Point Cartwright Light is an active

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

located on Point Cartwright, a point near the mouth of the Mooloolah River, in Mooloolaba, Queensland,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. 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.

History

Old Caloundra Light Old Caloundra Light, also known as Old Caloundra Head Light or Cape Caloundra Light, is an inactive lighthouse located in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland, Australia. It is the oldest surviving building in Caloundra. The ...

, construction in 1896, was the first to serve the purpose of marking the entrance to the North West Channel. Changes in the shipping industry in the 1960s necessitated the construction of a modern signal and radar station, and thus

New Caloundra Light New Caloundra Light, also known as New Caloundra Head Light, is an inactive lighthouse located in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland, Australia. It stands on Canberra Terrace near downtown Caloundra. The lighthouse was act ...

was erected in 1967. However, New Caloundra Light was to have a short lifespan as a coastal light. By 1978 the buildings in Caloundra had grown in height, obscuring it from some angles. Point Cartwright Light was built in 1978. It was the sixth of a group of seven concrete towers erected by the Commonwealth between 1964 and 1979, by order of construction, Cape Capricorn Light,

Point Danger Light Point Danger Light, also known as the Captain Cook Memorial Light, is an active lighthouse located on Point Danger, a headland between Coolangatta and Tweed Heads, marking the border between Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. It lays ...

, New Burnett Heads Light,

Fitzroy Island Light Fitzroy Island Light is an inactive lighthouse on Fitzroy Island, a continental island southeast of Cairns, Queensland, Australia. It was only active between 1973 and 1992 but, together with Little Fitzroy Island Light, there has been a light s ...

, itself and Archer Point Light. The light was automatic from its construction and was never manned.

Current display

The light characteristic shown is three flashes every fifteen seconds, Red at 088°-180°, visible for and White at 180°-345°, visible for ''List of Lights'' The red sector provides guidance into the Mooloolaba Harbour, while the white sector serves the original purpose of marking the entrance to the North West Channel. The light source is a 200 Watt sealed beam array, fed from the mains electricity, with a diesel generator and

batteries Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

for backup. The intensity of the white flashes is 310,000 cd, while that of the red flashes is only 2,100 cd. This is achieved by a filter and a red plexiglas screen.

Site operation and visiting

The site and the light are operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The site is open to the public, but the tower is closed.

Notes

References

* Listed as "Point Carwright" * * * *

External links