Moreton Island lighthouses

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1927 Plan of the northern tip of Moreton Island, showing the locations of Cape Moreton Light, North Point Light and Yellow Patch Light Cape Moreton - Plan Including North Point Hummock and Yellow Patch, 1927.jpg
1927 Plan of the northern tip of Moreton Island, showing the locations of Cape Moreton Light, North Point Light and Yellow Patch Light

Moreton 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 Moreton Light in 1857(167 years ago), the first lighthouse in Queensland, and followed by at least four more lighthouses established from the 1860s, at Comboyuro Point, North Point, Cowan Cowan Point and Yellow Patch. [1] Comboyuro Point Light, Cowan Cowan Point Light and Yellow Patch Light all had to be moved from their original location due to coastal erosion. [2] Of the five lighthouses, only Cape Moreton Light survived and is still active today. [3]

Contents

Background

In 1825, Brisbane was established as a penal settlement. [4] In spite of the hazards, the preferred access to Moreton Bay and Brisbane was through the southern entrance, between Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island, 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 the proclamation of Moreton Bay as a free settlement in 1842 that vessels began to use the northern entrance. Buoys marking the entrance were laid in 1846–1847, and in 1848 the Pilot Station was moved to Cowan Cowan on Moreton island and then to Bulwer. By then the northern entry was regarded as the main entry. [1]

Cape Moreton Light

Cape Moreton Light, the only lighthouse still active on Moreton Bay Cape Moreton Light.jpg
Cape Moreton Light, the only lighthouse still active on Moreton Bay

Cape Moreton Light is located on Cape Moreton, a rocky headland at the northeastern tip of Moreton Island, and was the first lighthouse to be constructed to mark the northern entrance. The lighthouse was constructed by the New South Wales Government, which controlled the Queensland area until Queensland's separation in 1859, [4] following Brisbane residents petitions in 1850, and was first displayed in February 1857. From the five lighthouses, it is the only one still extant. Since its conversion to solar powered VRB-25 in 1993, it shows light characteristic of four white flashes, separated by 3.3 seconds, every 20 seconds (Fl.(4)W. 20s), visible for 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi). [5]

Comboyuro Point Light

Comboyuro Point Light in 1906 Lighthouse at Comboyuro Point, Moreton Island, 1906.jpg
Comboyuro Point Light in 1906

Comboyuro Point Light, which was also known later as Comboyuro Light, was located Comboyuro Point, at the north western tip of Moreton Island.

North Point Light

North Point Light, also known as North Point Hummock Light, was located on North Point, the most northern point on Moreton Island.

Cowan Cowan Point Light

Cowan Cowan Point Light in 1899 Cowan Cowan lighthouse, Moreton Island, 1899.jpg
Cowan Cowan Point Light in 1899

Cowan Cowan Point Light, was also known as Cowan Cowan Light or Cowan Point Light, was located on Cowan Cowan Point, on the western shore of Moreton Island.

Yellow Patch Light

Yellow Patch Light, 1917 Yellow Patch, Queensland 1917.jpg
Yellow Patch Light, 1917

Yellow Patch Light was located about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) southwest of North Point. An 1877 book describes it as a 43 feet (13 m) high wooden tower, showing a fixed white light. [6]

Yellow Patch Light also suffered from coastal erosion. In 1882 it had to be shifted 300 feet (91 m) to the northeast, and by 1891 it was moved four times. [2]

A 1909 listing describes it as a square wooden lightroom, carrying a fixed fourth order dioptric apparatus. The light shown was red and white sectors, visible for 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi). [7]

The 2010 List of Lights does not list a light at the location. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Gheebulum Kunungai is a national park which covers 98% of Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) in Queensland, Australia, 40 km northeast of center of the Brisbane. Its eastern part of he City of Brisbane. It has three main townships, Bulwer, Cowan Cowan and Kooringal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moreton Island</span> Island off the Queensland coast, Australia

Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) is an island on the eastern side of Moreton Bay on the coast of South East Queensland, Australia. The Coral Sea lies on the east coast of the island. Moreton Island lies 58 kilometres (36 mi) northeast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane. 98% of the island is contained within a national park and a popular destination for day trippers, four wheel driving, camping, recreational angling and whale watching and a 75-minute ferry ride from Brisbane. It is the third largest sand island in the world. Together with Fraser Island, Moreton Island forms the largest sand structure in the world. It was the traditional country of the Ngugi before settlement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Moreton</span> Point in Australia

Cape Moreton is a rocky headland at the north eastern tip of Moreton Island in South East Queensland, Australia. The surrounding area is part of the Moreton Island National Park. Flinders Reef is 5 kilometres (3 mi) north-west of Cape Moreton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moreton Island, Queensland</span> Suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Passage (Queensland)</span> Strait in Queensland, Australia

South Passage is channel between the South Pacific Ocean and Moreton Bay. The other entrances to the bay are the North Passage or North Entrance and Jumpinpin Channel in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Burnett Heads Light</span> Lighthouse

The Old Burnett Heads Light is an inactive lighthouse which used to be located on the south side of the Burnett River entrance, in Burnett Heads, Queensland, Australia. It was relocated to the Burnett Heads Lighthouse Holiday Park. It is one of only two lighthouse surviving to be constructed of timber frame clad with weatherboards, the other being the original Cleveland Point Light.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bustard Head Light</span> Lighthouse

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandy Cape Light</span> Lighthouse

Sandy Cape Light is a heritage-listed active lighthouse located on Sandy Cape, the most northern point on K'gari, Queensland, Australia. It stands about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of the northeastern tip of the island. It is the tallest lighthouse in Queensland. Built in 1870, it is the second major lighthouse to be built in Queensland after its formation in 1859. It is one of the first lighthouses in Australia to be constructed using bolted prefabricated segments of cast iron, and one of only two such lighthouses in Queensland, the other being its sibling, Bustard Head Light.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Cartwright Light</span> Lighthouse

Point Cartwright Light is an active lighthouse located on Point Cartwright, a point near the mouth of the Mooloolah River, in Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia. It marks the entrance to the North West Channel, a deep water channel into Moreton Bay and the Port of Brisbane, and provides guidance into the Mooloolaba Harbour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Bowling Green Light</span> Lighthouse in Queensland, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Moreton Light</span> Lighthouse in Queensland, Australia

Cape Moreton Light, also listed as North Point Range Rear Light, is a heritage-listed 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Cleveland Light</span> Lighthouse in Queensland, Australia

Cape Cleveland Light is an active heritage-listed lighthouse located on the northern tip of Cape Cleveland, a promontory projecting into the Coral Sea west of Cleveland Bay in the locality of Cape Cleveland about 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The lighthouse marks the northern point of the Cape, and the entrance to Cleveland Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland Point Light</span> Lighthouse in Australia

Cleveland Point Light, also known as Point Cleveland Light, is a lighthouse located on the north-eastern tip of Cleveland Point, at Cleveland, Redland City, Queensland, Australia. It overlooks Moreton Bay to the east and Raby Bay to the west. The old lighthouse was established in 1864-1865 as a wooden hexagonal tower. It is one of only two surviving lighthouses of this form, the other being Old Burnett Heads Light. A newer light, constructed of a concrete post, replaced it in 1976, and the old lighthouse was relocated a short distance away, where it stands today. The newer light was removed in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comboyuro Point Light</span> Lighthouse in Queensland, Australia

Comboyuro Point Light, which was also known later as Comboyuro Light, was located on Comboyuro Point, at the northwestern tip of Moreton Island. It is one of the Moreton Island lighthouses.

North Point Light, also known as North Point Hummock Light, was located on North Point, the most northern point on Moreton Island. North Point Light was constructed in the early 1860s, carrying a large kerosene burner with a reflector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowan Cowan Point Light</span> Lighthouse in Queensland, Australia

Cowan Cowan Point Light, was also known as Cowan Cowan Light or Cowan Point Light, was located on Cowan Cowan Point, on the western shore of Moreton Island, Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Cowan Cowan</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Signal Station, Moreton Island</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Signal Station, Moreton Island is a heritage-listed signal station at 25 Dorothy Newnham Street, Moreton Island, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built in the 1930s. It is also known as Former Navy Signal Station Fort Cowan. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 1 February 1995.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Cape Moreton Lightstation (listing QLD600257)". Australia Heritage Places Inventory. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
  2. 1 2 WBM Oceanics Australia (2002). "Chapter 3.9 Hydrodynamic Environment". Moreton Bay Sand Extraction Study Phase 1 Final Report (PDF). pp. 3–57. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  3. 1 2 List of Lights, Pub. 111: The West Coasts of North and South America (Excluding Continental U.S.A. and Hawaii), Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Islands of the North and South Pacific Oceans (PDF). List of Lights . United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Queensland's History : Queensland Government". qld.gov.au. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  5. "AN342-01 – Cape Moreton Light – QLD" (PDF). Aids to navigation schedule. Australian Maritime Safety Authority. December 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011.
  6. Findlay, p. 883.
  7. Knibbs, G. H. (1909). Official year book of the Commonwealth of Australia. Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, Australian Bureau of Statistics. p. 669.