Sea Hill Light was a
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Ligh ...
which was located on the northwest point of
Curtis Island,
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. Its purpose was to mark the east side of the entrance to
Keppel Bay
Keppel Bay is a bay in Central Queensland, Australia, at the mouth of the Fitzroy River on the coast of the Coral Sea.
Extent
Keppel Bay extends from Station Point on Curtis Island () in the Gladstone Region to Zilzie Point at Zilzie () ...
, on passage to
Fitzroy River and
Port Alma. The first lighthouse at the locations, also known as Little Sea Hill Light, was constructed in 1873 or 1876, moved in the 1920s, and is now on display at the
Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party.
In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...
Maritime Museum. A second lighthouse was constructed in the 1920s, deactivated in 2006 and demolished in early 2009.
History
First lighthouse
The first lighthouse, constructed in 1873 or 1876, was the first in Queensland of a its design, made of hardwood frame
clad with
corrugated iron
Corrugated galvanised iron (CGI) or steel, colloquially corrugated iron (near universal), wriggly tin (taken from UK military slang), pailing (in Caribbean English), corrugated sheet metal (in North America), zinc (in Cyprus and Nigeria) or ...
. This design was then used in seven more lighthouses, by order of establishment,
Grassy Hill Light,
Goods Island Light,
Bay Rock Light,
Old Caloundra Light,
North Point Hummock Light,
Gatcombe Head Light and
Bulwer Island Light. In the 1920s, the lighthouse was relocated to Station Point, about northeast. It stood there until it was deactivated in the 1960s and then sold into private hands. It is currently on display at the Gladstone Maritime Museum at .
As the name Little Sea Hill Light suggests, the lighthouse is rather short, only in height. Unlike the other seven lighthouses of the corrugated iron cladding design, it is of square form, rather than a round one. A gallery and a lantern top the tower, and much like other Queensland lighthouses, it is painted white with a red dome.
Second lighthouse
The second lighthouse, a high corrugated iron tower with lantern and gallery, was constructed in the 1920s to replace the first lighthouse. A pilot station was originally located at the premises, and was closed in 1963. In 2006 the lighthouse was deactivated, and in early 2009 it was demolished.
The station was not completely abandoned. The 2010 ''
List of Lights'' lists a light at the location, high with a focal plane of , displaying a
light characteristic
A light characteristic is all of the properties that make a particular somewhat navigational light identifiable. Graphical and textual descriptions of navigational light sequences and colours are displayed on nautical charts and in Light Lists ...
of two white flashes every six seconds (Fl.(2)W. 6s).
[''List of Lights''] This is most likely a new fiberglass beacon.
See also
*
List of lighthouses and lightvessels in Australia
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
Plaque next to the lighthouse at Gladstone Maritime Museum.
{{refend
Lighthouses in Queensland
