Monthly Bulletin January/February 2005 - Vol 8 No. 1

Pine Islet Lighthouse - Register of the National Estate?

Pine Islet Lighthouse Photo: Bob Clutton

The Register of the National Estate has this entry regarding the Relocation of Pine Islet Lightstation to Harbour Rd, Mackay Harbour in North Queensland.

Description: 
Pine Islet is an island of approximately 20ha and is located in the Percy Isles group, about 100km south east of Mackay. There are three houses on the complex. The lighthouse has been removed from the site.

Pine Islet Lighthouse was constructed in 1885. The tower consisted of a timber frame, with bolted connections, clad externally with rivet jointed, iron plates brought from Britain. The lighthouse was built originally with a timber balcony floor. In 1927, this floor was replaced with concrete.

The lighthouse was originally provided with an oil wick burner lamp which used either whale of vegetable oil. This lamp fired a 70mm focal radius catadioptic revolving lens with four fixed panels and four flash panels. In November 1923, the oil wick burner was replaced with a mantle type 55mm incandescent kerosene vapour burner bought from Chance and Company of the United Kingdom. The new burner was driven by a clockwork mechanism that was wound every two hours.

Pine Islet Lighthouse before its relocation to Mackay Photo: Pine Islet Lighthouse Preservation Society

The lighthouse was decommissioned on 27 August 1985, and on 2 October 1986 the task of dismantling the lighthouse was commenced by the Department of Transport and Communications. In 1989, the Department loaned the Pine Islet Tower and optical apparatus to the Pine Islet Lighthouse Preservation Society Inc, for the purpose of erecting and displaying the Lighthouse at Mackay, Queensland. Reconstruction commenced on 18 August 1989, using mainly voluntary labour.

Statement of Significance: 
The dismantling and partial re-erection of the Pine Islet Lighthouse to a new location has removed its significance as an in-situ extant example of a lighthouse of its type. It therefore does not meet the standards as set out in the Register of the National Estate Criteria.

Although the lighthouse has links to the development of navigational aids along the Queensland coast and the economic development of the region, the re-location of the Pine Islet Lighthouse has dramatically reduced the significance of this Lightstation complex, which includes the associated residences situated on Pine Islet. Therefore, the Pine Islet Lightstation is not worthy of entry to the Register of the National Estate.

Pine Islet Lighthouse - tourist attraction?

by Bill Carter

Bill Carter Photo: Bill Carter

On Thursday 15th July 2004 I was privileged to see the restored lighthouse in Mackay that is a part of my family's history. It stands proudly near the harbour Marina as a reminder of our maritime past, when we had quite a lot of "manned" stations just like this one, some in very isolated places.

With the backing of the Harbour Board and Mackay City Council, a dedicated group of people formed the Pine Islet Lighthouse Preservation Society Inc. to restore and preserve an obsolete little lighthouse into an historic tourist attraction.

Greg Thomsen, Chairman, Pine Islet Lighthouse Preservation Society Photo: Bill Carter

Greg Thomsen is the Chairman of the Committee, and offered to give me a personal tour of the lighthouse and the new Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens - not just for my personal gratification, but as an example of how many of our historic lighthouses can be saved, to serve as an added attraction to the towns where interested community groups are prepared to preserve their local history. I thank him so much for the interest he took in showing me around. A local operator conducts regular tours. It is presented as an operating light with the old kerosene burner (gas is also used) and the mantle is still in working order, believed to be one of the few of its kind left. My thanks to the City of Mackay, Qld and those prepared to keep our heritage icons alive and well.

Pine Islet lighthouse Photo: Bob Clutton

While the significant lighthouses on the mainland are reasonably assured of being protected and preserved, there is a historic light tower one 80 km offshore, out of sight on a small island, that I believe is in great danger. Lady Elliot Island lighthouse stands unlit and lonely, replaced by an automatic light on top of a taller maze of angle iron. There is a small tourist resort on part of the island, and I believe the ideal situation would be if the operators there could conduct tours of the original lighthouse for their guests, perhaps with a small charge to cover maintenance costs.

I would be prepared to assist with such a project, in setting up a static display depicting images etc of the early history of the lightstation. Alternatively, the structure could be moved to the nearest town or city willing to look after and display it. Again, I would offer my services to help set it up and run it. As it is now, it is just rusting away, and that must not be allowed to happen.

Bill Carter
Email Bill

Previous Pine Islet articles:

• The Pine Islet lighthouse on the Move Again? - Bulletin Jun 2002
• Pine Islet On The Move - Bulletin Jul 2002

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