Wonthaggi Solar Street Lights

Project Summary

This project required a specialised lighting solution for a new raised pedestrian safety platform (also known as a ‘zebra’ or ‘wombat crossing’) on McKenzie Street in Wonthaggi (rural Victoria).

The crossing connects the footpath along McKenzie Street, where it crosses the road adjacent to Edgar Street. The crossing had been recently installed by Bass Coast Shire Council as part of their 2024-25 Local Road Safety Improvement Program to increase crossing safety and minimise risk of accidents.

This project required a lighting solution to address the following requirements:

• Driver visibility of crossing users who are on the crossing or waiting to cross.
• Driver visibility of the crossing for sufficient recognition distance to adjust speed and ensure safe approach.
• Visibility for crossing users to identify the crossing from further up the footpath.
• Visibility for crossing users to safely navigate the crossing at night or in poor conditions.
• Sensitive to local wildlife (mainly wombats) and the adjacent Wonthaggi Bushland Reserve.
• Legislative and standards compliance including AS/NZS 1158 – Lighting for Roads and Public Spaces.

A large portion of crossing users are vulnerable, including families and students of Bass Coast Specialist School (and the nearby Bass Coast College), who move around the precinct (often in high volumes) at set times of the day.

Where possible this client seeks eco-friendly, sustainable solutions that satisfy operational needs, community expectations and environmental values (energy-efficient and budget-friendly).

Lighting design

The products supplied for this project were x3 Plusrite 30W Solar Area Light and x3 Hinged Light Pole (6-metre custom size). Plusrite also provided professional advice regarding lighting design for the street lighting installation at the crossing.

The site characteristics determined that three 30W/6000lm lighting units, strategically positioned and spaced with a custom 6-metre pole height were needed to achieve compliant illumination at the approach, entry and exit points.

This addressed specific compliance requirements for crossings including appropriate vertical illumination of pedestrians and the uniform lighting distribution to avoid excessive contrast, dark spots and glare.

The Type 3 beam angle of the Plusrite 30W Solar Area Light provides a wide oval light distribution, covering the road and surrounding areas effectively (footpaths and the small intersection) while minimising light pollution and reducing the number of lights needed.

The colour temperature (CCT) was adjusted to 3000K to minimise disturbance to wildlife and the adjacent bushland reserve. 3000K provides a good balance between human needs and wildlife protection as it emits significantly less blue light and skyglow. This helps minimise disruption to natural animal behaviours (like birds and bats), while still providing good colour recognition and safety for people.

Positioning also considered locations of the surrounding trees to ensure sufficient access to solar for charging.

Products

This Plusrite lighting installation satisfied the requirements for this Bass Coast Shire Council project as follows:

• Compliant 30W/6000LM illumination (uniform, high visibility, reduced glare)
• Wildlife-friendly 3000K colour temperature (less blue light emitted adjacent to the bush reserve)
• Hinged pole design can be lowered (accessibility for adjustments and maintenance)
• Contained design IP65 and IK08 rated (impact & weather protected for long-term community use)
• Minimal intrusion and lower installation costs (no new cabling required, less disturbance)
• LED technology (energy-efficient, low maintenance, extended lifespan)
• Solar-powered (eco-friendly, no ongoing power costs)
• Sleek minimal design (blends with existing aesthetics)

This was a long-term, cost-effective, environmentally-friendly solution for Bass Coast Shire Council.

The Plusrite 30W Solar Area Light provides excellent illumination for visibility and safety in open outdoor areas, without excessive light spilling into adjacent spaces. It is ideal for street lighting, car park lighting, driveways, footpaths and crossings, building surrounds, outdoor event spaces and more. To read more about this product see the Product Specifications Sheet.

Read more about the Plusrite LED Solar Street Light Range and Plusrite Street Light Poles.

Contact Plusrite today

Plusrite are the leaders in modern and innovative commercial, urban and industrial lighting. We would be pleased to offer you a consultation and Customised Commercial Lighting Design (free upon request), based on your specific project requirements.

Get in touch with our friendly team today for a chat about your next project.