Cape Dombey and Robe's Obelisk South Australia
Robe’s southern headland was originally named Cape Lannes by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin but its name was changed by Captain Matthew Flinders to Cape Dombey around the early 1800’s.
The Obelisk was erected on Cape Dombey in 1852, used to navigate entrance into Guichen Bay Limestone Coast, South Australia and to store rocket lifesaving equipment. The 160-year-old landmark in a precarious situation. It is a certainty that sometime in the future, the 12m obelisk will drop into the Southern Ocean.
If every visitor group purchases one (1) Robe Obelisk commemorative sticker, this will raise enough to build a new Obelisk. Commemorating the original once it falls into the Southern Ocean.
robeobelisk.com
Cape Dombey, Robe South Australia
What a beautiful part of the world we now get to call home!
Cape Dombey
Robe’s southern headland was originally named Cape
Lannes by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin but its
name was changed by Captain Matthew Flinders to
Cape Dombey around the early 1800’s.
Cape Dombey’s most striking feature is the 40 foot
tall red and white striped Obelisk which stands 100
feet above sea level, defying rough weather and
decaying limestone cliffs at this dramatic point.
Built in 1855 by local builder George Shivas at a cost
of 230 pounds, the limestone was carted to its site by
a 32 bullock wagon team.
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Robe Obelisk South Australia
The Obelisk was erected on Cape Dombey in 1852, used to navigate entrance into Guichen Bay Limestone Coast, South Australia and to store rocket lifesaving equipment. The firing of rockets carrying baskets to distressed ships to bring passengers ashore saved many lives.
Later it assisted passing ships with navigation, standing at a height of 12 metres it is easily visible 20 kilometres out to sea. In 1862, after complaints by the Captains that the then white Obelisk was difficult to differentiate from Long Beach's white sand hills, it was repainted in alternate red and white bands.
Robe’s southern headland was originally named Cape Lannes by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin but its name was changed by Captain Matthew Flinders to Cape Dombey around the early 1800’s. • • Robe was founded by the South Australian Government in 1846 only 10 years after the Province of South Australia had been first settled, became an international port trading directly with London and later the site where 16,262 Chinese landed and walked to the Victorian Goldfields • Cape Dombey’s most striking feature is the 40 foot tall red and white striped Obelisk which stands 100 feet above sea level, defying rough weather and decaying limestone cliffs at this dramatic point. • Built in 1855 by local builder George Shivas at a cost of 230 pounds, the limestone was carted to its site by a 32 bullock wagon team. • Originally mariners were unhappy with the white painted Obelisk, as it was still difficult to differentiate the marker from Long Beach’s white sand hills and the limestone cliffs of the coast. • In 1862 the Obelisk was repainted in alternate red and white horizontal bands and it can now be seen from a distance of 20kms on a clear day. Given the South East coast’s notoriety for shipwrecks, with 30 wrecks occurring in Guichen Bay in 1853 alone, the Obelisk was used to store rockets fired to distressed ships which carried life lines and baskets for bringing passengers ashore thus saving many lives. Numerous dances at the local hotels, including the Caledonian Inn, were interrupted as fired rockets were heard and revellers in their finery deserted the venue to go to the aid of floundering ships. Upstairs at the Caledonian Inn you can find scrolled teak doors salvaged from the 1857 wreck of the Koenig Willem. The Obelisk has been repainted several times, the last in 2002 by the Save the Obelisk Society.
The Obelisk, Robe South Australia
Another day taking in this amazing structure, looking at it from a different perspective.
The Obelisk
Cape Dombey’s most striking feature is the 40 foot tall red and white striped Obelisk which stands 100 feet above sea level, defying rough weather and decaying limestone cliffs at this dramatic point. • Built in 1855 by local builder George Shivas at a cost of 230 pounds, the limestone was carted to its site by a 32 bullock wagon team.
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Drone view of the Obelisk in Robe City, South Australia
The Obelisk, Built on Cape Dombey, this shipping marker was used to navigate the entrance to Guichen Bay. Built around 1855, the alternating white and red bands helped guide mariners to shore & with a height of approx 12 metres can be seen about 20 ks out to sea.
The Robe Obelisk, South Australia
A quick clip filmed for my girl of her favourite place while she was still living back in Melbourne. Captured with my Mavic using the DJI edit.
The Robe Obelisk
After there were 30 shipwrecks in Guichen Bay in 1835 alone, this iconic red-and-white turret was erected atop the cliffs on Cape Dombey. From here, rockets were launched out to stricken ships, carrying lifelines back to the shore.
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I Heart Robe's Obelisk
Over the past century, the Cape Dombey cliffs under Robe's historic obelisk have been steadily eroded by pounding surf, leaving the 160-year-old landmark in a precarious situation.
It is a certainty that sometime in the future, the 12m obelisk will drop into the sea. If every visitor group purchases one (1) Robe Obelisk
commemorative sticker, this will raise enough to
build a new Obelisk. Commemorating the original
once it falls into the Southern Ocean.
robeobelisk.com
Robe Obelisk 160 year old seafaring Icon
The Obelisk was erected on Cape Dombey in 1852, used to navigate entrance into Guichen Bay Limestone Coast, South Australia and to store rocket lifesaving equipment. The firing of rockets carrying baskets to distressed ships to bring passengers ashore saved many lives.
Later it assisted passing ships with navigation, standing at a height of 12 metres it is easily visible 20 kilometres out to sea. In 1862, after complaints by the Captains that the then white Obelisk was difficult to differentiate from Long Beach's white sand hills, it was repainted in alternate red and white bands.
If every visitor group purchases one (1) Robe Obelisk
commemorative sticker, this will raise enough to
build a new Obelisk. Commemorating the original
once it falls into the Southern Ocean.
robeobelisk.com
Another Winter storm @ Robe's Obelisk
Over the past century, the Cape Dombey cliffs under Robe's historic obelisk have been steadily eroded by pounding surf, leaving the 160-year-old landmark in a precarious situation.
It is a certainty that sometime in the future, the 12m obelisk will drop into the sea.
If every visitor group purchases one (1) Robe Obelisk
commemorative sticker, this will raise enough to
build a new Obelisk. Commemorating the original
once it falls into the Southern Ocean.
robeobelisk.com