St Mary's Lighthouse and the cottage, near Whitley Bay, were built in the late 19th Century and have been owned by the same family ever since.

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Keen to catch the sunset, I raced through the quaint fishing village of Apollo Bay, and completely bypassed the Cape Otway Lighthouse, about 30km further on and open to visitors.

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In fact it was buried beneath the sands next to the lighthouse at Cap Ferret, one of the promontories guarding the bay of Arcachon.

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The council currently runs the visitor centre and lighthouse on the tidal St Mary's Island, near Whitley Bay.

BBC: St Mary's Island

Lighthouse authority Trinity House plans to switch off Godrevy light on the edge of St Ives Bay by 2010.

BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Cornwall | Lighthouse switch-off considered