Low Isles Lighthouse

On Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef, the Low Isles (Islets) are 2 small coral cays located 13 kilometres from Port Douglas. They are situated on the western edge of the main shipping channel. The construction of Low Isles lighthouse, the first lighthouse constructed in Far North Queensland was in response to the increase in shipping servicing the emerging towns of Port Douglas and Cairns. 

History

The lighthouse was first recommended by the Chairman of the Queensland Marine Board, Commander George Heath, in a letter to the Colonial Treasurer in February 1876.

The recommendation was accepted with tenders being called and the contract subsequently being awarded for £3,195 to William Peter Clark, who had constructed the Bustard Head lighthouse.

The Low Isles tower was constructed on a concrete foundation with a hardwood frame and galvanised iron sheets riveted together and fixed onto the frame. 14 lighthouses in Queensland share this method of construction. It was the first to have round porthole windows. The lightstation, on the flat low lying western island, was completed and exhibited in 1878. The type of construction is well suited to the tropical conditions and frequent cyclones and has continued to withstand the test of time and conditions. The 3rd order (1.5 metre) lantern was manufactured by Chance Bros of Birmingham, England.

A timber staircase gives access to the lantern room. The tower was painted white with a red dome. All the buildings were prefabricated elsewhere and transported and assembled on site.

The final cost of the lightstation was:
capital cost of buildings – £4,090
cost of optical apparatus- £1,389

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The original optic was a Chance Bros 3rd order 500mm focal radius revolving lens supported by a chariot wheel pedestal driven by clockwork illuminated by a concentric wick oil burner. The first upgrade saw the light source converted to vapourised kerosene in 1923, the illuminant and the lights intensity increased from 13,000 to 100,000 candelas. The character of the light was altered at this time.

The character of the light was again altered in 1930 with the replacement of  the chariot wheel pedestal with a mercury pedestal allowing the speed of rotation to be increased producing a faster flash rate of the light which was required at that time as slower sail vessels were being rapidly replaced by steam powered ships.  

In 1963 the light was converted to electric operation with electricity provided by diesel generators which also provided residential power improving living conditions for the keepers.

Solar conversion and installation of a solar powered self-contained beacon mounted on the mercury pedestal was made in 1993 and the keepers were withdrawn.

The size of the island has led to a compact arrangement of cottages and sheds around the lighthouse. The original cottages were built in a radial arc around the tower. The same arrangement was used when these cottages were replaced in the early 1960s. The new keepers’ residences followed a similar design, with some adaptations, such as a kitchen servery in the Head Keepers’ cottage. The new cottages were raised in the tropical style with the area underneath being available for utility areas, workshop and stores. A new fibro boat house was built in 1963. None of the original cottages and buildings remain.

Provisions and mail were brought to the island every two weeks, if they were lucky, by launch from Mossman or Port Douglas. Access for supplies was through a beach landing point on the south-west corner of the island with a designated path in later years for amphibious landing vehicles such as LARCs.

The island is well vegetated with trees, particularly at its perimeter, though in the past has been subject to severe damage by cyclone activity.

The light was transferred from the Queensland Government to the new Commonwealth Lighthouse Service in 1915.

Prior to this an assessment made of Low Isles by Commander Brewis in 1912 found:

lighthouse character – single white, revolving every minute, dioptric, 3rd Order
illuminant – kerosene
candle power – 13 000
height of the tower – 60 feet
three light keepers
Following demanning the island was transferred to the Queensland Government and is now under the management of the Parks & Wildlife Service. The lighthouse continues to be operated and maintained by AMSA.

Keepers

On the western side of the island is the grave of Jane Ann Owen, she was the wife of Captain Daniel Owen, the first keeper of Low Isles. The headstone and grave have been relocated and reconstructed in recent times.

Three keepers manned Low Isles, the head keeper and two assistant keepers. Keepers had one month’s holiday a year and they always left the island.

Duties during the day included:

maintenance of the station, i.e. cleaning, raking leaves, painting etc.
cleaning and polishing the lens and the lantern room windows.
sanitary duties.
The watch was as follows:

Head keeper: 4-8pm watch, and
the two assistant keepers: 8pm-midnight and 12 midnight – 4am shift (alternating every week).
During a shift the clockwork lens drive had to be wound up every hour and the kerosene air cylinder pumped up every hour.

We need your help in compiling a list of keepers for this lighthouse. If you have any information then send it to keeper@lighthouses.org.au.

Please include this lighthouse’s name, the keepers full name and what years they were keepers. Also include the same information for any other lights they were on.