Cape Nelson lighthouse near Portland undergoes $2.1m restoration

The lighthouse has been operating since 1884, and in 1934 was one of the first to be upgraded to an electric operation.

Now it is being given a new lease on life with a major restoration project under way.

An Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokesperson said the restoration work would address corrosion issues with the lantern room getting a new upper sill plate and glazing.

The spokesperson said the project was vital to the continued operation, maintenance and safe access of the lighthouse.

All 120 cast-iron treads of the internal staircase were removed one-by-one to be repaired and then reinstalled - a major undertaking with each tread weighing 30 kilograms.

As well as a fresh coat of paint outside, the white paint has been stripped from the inside to expose the bluestone walls in a bid to stop water getting trapped.

The powerhouse was also upgraded, and new electrical systems installed in both the lighthouse and powerhouse.

The spokesman said work was nearing completion and, weather permitting, would be reopened to the public again in September for tours - about a year after the work began.

Rob Hunt and his wife Margaret have leased the site for the past 12 years and restored the cottages onsite which are used for holiday accommodation.

Mr Hunt said the inside of the lighthouse had once been painted white but it would now "go back to bluestone".

"That way the moisture won't be trapped inside," he said.

The cottages and onsite cafe have continued to operate throughout the restoration works.

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