Painters have been flown out to the remote structure to complete the paint job which is expected to take two to three weeks and result in the lighthouse returning to its former glory in gleaming white.

It has been roughly 12 years since the iconic beacon, which has stood since 1862, was painted, according to National Parks and Wildlife Service Hunter Region manager Robert Quirk. "The harsh coastal conditions over the past 12 years have taken its toll on the 1998 paintwork, causing some of the paint to flake and expose the underlying sandstone structure," he said.

"The paint work is also patchy in areas where graffiti has been removed, then painted over." In addition to the paint job, a new stainless steel balustrade was installed at the top of the tower last February.