Warrnambool and Port Albert. At the three western ports, these lights were officially exhibited on 31 August 1859.

    The lighthouse at Port Fairy was erected on Rabbit Island to mark the entrance to the Moyne River and Port Fairy Harbour, at a time when the town was a thriving trading port for western Victoria. A one acre site on Rabbit Island, later to join Griffith Island, was acquired in January 1859 for this purpose. The Public Works Department designed a circular basalt lighthouse with machicolated capital and domed metal lantern, and the local firm of McKenzie and McGowan were responsible for its construction. Erected unusually at sea level, the lighthouse stands almost eleven metres above high water level and contains a notable spiral stone staircase, with each step inserted in a course of stonework in the outside wall.

    Lighthouse keepers’ quarters were also built at this time, the senior keeper’s house being of standard Public Works Department design, slightly modified for the site. A flagstaff, for signalling tide heights, was erected on a high point to the west, and a small basalt jetty was constructed to service the lighthouse with fuel and supplies. Subsequent improvements included the fencing of the compound (1859), the construction of a road (1869) and a causeway between the tower and quarters (1870). Additions were made to the quarters in 1884.

    The lighthouse keepers’ quarters were demolished after the Harbour Master was relocated to near Battery Hill in 1956, and the lighthouse now operates remotely. The foundations of the lighthouse keepers’ quarters are still discernible.

    The draft statement of significance and the above history were produced as part of an Online Data Upgrade Project 2005. Sources were as follows:
    Information on Heritage Victoria file HER/2001/000488

    Permit Exemptions

    GRIFFITHS ISLAND - Permit Exemptions

    General Exemptions:

    General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

    Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

    Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

    Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

    Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

    Specific Exemptions:

    Regular Site Maintenance:

    The following site maintenance works are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995:

    a) Port of Port Fairy related operations activities such as training wall repairs, road access, works on navigational aids and regular site maintenance such as lighting repairs provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits;

    b) the maintenance of an item to retain its conditions or operation without the removal of or damage to the existing fabric or the introduction of new materials;

    c) cleaning including the removal of surface deposits, organic growths, or graffiti by the use of low pressure water and natural detergents and mild brushing and scrubbing;

    d) repairs, conservation and maintenance to plaques, memorials, roads and paths, fences and gates and drainage and irrigation:

    e) the replacement of existing services such as cabling, plumbing, wiring and fire services that uses existing routes, conduits or voids, and does not involve damage to or the removal of significant fabric.

    Note: Surface patina which has developed on the fabric may be an important part of the item's significance and if so needs to be preserved during maintenance and cleaning.

    Note: Any new materials used for repair must not exacerbate the decay of existing fabric due to chemical incompatibility, obscure existing fabric or limit access to existing fabric for future maintenance. Repair must maximise protection and retention of fabric and include the conservation of existing details or elements.

    Sand Removal:

    Any removal of sand from Lighthouse Beach* and Puddeny Grounds is subject to the approval of the Executive Director, or in accordance with a Conservation Management Plan approved by the Executive Director.

    *The area commonly known as Lighthouse Beach is identified in Vicmap 7321-3-2, using projection AGD 66, at the following coordinates: easting 609050 and northing 5749950.

    Fire Suppression Duties:

    The following fire suppression duties are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995:

    a) Fire suppression and fire fighting duties provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits;

    b) Fire suppression activities such as fuel reduction burns, and fire control line construction, provided all significant historical and archaeological features are appropriately recognised and protected.

    Note: Fire management authorities must take into account the location, extent and significance of historical and archaeological places when developing fire suppression and fire fighting strategies. The importance of places listed in the Heritage Register must be considered when strategies for fire suppression and management are being developed.

    Weed and Vermin Control:

    Weed and vermin control activities are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995 provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits; Note: Particular care must be taken with weed and vermin control works where such activities may have a detrimental affect on the significant fabric of a place. Such works may include the removal of ivy, moss or lichen from an historic structure or feature, or the removal of burrows from a site that has archaeological values. Any materials used for the control of weed and vermin must not exacerbate the decay of existing fabric due to chemical incompatibility, obscure existing fabric or limit access to existing fabric for future maintenance. Control must maximise protection and retention of fabric and include the conservation of existing details or elements.

    Landscape Maintenance:

    The following landscape maintenance works are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995:

    a) landscape maintenance works provided the activities do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits;

    b) watering, mowing, top-dressing and fertilising necessary for the continued health of plants, without damage or major alterations to layout, contours, plant species or other significant landscape features to be identified in the Conservation Management Plan.

    (c ) management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 4373.

    Public Safety and Security:

    The following public safety and security activities are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995:

    a) public safety and security activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground structures or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits;

    b) the erection of temporary security fencing, scaffolding, hoardings or surveillance systems to prevent unauthorised access or secure public safety which will not adversely affect significant fabric of the place including archaeological features;

    c) development including emergency stabilisation necessary to secure safety where a site feature has been irreparably damaged or destabilised and represents a safety risk to its users or the public.

    Note: Urgent or emergency site works are to be undertaken by an appropriately qualified specialist such as a structural engineer, in consultation with a heritage professional.

    Minor Works:

    A person proposing to undertake minor works must submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit.

    General Conditions: 1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component.

    General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and plan all works shall be in accordance with it. Note:A Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan.

    General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works must submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.

    Permit Exemption Policy

    GRIFFITHS ISLAND - Permit Exemption Policy

    Griffiths Island is a highly modified landscape that is significant for both historical and archaeological values. The values to be protected by the Act relate to the lighthouse, and the archaeological potential of the whaling stations, and the lighthouse keepers quarters and gardens, the quarries, and exotic vegetation associated with these early phases of European occupation and use. The archaeological record of the whaling stations is likely to be well preserved because of the substantial physical changes (largely due to sand accumulation to the original islands of Griffiths Island and Rabbit Island) since whaling ceased in the mid 1840s.

    The management and control of exotic vegetation requires close liaison with DSE and the Committee of Management to ensure that both cultural and natural values are maintained. Anything further to the permit exemptions identified in relation to weed and vermin control or management, or biodiversity plans must be referred to the Executive Director for comment before approval or adoption

    Species that are known historic plantings should be "contained" to their original areas and not removed, but are able to be removed from outside these areas if they are impacting on other values of the island.

    Infrastructure works such as boardwalks and viewing platforms for the shearwater bird colony will require a permit.

    The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow management works that does not impact on the significant heritage values.

    A Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for Griffiths Island is strongly encouraged in order to assess the level of management works and sand removal to be permitted. The CMP should address areas of archaeological significance or potential and especially assess the impact of sand removal from Lighthouse Beach and Puddeny Grounds which may be needed to be relocated to East Beach to assist with beach stabilisation. Matters of sand removal should be subject to the endorsement of the Executive Director or in accordance with a Conservation Management Plan submitted to and approved by the Executive Director.

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• Public contributions

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    Griffiths Island Lighthouse, Port Fairy

    Peter Neaum