Iron Butt Logo

Australia Lighthouse Insanity Series

Version No. 1.0
Date last revised: August 31, 2023


� 2023, Iron Butt Association, Sheridan, Wyoming
Please respect our intellectual property rights.  Do not distribute this document or portions therein, without the written permission of the Iron Butt Association.


Background:

lighthousephoto This series of rides is an extension to the IBA Lighthouse Insanity series already established in the USA.

There are more than 13,300 known lighthouses in the world today. Not all of them are accessible by road, but many can be reached by motorcycle. The Iron Butt Association has developed a new series of rides that will complement the National Parks Tour (Master Traveler Awards) and allow more of our members around the world to participate in a stamp and photo collection qualification ride.

The conventional definition of a lighthouse is a tower or other structure containing a beacon light to warn or guide ships at sea. However, the Iron Butt Dictionary defines a lighthouse as: “A photographic or rubber stamping opportunity that lures a motorcyclist into taking the time to visit and experience new roads, often reaching the very end, and to visit, in the words of the United States Lighthouse Society, ‘the many proud coastal ladies of former years with their sweeping towers of brick and Victorian gingerbread.’”

In Australia, the Macquarie lighthouse designed by Francis Greenway, architect, in 1818 was the first lighthouse built in Australia. Many convict and supply ships needed to access Sydney Cove, so Governor Philip recognised a need for some sort of signal to direct ships through to Sydney Cove. Before the lighthouse was built, a lighted beacon established at South Head in 1793 was the only light to guide ships to the entrance to the harbour. The increasing number of ships using Port Jackson led to the realisation that a lighthouse was needed.

North America is “middle-aged” in lighthouse years, while Iceland is a “n�ju krakki � blokk,“ (new kid on the block). The Icelandic Lighthouse Society explains that Iceland had only five operating lighthouses at the turn of the 20th century and it was not until 1954 that the circle of 104 lighthouses around Iceland was finally completed. How many of these Icelandic lighthouses can be visited by motorcycle? We don’t know because their website is in Icelandic. However, we do know that you can ride to the oldest working lighthouse in the world, which is in the city of La Coru�a in northwestern Spain. This lighthouse is known as the Tower of Hercules and has been operating since the time of the Roman Emperor Trajan, who died in 117. That is not a typo, the Tower has been in operation since the year one hundred seventeen!


REFERENCE SITE FOR Australian lighthouses by state http://www.lighthouses.org.au/lights/index.asp

Requirements

The object of the Iron Butt Association Australia Lighthouse Tour Series is to take some time to ride and visit the hundreds of historic lighthouses located around the world.

•    Primary documentation is by photo with:
o    gas receipt showing you were in the area at that time, and
o    your IBA Australia ride flag (available from http://www.ibaaustralia.com/shop/ )
•    There are time limits for different award levels.
•    You may start and finish any time you want.

AUSTRALIAN RIDES

INSANITY: Visit 60 lighthouses in 12 consecutive months.

INSANITY BRONZE: Visit 60 lighthouses with at least two on different oceans in 12 consecutive months.  For Australia, that is any two from the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean. (for US, that is Pacific and Atlantic and for Europe an example would be the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea).

INSANITY SILVER: Visit 120 lighthouses with at least two on different oceans in 24 consecutive months.  For Australia, that is any two from the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean. (for US, that is Pacific and Atlantic and for Europe an example would be the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea).

INSANITY GOLD: Visit 180 lighthouses in 36 consecutive months. One lighthouse must be on the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Tasmania.
 
INSANITY GOLD EXTREME: Visit 180 lighthouses in 12 consecutive months. One lighthouse must be on the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Indian Ocean and Tasmania.

INSANITY PLATINUM: Visit 180 lighthouses on at least two on different CONTINENTS in 36 consecutive months.

o Once you have completed your ride, photocopy the pages and submit the copies, a check for (Finisher and Bronze US$60 - Silver US$70 and GOLD or PLATINUM US$90) made payable to the Iron Butt Association and mail it to Iron Butt Association, P.O. Box 9450, Naperville, IL 60567-9450 USA
For your effort, you will receive a custom Iron Butt Association certificate of Accomplishment,   and have seen a great deal of some of the prettiest parts of the world.


You may take any route you like.

Your official time is determined by the starting and ending receipts.  PLEASE check these documents and make sure the clock and date is correct!

Spotwalla.com is strongly recommended but not required.

Remember it is YOUR responsibility to prove you visited all  required stops.  Spotwalla goes a long way towards this proof.

Merchandise:

There is no additional merchandise for this ride.