Rocky Hill Beacon change, not so bright say some

Mr Jeffrey is spearheading concern raised by some in the community that the recently installed LED matrix does not provide enough of a directional beam of light.

The original beacon had been running since 1936 and was refurbished in recent years.

"It was a great tourist attraction - over the years it has diminished, but you would at least see the beam rotating - now that it's LED there's no beam anymore," Mr Jeffrey said.

Boasting a background in the field, Mr Jeffrey said he didn't see any way the current light could be retro-fitted suitably, with spotlights requiring a reflector to focus the light.

A council spokesperson said they had tried to maintain the beacon including upgrades in 2019, but the existing light had simply reached the end of its life.

"The remaining 16 lamps in existence for the beacon lighting system were purchased for use at the War Memorial in 2019," the spokesperson said.

"Council sourced two second-hand lamp seats from France, again, in an endeavour to extend the operational life of the original beacon.

"Coupled with the deterioration of the beacon wiring, in all respects, the original 1936 beacon light had reached the end of its life."

Mr Jeffrey said he accepted the LED upgrade, but said he hoped council would have replaced the beacon in a like-for-like scenario, adding he had found spotlights online that fit within the council spend on the upgrade.

The council spokesperson said every effort was made to retain a similar throw of light.

"Council's priority was to maintain the lighting effect created by the original beacon, and identified a similar rotating system with the same quality of light and throw," the spokesperson said.

"This approach was determined in consultation with Council's Heritage Advisor and specialist local trades and will ensure the beacon continues as part of the memorial's presence, in a way that closely aligns with the effect of the original infrastructure, into the future."

The spokesperson said the new LED matrix was widely regarded and is used in aviation throughout the world. The LEDs will also last 50 times longer than the previous beacon lamps, minimising downtime.

The spokesperson said the original beacon had been retained, while "an identical beacon casing was located, restored, and re-engineered to incorporate the new LED aircraft beacon".

The original beacon is now being maintained as part of the War Memorial Museum's collection.

The spokesperson said the upgraded light fitting would continue to be iconic to the Goulburn skyline.

"The memorial tower and the light are instantly recognisable as iconic to the city of Goulburn, and both are clearly visible to residents and to travellers along the Hume Highway. The presence of the light is an enduring commemoration of the men and women of the Goulburn district who have served Australia in wars, conflicts and operations around the world," they said.