To mark International Lighthouse Weekend, the Warrnambool Men’s Shed Amateur Radio Group will broadcast live from Flagstaff Hill on August 17 and 18 – joining over 400 lighthouse-based amateur radio groups from across the world, all aiming to establish communication with as many other operators as possible over the course of the weekend.
The event is part of a big weekend at Flagstaff Hill, which also sees the return of Fire Night on August 17 with a twilight cannon firing, live entertainment, food vans and open fires perfect for toasting marshmallows.
Flagstaff Hill Village Activations Coordinator Kate Wake said that she was happy to be able to combine the two events into one bumper weekend.
“The whole idea with linking the Lighthouse Weekend and Fire Night is that fires were the original lighthouses, with fires lit along the coast, so the events really complement each other on a historical level,” she said.
“Fire Night we started last year for the first time, and it was such a big success we’re working that into the lighthouse weekend.”
Warrnambool Men’s Shed Amateur Radio Group member Greg McNamara said that he was looking forward to speaking with locals as well as other radio operators across the globe.
“People are quite welcome to come down and have a look, and if they want to pick up the microphone and say g’day to someone at another lighthouse,” he said.
“(In previous years) we’ve spoken with lighthouses in New Zealand, Canada, the United States, into Europe.
“At the moment the conditions are really good because the sun is very active, and that makes…. communications very good, so we’re expecting some good operating conditions.”
The group will be on the airwaves on the Saturday from 10am-9:30pm and on the Sunday from 10am-2pm.
Broadcasting from within the lighthouse itself would be a tight squeeze, with the group to set up in the nearby Chart Room instead.
“We just need to be in line of site of the lighthouse to be able to operate as part of the weekend,” Mr McNamara said.
“We use the call sign of the lighthouses.
“Warrnambool is very unique in that it has two lighthouses, there aren’t a lot of others that have dual lighthouses, so we actually activate both those numbers.
“Some people we’ve spoken to have actually been here, so it’s quite interesting.”
He said that the radio group is always looking for new members, with operations usually based from the Men’s Shed on Hyland Street.
“Everyone is welcome, we meet on a Saturday at 10am, so anyone who wants to get involved in amateur radio, ham radio, they’d be quite welcome to drop in.”
Entry to Flagstaff Hill for International Lighthouse Weekend is via general admission. As well as the radio broadcast there will also be historical presentations, kids craft activities and performances by the “Lady of History” where she will assume the character of a convict and a pirate while interacting with guests.
Fire Night, which runs from 5pm-9.30pm on Saturday August 17, has a special entry price of $5. This event will begin with the twilight firing of the 80 pound cannon, followed by live music on the wharf and hearty winter warming food from Bambino Wood Fired Pizza, Sun Bear BBQ, Jun’s ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Kitchen and Dutch Café. There will also be open fires and marshmallows available for toasting.
