Cape Moreton Light
Encyclopedia
Cape Moreton Light, also listed as North Point Range Rear Light, is an active lighthouse
located on Cape Moreton
, a rocky headland
located at the north eastern tip of Moreton Island
, a large sand island
on the eastern side of Moreton Bay
, on the coast of South East Queensland
, Australia
. It marks the northern entrance to Moreton Bay and Brisbane
and also serves as the rear light for the North Point Range. With its two distinctive red bands, it also serves as a daymark
. It is the oldest lighthouse in Queensland, and the only one to be built by the New South Wales Government before the separation of Queensland, which took place in 1859. It is also the only lighthouse in Queensland to be built of stone.
The lighthouse was established following an increase in traffic through the northern entrance to Moreton Bay in the 1840s. It was designed by Edmund Blacket
in 1854 and established in 1857. Over the years the light source went through several changes, from oil wick
, to kerosene
, to acetylene gas, to electricity, and finally to solar power
. The structures also went through various modifications, the major one being an increase in the lighthouse height and rebuilding of several structures, in 1928–1930.
The station includes the lighthouse, three lighthouse keeper
residences, and various buildings. The lighthouse is made of sandstone and topped by a concrete gallery and a cast iron lantern. The residences and most other structures are timber framed and fibro
clad
.
, mainly due to shorter shipping route
and better shipping conditions. The southern entrance was therefore marked in 1825 and a pilot station was established at Amity Point on North Stradbroke Island in 1827. Although the northern entrance was considered in the 1830s, it was only with the increased shipping activity due to proclamation of Moreton Bay as a free settlement in 1842 that vessels began to use the northern entrance. Buoy
s marking the entrance were laid in 1846–1847, and in 1848 the Pilot Station was moved to Bulwer
on Moreton island. By then the northern entry was regarded as the main entry.
In 1850, Brisbane residents petitioned the New South Wales Government, which controlled the Queensland area until Queensland's separation in 1859, to establish a lighthouse on Cape Moreton. The government also wanted to encourage ships to use the broader and safer northern passage. Planning for the structure therefore commenced in 1852. The site was selected and surveyed in 1853, and the lighthouse was designed in 1854 by Edmund Blacket
the New South Wales Colonial Architect of the time. However, Blacket resigned in 10 June 1854, for the private market, and left the office on 25 August. The office remained vacant until 1 October 1854, when Blacket was succeeded by William Weaver. Drawings for the tower which were completed in September 1854 were signed by Alexander Beazeley, Foreman of Works in the Colonial Architect's office. The tower was finally built during the office of Alexander Dawson who succeeded Weaver in 1856, and signed further drawings made in April 1856.
The tower was constructed by a contractor, Mark Farrell, for the cost of £15,232, using prison labor, and supervised by Beazeley. Both the lighthouse and three sandstone lighthouse keeper
cottages were constructed from locally quarried sandstone. The lighthouse was first displayed in February 1857, though tenders for painting the tower were called for only in December 1858.
The original optical apparatus was a catoptric system consisting of 21 oil wick lamp
s with parabolic reflector
s. The lighthouse was 67 feet (20.4 m), visible for 26.5 nautical miles (49.1 km).
, but it continued to be managed by the New South Wales Marine Board until the formation of the Queensland Department of Ports and Harbours in 1862. In 1864 a telegraph office was opened at the Cape. In 1873, the oil wick lamps were replaced with kerosene
. During the 1860s and 1870s some further structures were constructed in the station including a schoolhouse (opened in 1879), a stable, and other storage buildings. A telegraph line was constructed during the 1890s, and a Morse lamp visible for 20 miles (32.2 km) was installed in the 1910s. In 1913 the timber parts of the structures, which were damaged by ants, were replaced. A 1911–1913 survey found the light in good shape, though the apparatus was found out of date and needing replacement. This replacement was to be delayed for a long time due to the transfer of all coastal lights to the Commonwealth, occurring officially October 1913, though practically in July 1915. A post office
was operated by the light keepers between 1915 and the early 1920s.
In 1928, the tower was extended and the lighthouse reached its current height of 75 feet (22.9 m) to increase its range. In 1928–1930, the keepers' cottages were replaced with timber framed
fibro
clad
structures. In 1930, the lantern underwent major modification. The lantern house was replaced with 7 in 1 in (2.16 m) diameter Chance Brothers
lantern room. The optical apparatus was replaced with either a third order Chance Bros dioptric lens or a four panel 375 millimetres (14.8 in) AGA
catadioptric
lens on an AGA pedestal. The light source was replaced by an AGA incandescent gas mantle operated by acetylene gas, and a sun valve
was also installed.
electricity. The two distinctive red bands were painted in 1942. In 1967 the power source was replaced with 240 V AC
power, being supplied by two diesel alternators, and a new lens, pedestal, bearing and optic drive may have been installed. The range of the 1967 light was 27 nautical miles (50 km). The light was modernised in July 1988, with the installation of a 120 V
1 Kw tungsten halogen lamp. In 1990, the handrail
s and stanchion
s of the balcony and external staircase were replaced and an access ladder to the dome was installed. On 8 December 1993, the light was converted to solar power
ed operation and a VRB-25
apparatus was installed.
Halogen lamp
producing an intensity of 14,000 cd
. The light revolves three times per minute.
house with a white lantern. It displays a quickly flashing white or red light, depending on the direction (Q.W.R.). The white light, shown at 04°-192° and 244°-258°, is visible for 9 nautical miles (16.7 km). The red light, shown at 192°-244° and 258°-294°, is visible for 8 nautical miles (14.8 km).
blocks laid in regular courses
. The ground level has thicker walls, topped by a timber floor. The tower shaft tapers slightly toward the top, where the cast iron
lantern sits. Entrance to the tower is either through a timber door on the ground level, or through a timber door on the top of the original 1857 external masonry staircase (with a modern 1990 handrail) that circles the first floor, leading to the first floor. Two horizontal bands are painted close to the top, and the tower is otherwise unpainted, showing the sandstone color. Both the ground floor and the lantern floor are made of concrete
. Access from the ground floor to the lantern is first via a ladder leading to a trapdoor in the first floor, then via the original internal cast iron spiral stair, ending in a landing below the lantern, and finally another short ladder leading to a trapdoor in the lantern floor. The internal is painted, and lit by small square glass panels in timber frames.
The tower is topped by the 1930 7 in 1 in (2.16 m) diameter Chance Brothers lantern, painted white. The lantern cylindrical wall is made of six bolted cast iron panels. These support a continuous band of curved glass with cast iron glazing
bars, and a small catwalk between the wall and the glazing. The cupola
on top of the lantern is made of sheet copper, painted red, and it is topped by ball vent and a wind vane. An access ladder and safety rails, installed in 1990, provide access to the cupola. In the center of the lantern is the VRB-25 apparatus, mounted on steel box.
Surrounding the lantern is a concrete gallery, accessible through a door in the lantern wall, with a white painted balustrade, and a 1990 railing. The solar panels are mounted on the gallery.
s and hipped roof
s. The head keeper's house and the second assistant's house have corrugated fibrous cement rood while the first assistant house has a newer corrugated
zinc/aluminium alloy (Zincalume) metal roof
. A museum was set in the second assistant's quarters in 1988. Two spherical steel rainwater tanks are set next to each of the houses.
The three sheds surrounding the lighthouse are the workshop to the south, the former powerhouse to the west and the fuel store to the north. They are all rectangular structures, timber framed and fibro clad with corrugated fibrous cement gable roofs. The workshop appears to be built on the remains of one of the early stone buildings, lying on a plinth
with sandstone steps. It consists of two rooms with pivoting sash window
s and timber framed doors and no internal lining. The former powerhouse and the fuel store have reinforced concrete
floors, fibro lining, double-hung sash windows and double timber framed doors.
The office to the north of the head keeper house is a small square room raised on short concrete pillars, constructed of timber framed fibro clad walls and corrugated fibrous cement roof. It has a continuous band of windows. The last three buildings, the garage, powerhouse and fuel store, are small brick buildings with metal roofs and reinforced concrete floors.
. The island can be reached by ferry service from Scarborough
, though visiting requires a permit and a four-wheel drive
is mandatory. The station is accessible, but the lighthouse is closed to the public.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
located on Cape Moreton
Cape Moreton
Cape Moreton is a rocky headland located at the north eastern tip of Moreton Island in South East Queensland, Australia. The surrounding area is part of the Moreton Island National Park. 5 km north-west of Cape Moreton is Flinders Reef....
, a rocky headland
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
located at the north eastern tip of Moreton Island
Moreton Island
Moreton Island is a large sand island on the eastern side of Moreton Bay, on the coast of south-east Queensland, Australia. Moreton Island lies 58 kilometres northeast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane. The island is 95% National Park and a popular destination for four wheel driving, camping,...
, a large sand island
Sand island
A sand island is an island that is largely or completely made of sand. The largest sand island in the world is Fraser Island. Other examples of large sand islands are Moreton and North Stradbroke Islands which lie south of Fraser Island off the east coast of Australia....
on the eastern side of Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
, on the coast of South East Queensland
South East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It marks the northern entrance to Moreton Bay and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and also serves as the rear light for the North Point Range. With its two distinctive red bands, it also serves as a daymark
Daymark
A daymark or a day marker is a structure such as a tower constructed on land as an aid to navigation by sailors. While similar in concept to a lighthouse, a daymark does not have a light and so is usually only visible during daylight hours...
. It is the oldest lighthouse in Queensland, and the only one to be built by the New South Wales Government before the separation of Queensland, which took place in 1859. It is also the only lighthouse in Queensland to be built of stone.
The lighthouse was established following an increase in traffic through the northern entrance to Moreton Bay in the 1840s. It was designed by Edmund Blacket
Edmund Blacket
Edmund Thomas Blacket was an Australian architect, best known for his designs for the University of Sydney, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and St...
in 1854 and established in 1857. Over the years the light source went through several changes, from oil wick
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
, to kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
, to acetylene gas, to electricity, and finally to solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
. The structures also went through various modifications, the major one being an increase in the lighthouse height and rebuilding of several structures, in 1928–1930.
The station includes the lighthouse, three lighthouse keeper
Lighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
residences, and various buildings. The lighthouse is made of sandstone and topped by a concrete gallery and a cast iron lantern. The residences and most other structures are timber framed and fibro
Fibro
Fibro, the shortened form of "Fibrous Cement" - or "Fibrous Asbestos Cement", FAC, is a building material made of compressed fibres cemented into rigid sheets....
clad
Cladding (construction)
Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer intended to control the infiltration of weather elements, or for aesthetic purposes....
.
Establishment
In 1825, Brisbane was established as a penal settlement. In spite of the hazards, the preferred access to Moreton Bay and Brisbane was through the southern entrance, between Moreton Island and North Stradbroke IslandNorth Stradbroke Island
North Stradbroke Island is an Australian island in the state of Queensland, 30 km southeast of the capital Brisbane. Before 1896 the island was part of the Stradbroke Island. In that year a storm separated it from South Stradbroke Island, forming the Jumpinpin Channel. It is known...
, mainly due to shorter shipping route
Shipping route
A shipping route is a trade route used by merchant ships.Early routes usually were coastal in nature as navigators had to rely on the coastal landmarks...
and better shipping conditions. The southern entrance was therefore marked in 1825 and a pilot station was established at Amity Point on North Stradbroke Island in 1827. Although the northern entrance was considered in the 1830s, it was only with the increased shipping activity due to proclamation of Moreton Bay as a free settlement in 1842 that vessels began to use the northern entrance. Buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
s marking the entrance were laid in 1846–1847, and in 1848 the Pilot Station was moved to Bulwer
Bulwer, Queensland
Bulwer is a small township at the north-western end of Moreton Island, on the eastern side of Moreton Bay opposite, and 40 km from, the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Bulwer had a population of 70....
on Moreton island. By then the northern entry was regarded as the main entry.
In 1850, Brisbane residents petitioned the New South Wales Government, which controlled the Queensland area until Queensland's separation in 1859, to establish a lighthouse on Cape Moreton. The government also wanted to encourage ships to use the broader and safer northern passage. Planning for the structure therefore commenced in 1852. The site was selected and surveyed in 1853, and the lighthouse was designed in 1854 by Edmund Blacket
Edmund Blacket
Edmund Thomas Blacket was an Australian architect, best known for his designs for the University of Sydney, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and St...
the New South Wales Colonial Architect of the time. However, Blacket resigned in 10 June 1854, for the private market, and left the office on 25 August. The office remained vacant until 1 October 1854, when Blacket was succeeded by William Weaver. Drawings for the tower which were completed in September 1854 were signed by Alexander Beazeley, Foreman of Works in the Colonial Architect's office. The tower was finally built during the office of Alexander Dawson who succeeded Weaver in 1856, and signed further drawings made in April 1856.
The tower was constructed by a contractor, Mark Farrell, for the cost of £15,232, using prison labor, and supervised by Beazeley. Both the lighthouse and three sandstone lighthouse keeper
Lighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
cottages were constructed from locally quarried sandstone. The lighthouse was first displayed in February 1857, though tenders for painting the tower were called for only in December 1858.
The original optical apparatus was a catoptric system consisting of 21 oil wick lamp
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
s with parabolic reflector
Parabolic reflector
A parabolic reflector is a reflective device used to collect or project energy such as light, sound, or radio waves. Its shape is that of a circular paraboloid, that is, the surface generated by a parabola revolving around its axis...
s. The lighthouse was 67 feet (20.4 m), visible for 26.5 nautical miles (49.1 km).
Development
In 1859, control of the lightstation passed to the Government of QueenslandGovernment of Queensland
The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
, but it continued to be managed by the New South Wales Marine Board until the formation of the Queensland Department of Ports and Harbours in 1862. In 1864 a telegraph office was opened at the Cape. In 1873, the oil wick lamps were replaced with kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
. During the 1860s and 1870s some further structures were constructed in the station including a schoolhouse (opened in 1879), a stable, and other storage buildings. A telegraph line was constructed during the 1890s, and a Morse lamp visible for 20 miles (32.2 km) was installed in the 1910s. In 1913 the timber parts of the structures, which were damaged by ants, were replaced. A 1911–1913 survey found the light in good shape, though the apparatus was found out of date and needing replacement. This replacement was to be delayed for a long time due to the transfer of all coastal lights to the Commonwealth, occurring officially October 1913, though practically in July 1915. A post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was operated by the light keepers between 1915 and the early 1920s.
In 1928, the tower was extended and the lighthouse reached its current height of 75 feet (22.9 m) to increase its range. In 1928–1930, the keepers' cottages were replaced with timber framed
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
fibro
Fibro
Fibro, the shortened form of "Fibrous Cement" - or "Fibrous Asbestos Cement", FAC, is a building material made of compressed fibres cemented into rigid sheets....
clad
Cladding (construction)
Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer intended to control the infiltration of weather elements, or for aesthetic purposes....
structures. In 1930, the lantern underwent major modification. The lantern house was replaced with 7 in 1 in (2.16 m) diameter Chance Brothers
Chance Brothers
Chance Brothers and Company was a glassworks originally based in Spon Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands , in England. It was a leading glass manufacturer and a pioneer of British glassmaking technology....
lantern room. The optical apparatus was replaced with either a third order Chance Bros dioptric lens or a four panel 375 millimetres (14.8 in) AGA
AGA AB
AGA AB, previously AB Gasaccumulator and AB Svenska Gasaccumulator, was a Swedish industrial gas company founded in 1904. Nobel Prize laureate Gustaf Dalén was instrumental in the success of the company. Important inventions included the AGA cooker and the Dalén light. In the 1990's AGA conceived...
catadioptric
Catadioptric
A catadioptric optical system is one where refraction and reflection are combined in an optical system, usually via lenses and curved mirrors . Catadioptric combinations are used in focusing systems such as search lights, headlamps, early lighthouse focusing systems, optical telescopes,...
lens on an AGA pedestal. The light source was replaced by an AGA incandescent gas mantle operated by acetylene gas, and a sun valve
Sun valve
A sun valve is a form of flow control valve, notable because it earned its inventor Gustaf Dalén the Nobel prize in physics....
was also installed.
Electricity
In 1937, the light was converted to 110 V DCDirect current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
electricity. The two distinctive red bands were painted in 1942. In 1967 the power source was replaced with 240 V AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
power, being supplied by two diesel alternators, and a new lens, pedestal, bearing and optic drive may have been installed. The range of the 1967 light was 27 nautical miles (50 km). The light was modernised in July 1988, with the installation of a 120 V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
1 Kw tungsten halogen lamp. In 1990, the handrail
Handrail
A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide stability or support. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways and escalators in order to prevent injurious falls. Other applications include bathroom handrails—which help to prevent falls on...
s and stanchion
Stanchion
A stanchion is an upright bar or post, often providing support for some other object.* An architectural term applied to the upright iron bars in windows that pass through the eyes of the saddle bars or horizontal irons to steady the leadlight. A stanchion is an upright bar or post, often...
s of the balcony and external staircase were replaced and an access ladder to the dome was installed. On 8 December 1993, the light was converted to solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
ed operation and a VRB-25
VRB-25
The VRB-25 is a lighthouse optical system designed and built by Vega Industries Ltd. in Porirua, New Zealand. It was originally designed in 1993-95 with the assistance of the United States Coast Guard to meet USCG requirements for a robust mechanism requiring minimum maintenance. It has become the...
apparatus was installed.
Current display
The light characteristic shown is four white flashes, separated by 3.3 seconds, every 20 seconds (Fl.(4)W. 20s), visible for 15 nautical miles (27.8 km). The light source is a 12 V 35 WWatt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
Halogen lamp
Halogen lamp
A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen lamp, is an incandescent lamp with a tungsten filament contained within an inert gas and a small amount of a halogen such as iodine or bromine. The chemical halogen cycle redeposits evaporated tungsten back on to the filament, extending the life of...
producing an intensity of 14,000 cd
Candela
The candela is the SI base unit of luminous intensity; that is, power emitted by a light source in a particular direction, weighted by the luminosity function . A common candle emits light with a luminous intensity of roughly one candela...
. The light revolves three times per minute.
Front light
Cape Moreton Light is located 0.86 nautical miles (1.6 km) at 132°30′ from North Point Range Front Light. The front light is a square 22 feet (6.7 m) concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
house with a white lantern. It displays a quickly flashing white or red light, depending on the direction (Q.W.R.). The white light, shown at 04°-192° and 244°-258°, is visible for 9 nautical miles (16.7 km). The red light, shown at 192°-244° and 258°-294°, is visible for 8 nautical miles (14.8 km).
Structures
The structures of the station are built in three levels. On the highest level is the lighthouse, surrounded by the workshop, former powerhouse and fuel store, the head keeper cottage to the north and an office further north. On the second level is the first assistant keeper residence and two sheds, a garage and a powerhouse. On the bottom level is the second assistant keeper residence, some distance to the south, and a fuel store to the north.Lighthouse
The circular tower, 18.5 metres (60.7 ft) high from the ground to the lantern, is made of sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
blocks laid in regular courses
Course (architecture)
A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall. The term is almost always used in conjunction with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete masonry units .-Styles:...
. The ground level has thicker walls, topped by a timber floor. The tower shaft tapers slightly toward the top, where the cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
lantern sits. Entrance to the tower is either through a timber door on the ground level, or through a timber door on the top of the original 1857 external masonry staircase (with a modern 1990 handrail) that circles the first floor, leading to the first floor. Two horizontal bands are painted close to the top, and the tower is otherwise unpainted, showing the sandstone color. Both the ground floor and the lantern floor are made of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
. Access from the ground floor to the lantern is first via a ladder leading to a trapdoor in the first floor, then via the original internal cast iron spiral stair, ending in a landing below the lantern, and finally another short ladder leading to a trapdoor in the lantern floor. The internal is painted, and lit by small square glass panels in timber frames.
The tower is topped by the 1930 7 in 1 in (2.16 m) diameter Chance Brothers lantern, painted white. The lantern cylindrical wall is made of six bolted cast iron panels. These support a continuous band of curved glass with cast iron glazing
Glazing
Glazing, which derives from the Middle English for 'glass', is a part of a wall or window, made of glass. Glazing also describes the work done by a professional "glazier"...
bars, and a small catwalk between the wall and the glazing. The cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
on top of the lantern is made of sheet copper, painted red, and it is topped by ball vent and a wind vane. An access ladder and safety rails, installed in 1990, provide access to the cupola. In the center of the lantern is the VRB-25 apparatus, mounted on steel box.
Surrounding the lantern is a concrete gallery, accessible through a door in the lantern wall, with a white painted balustrade, and a 1990 railing. The solar panels are mounted on the gallery.
Other structures
The three keepers' cottages were constructed in 1928–1930. The head keeper's house is located close to the lighthouse, and on the tallest ground, and also includes a small fenced garden. The assistant keeper residence is located right to the west, but geographically lower. The second assistant residence is located at some distance from the main cluster of buildings, to the south, and even lower. The residences are square one storey structures, timber framed and fibro clad, with central rooms, no corridors, enclosed verandahVerandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
s and hipped roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
s. The head keeper's house and the second assistant's house have corrugated fibrous cement rood while the first assistant house has a newer corrugated
zinc/aluminium alloy (Zincalume) metal roof
Metal roof
A metal roof, often referred to as a tin roof, is a roofing system made from metal pieces or tiles. It is a component of the building envelope.-History:...
. A museum was set in the second assistant's quarters in 1988. Two spherical steel rainwater tanks are set next to each of the houses.
The three sheds surrounding the lighthouse are the workshop to the south, the former powerhouse to the west and the fuel store to the north. They are all rectangular structures, timber framed and fibro clad with corrugated fibrous cement gable roofs. The workshop appears to be built on the remains of one of the early stone buildings, lying on a plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
with sandstone steps. It consists of two rooms with pivoting sash window
Sash window
A sash window or hung sash window is made of one or more movable panels or "sashes" that form a frame to hold panes of glass, which are often separated from other panes by narrow muntins...
s and timber framed doors and no internal lining. The former powerhouse and the fuel store have reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
floors, fibro lining, double-hung sash windows and double timber framed doors.
The office to the north of the head keeper house is a small square room raised on short concrete pillars, constructed of timber framed fibro clad walls and corrugated fibrous cement roof. It has a continuous band of windows. The last three buildings, the garage, powerhouse and fuel store, are small brick buildings with metal roofs and reinforced concrete floors.
Site operation and visiting
The site and the light are operated by the Australian Maritime Safety AuthorityAustralian Maritime Safety Authority
Australian Maritime Safety Authority is responsible, on behalf of the Commonwealth Government of Australia, for the regulation and safety oversight of Australia's shipping fleet and management of Australia's international maritime obligations...
. The island can be reached by ferry service from Scarborough
Scarborough, Queensland
Scarborough is a residential suburb of the Moreton Bay Region at the northernmost of the Redcliffe peninsula, approximately north-northeast of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia...
, though visiting requires a permit and a four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
is mandatory. The station is accessible, but the lighthouse is closed to the public.
See also
- Moreton Island lighthousesMoreton Island lighthousesMoreton Island is a large sand island on the eastern side of Moreton Bay, on the coast of South East Queensland, Australia. Due to the island's importance in navigating the northern passage into Moreton Bay and Brisbane, at least five lighthouses were constructed on the island, starting with Cape...
- List of lighthouses and lightvessels in Australia