Port Adelaide Lighthouse

The lighthouse that now stands in the SA maritime museum has a history to match its status as an iconic landmark of Port Adelaide’s waterfront. First lit in 1869 near the mouth of the Port River, it replaced a succession of lightships that had operated from the same location since 1840. At the turn of the twentieth century the Port Adelaide lighthouse was dismantled, and its Chance Bros first order lantern and the tower, which was manufactured by Moreland and Sons London were separated and used as part of two other beacons. The lantern, which was erected on a screw pile light at Wonga Shoal, was later lost in an accident on the morning of November 17 1912 when the sailing ship Dimsdale hit the lighthouse in fog, completely destroying the structure. The two keepers were drowned. The tower was dismantled and re-erected at South Neptune Island in 1901. By contrast, the steel tower assembled at South Neptune Island remained in use until 1985, when it was deactivated, disassembled, and moved back to the Port. Following a period of restoration, the lighthouse was erected on its current site near the end of Commercial Road in 1986 and is currently managed by the South Australian Maritime Museum.

Keepers

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.