Lighthouses of Australia Inc

Troubridge Island Image: Winsome Bonham

Troubridge Island Cottages to Go?

By Jenny Oldland

The future of Troubridge Island, particularly its Lighthouse keepers' cottages, is looking precarious, as the Departent of Environment and Heritage prepares a new draft management plan suggesting sweeping changes to the way the island is managed in the future.

An initial options paper prepared by DEH, and presented to a meeting of Friends of Troubridge Island and Yorke District Conservation Parks at Edithburgh recently, identified several management possibilities ranging from complete restoration to complete shutdown of assets on the island.

The option endorsed by DEH's Chief Executive for the draft management plan involves closing the island to visitors (it is already a prohibited area) and concentrating solely on biodiversity conservation, removing the keepers' cottages and associated infrastructure.

Having considered all options, DEH notes it does not have the resources to undertake the restoration and ongoing maintenance of the buildings, and the priority is the protection and conservation of the park's significant sea bird population.

Having been presented with the proposals currently under consideration, members of the Friends group, and current lesees, Chris and Judy Johnson are now anxiously awaiting the release of the draft plan, due out for public consideration in the coming weeks.

Troubridge Island in better days Image: Chris & Judy Johnson

The Johnsons, who have been operating their low impact eco-tourism venture, tours and accommodation packages to Troubridge for some 14 years, are now understandably upset, with three years remaining on thier lease.

"After all the work we, the friends, and Land Trust and other conservation group volunteers have done to save the houses and lighthouse from being washed away, it seems it's not going to be the sea that beats us, but the Government bureaucracy!" Chris said.

"There's no doubt in my mind that no regular presence on the island, as there is now, will lead to vandalism and make the birds, particularly the penguins (the healthiest colony in SA) vulnerable. What attracts visitors to Troubridge Island is its heritage and history, the birds, and it's uniqueness. Now there's a real possibility we could lose a major part of that heritage, if the two cottages are removed."

"Ironically, a search of the Australian Heritage and State Heritage database reveals the lighthouse keepers cottages, and the lighthouse itself, are on the Register of the National Estate, Commonwealth Heritage list and the SA Heritage Register, which you would think would afford them some protection!" he said.

It is not only Troubridge under the microscope; management changes to the Althorpe Islands is also be considered.

Once the draft management plan is released for public consideration, interested stakeholders will have three months to respond. However, rather than sit back and wait, the Friends group is already rallying support for this unique piece of the State.

This article appeared in the Yorke Peninsula Times Newspaper on 22 May 2007

Editors note: 

In July 2007, LoA sent a letter to Jason Irving from SA Department of Environment ad Heritage, in which we asked to be included as stakeholders in the creation of the future plan for Troubridge and Althorpe Islands. Jason promised to send us the plan as soon as it is released for our comments.

So far, nothing has been heard from Jason or the South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage.

The plan can be downloaded from the DEH Management Plans website under the heading draft management plans - released for consultation. or via this direct link

Seaweed washed up at high tide Image: AMSA

Image: AMSA

State of the ground around the foundations Image: AMSA