The Newcastle Customs House is a heritage listed building located on the corner of Bond and Watt Street in Newcastle in New South Wales and was once the Government’s maritime administrative centre. It was designed in the Italianate Renaissance Revival Style by New South Wales Colonial Architect James Barnet in 1877, with a wing added in matching materials in 1899. The building is constructed from dark cream brick with contrasting sandstone detailing. The western end has a 32 m (105 ft) high clock tower, lantern and time ball, one of three examples in Australia that are relatively intact. (You can see the time ball on the top of the clock tower).
A time ball is an obsolete time signalling device. It consists of a large, painted wooden or metal ball that is dropped at a predetermined time, principally to enable navigators to verify their marine chronometers from their ships offshore. Accurate timekeeping is one means by which longitude can be determined at sea.
Although the use of time balls has been replaced by electronic time signals, some time balls have remained operational as historical tourist attractions.
@derekvickers Nice idea Derek, but it has been done a few times. There is a chap called Michel Chatenay and he has put a book together. He contacted our photo club a few months ago as he is putting together a Port Stephens book also and wanted 13 pictures from our club to put in it. A few of our members submitted photos for him to select and I was lucky enough to get 5 of mine chosen. Some of our members were a bit miffed I think though as they have much better cameras than I have and also are much better photographers too.
@kathiecb I think it can still be operated but not for a while. I think the last time was a couple of years ago when it was used in conjunction with the firing of the canons at Fort Scratchley for an event.
August 22nd, 2014
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