Bass Coast Shire Council has completed an important upgrade to street lighting across the Bass Coast, replacing older mercury vapour lights with modern, energy‑efficient LED lights.
Around 130 street lights have been upgraded as part of the Mercury Vapour Lamp Elimination Program, a practical upgrade project supporting safer, more sustainable and efficient public lighting across the community, including in Wonthaggi, Cape Paterson, Inverloch and Cowes.
Many of the older street lights were mercury vapour lamps, a type of lighting commonly used in the past. These lights produced a faint bluish‑white glow and were valued for their long life, but over time they have become outdated.
Today, mercury vapour lights are:
- Less energy efficient than modern lighting
- Difficult to maintain, as parts are no longer widely available
- Made with hazardous materials, including mercury
- No longer compliant with current environmental standards
Replacing them with LED lights is a smart, future-focused improvement that benefits the whole community. In addition to using less energy, LED lights emit less UV radiation than mercury vapour lights, helping reduce impacts on wildlife.
