Over coming weeks, lighting will be switched off within the Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area (KAVHA) to coincide with seabird breeding season.
The Department of Environment advises that artificial light can disrupt critical behaviours in wildlife, stalling the recovery of threatened species and interfering with migratory species’ ability to undertake long distance migrations integral to their life cycle.
The lighting switch-off will coincide with the fledging season of the Little Shearwater (Puffinus assimilis), following breeding on Nepean and Phillip Islands, and breeding of Ghostbirds (Wedgetailed shearwaters or Ardenna pacifica) on the shores of Norfolk Island.
The main lighting of the public toilet facilities at Slaughter Bay and Emily Bay will be switched off after 8.30pm each evening. There will be soft lighting installed to assist users after this time. In addition, spotlights on buildings will be turned off during this period. The Munnas barbeque site will also have the lights off after 8.30pm.
If lighting is needed after 8.30pm, please contact Heritage Manager Martin Purslow (23115 or martin.purslow@infrastructure.gov.au).
For more information about the draft guidelines, please see www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/migratory-species/draft-national-light-pollution-guidelines.
Please feel free to also contact my office if you have any questions or wish to discuss this further.
Eric Hutchinson
September 2019