Fingal Bay's Lighthouse Week such a success there's talks of doing it again next year

Fingal Bay resident, fishing identity and historian John 'Stinker' Clarke, an organiser of the week-long celebrations, said Lighthouse Week was such a success that there was already talks to do it all over again next year.

"Lighthouse Week in Fingal Bay proved to be very successful with all organised activities receiving great support from far and wide. Such was the success of the week-long event that a similar week is in the pipeline for next season," he said.

Celebrating 160 years since the iconic Fingal Island lighthouse, known as the Outer Light, first shone, the Fingal community, Cellar Cafe Fingal Bay and Moonshadow-TQC Cruises joined together to host a series of events celebrating the milestone.

Lighthouse Week began on Sunday, May 1 - the day the Fingal lighthouse became operational in 1862 - with a historical guided tour to Fingal Island. Mr Clarke, who has published a book, The Outer Light, on the history of Fingal Island and its lighthouse, provided commentary on the trip.

"More than 70 lighthouse and local history enthusiasts visited the Outer Light over the week of celebrations," he said.

This included Central Coast resident Julia Mulley who lived her early years on the island with her grandfather, lighthouse keeper Alf Oslington.

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Any concern that wet weather may affect Lighthouse Week celebrations never eventuated.

"The sun came out and the conditions were beautiful both days," Bonita Holmes-Nuu from Moonshadow-TQC Cruises said.

"John set the scene as [passengers] boarded the boat in Nelson Bay. He told them stories of the past as they cruised. [Passengers] tendered to the island and John painted pictures and shared first-hand stories of the island and pointed out landmarks.

"There was such an interest in the cruise we were able to offer a second cruise the next day."

Throughout the week the Cellar Cafe served as a museum with information provided by the Tomaree Museum Association and black and white historical photos supplied by Mr Clarke.

Cafe owners Leah Elliott and Alex Watkins also hosted a popular and well attended Step Back In Time event on Saturday, May 7.

"The week of celebrations wound up on Saturday afternoon with a band at the Cellars giving all the Fingal residents and visitors the opportunity to join the festivities," Mr Clarke said.

Moonshadow-TQC Cruises offers three guided historical cruises with commentary from Mr Clarke: Fingal Island Historical Tour, Western Harbour Historical Cruise and Broughton Island Guided Historic Cruise.

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