Norah Head, originally known as Bungaree Noragh Point, is a headland and a coastal village in the Central Coast Council local government area on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Norah Head is known for its great surfing and clear beaches like Soldiers Beach near Wyrrabalong National Park and Pebbly Beach with Norah Head Rock Pool. The town is home to Norah Head Lighthouse with scenic views along the coast.

Lighthouse

The Norah Head Lighthouse was the last significant lighthouse built in New South Wales, a 63 m tower, completed in 1903 with monetary assistance from the Hargraves family of Noraville after considerable numbers of ships foundered on the coast near the headland. Originally it was powered by a kerosene concentric wick lamp and still today it features a second order bivalve Fresnel lens prism floating on a mercury bath. At first, the prism was rotated by descending weights, but the light was electrified in 1961 and fully automated in 1995. The light flashes once in 15 seconds, and is visible to 27 nmi, the focal plane is located at 46 m. For coastal shipping, two additional light signals are shown: a red light in the northeast sector, emitted from 39 m above the sea and a green one towards southwest, emitted from 44 m; both are continuous. Norah Head Lighthouse is considered to be a popular venue for weddings. The former lighthouse keepers cottage (Head Keeper's separate cottage and two assistants semi-detached quarters) are maintained, and two of these are available for rent.

Heritage listings

Norah Head has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

World War II

Near the head, sea battles between the Japanese Navy and Merchant navy ships took place in World War II: Three ships were sunk, Nimbin, at 1052 tonnes, by a mine on 5 December 1940 and the fishing trawler Millimumul sank with the loss of seven men on 26 March 1941 when it trawled up a German mine laid by the mine ship Pinguin, as well as BHP Shipping's Iron Chieftain, at 4812 tonnes by a submarine on 3 June 1942. The Age, at 4775 tonnes, was also attacked on the same day.

Geology

There are several unique landforms around the head. Immediately in front of the head there is a rock platform which was formed in the Permian to Triassic periods around 180 - 280 million years ago. In the platform there is a volcanic intrusion, a channel of darker rock running from one side of the platform to the other. The intrusion was created by waves quarrying a softer basalt lava flow out of the surrounding granite. The lava came from an ancient volcano, probably Mount Warrawolong to the west.

Climate

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