Shine a Light on Maritime History! 🗼

Explore the Lighthouse Gallery

Before GPS and modern navigation systems, lighthouses were a sailor’s guiding light – helping ships find their way safely along the coast and avoid dangerous waters.

Discover how lighthouse technology has evolved, from simple oil-wick burners and kerosene lamps to acetylene-powered lights, early laser technology and the equipment used today.

Ever wondered how a small flame could be seen by ships many kilometres away? Find out how the clever design of the Fresnel lens magnifies and focuses light to guide mariners safely home.

A Collection That Really Shines

Step inside the Lighthouse Gallery and discover some remarkable pieces of Australia’s lighthouse heritage.

Highlights include:

• Cape Don Light (Northern Territory): Originally installed in 1915, this historic light has been restored to working order by our dedicated Museum volunteers.
• Archer Point Lens: Dating from 1883, this impressive lens now revolves on the original 1863 pedestal and motor gearbox from Bustard Head Lighthouse, between the Town of 1770 and Gladstone.

There’s even more to discover outside!

Look Up! The Bulwer Island Lighthouse Tower

Standing proudly in the Museum grounds is the former Bulwer Island Lighthouse Tower.

Originally located near the mouth of the Brisbane River, it guided vessels from 1912 until 1983 before making its way to the Museum.

It’s a wonderful example of lighthouse construction unique to Queensland and a rare opportunity to get up close to an important piece of our coastal history.

More Than 1,200 Reasons to Explore

The Lighthouse Collection contains more than 1,200 items, documenting the evolution of lighthouse and navigation technology from the late 19th century right through to today.

It’s also one of Australia’s most significant collections of lighthouse material.

Who Kept Australia’s Lights Shining?

Before Australian Federation, each colony was responsible for providing navigation aids along its own coastline.

That changed in 1915, when the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service (CLS) was established. It took responsibility for major navigation aids around Australia’s coastline, while the individual states continued to manage smaller navigation equipment.

Come and See What Lights the Way!

From the humble kerosene lamp to sophisticated modern technology, discover how lighthouse keepers and clever inventions helped generations of mariners navigate Australia’s coastline.

Step inside, look around and let Australia’s lighthouse stories light up your imagination! ⚓🌊

The Science Behind the Shine

The Significance of Our Lighthouse Collection ⚓

Lighthouses have guided ships, protected sailors and helped mariners navigate dangerous coastlines for centuries. But what made these guiding lights work?

The Queensland Maritime Museum (QMM) holds one of Australia’s most significant lighthouse collections, showcasing the ingenuity, engineering and technology that helped keep ships safely on course.

Our collection features equipment from some of the world’s leading navigation manufacturers, including British, French, Swedish and American examples. It also includes Japanese equipment and wartime beacons recovered from New Guinea.

From Oil Lamps to Clever Inventions

Lighthouse technology has come a long way!

During the 19th century, most major lighthouses were staffed around the clock. Their lights initially burned oil and later kerosene. For rotating lights, a clever clockwork mechanism powered the movement of the lens. Lighthouse keepers had to wind the weights every few hours to keep the light turning!

Then came a game-changing invention.

In the early 20th century, Swedish inventor Gustaf Dalén, who later received the Nobel Prize, developed a revolutionary acetylene lighting system.

His invention used gas to power the light and an automatic sun valve to switch the gas supply on at sunset and off at sunrise.

Dalén’s ingenious apparatus also controlled the correct mixture of gas and oxygen for the burner and operated the mechanism that rotated the lens.

This breakthrough made it possible for many smaller lighthouses and lightships to operate without permanent staff – a huge leap forward in lighthouse technology!

A Rare Piece of Lighthouse Engineering

One of the most remarkable items in the collection is the Benard & Barbier pedestal, dating from around 1897.

It’s believed to be the only surviving example in the world of one of the earliest electrically driven lighthouse pedestals.

Purchased by the Queensland Government, it was installed on North Barnard Island in North Queensland as an unmanned light. Unfortunately, it proved difficult to maintain and was eventually replaced.

Today, it remains a rare and fascinating example of early lighthouse innovation.

Big Structures, Big Stories

Our lighthouse collection isn’t just about lamps and lenses. It also includes historic structures, drawings, photographs, films and an extensive technical library.

Two particularly important highlights are:

• Bulwer Island Lighthouse: The largest item in the collection, this impressive tower once stood at the mouth of the Brisbane River, guiding vessels from 1912 to 1983. Now proudly displayed in the Museum grounds, it’s a distinctive example of Queensland lighthouse construction, built from hardwood and clad in corrugated iron.
• CLS2 Carpentaria: This historic lightship was built between 1916 and 1918 and spent much of its working life marking the dangerous Carpentaria Shoals.

Treasures from the Collection

There’s plenty more to discover! Here are some of the standout pieces that help tell the story of Australia’s lighthouse heritage.

Lenses, Lights & Technology

• Archer Point Lighthouse Lens: The original lens from Archer Point, near Cooktown, dating from around 1883.
• Brisbane Bar Pile Lighthouse Model: Created for display at the Australian Centennial International Exhibition in Melbourne in 1888–89.
• Cape Moreton Lighthouse Equipment: Includes the original Dalén apparatus and other historic components.
• Cape Don Lighthouse Equipment: The original lens, lens table, pedestal and kerosene equipment from this Northern Territory lighthouse, dating from 1917. Its third-order lens was one of only two of this size installed in Australia.
• Bustard Head Lighthouse: The original pedestal and gearbox, dating from around 1930.
• Point Danger Laser Light: Dating from around 1967, this was the first trial of laser technology in Queensland lighthouses.

Life Behind the Lighthouse

Keeping a lighthouse operating wasn’t always plain sailing! Our collection also reveals the challenges faced by lighthouse keepers and maintenance crews.

• Cargo Basket & Trapeze: Used to transport supplies and people to isolated lighthouses perched high on inaccessible cliffs.
• Coal Basket: Dating from around 1900, this was used to load coal onto lighthouse service vessels.
• Maatsuyker Island Fire Extinguisher: A rare manual fire extinguisher from the lighthouse in Tasmania.

Capturing Australia’s Lighthouse History

The collection also includes an extensive photographic archive from Russell Colestan, a former Commonwealth Lighthouse Service (CLS) technician.

His photographs document the construction, maintenance and operation of navigation lights around Australia, providing a fascinating glimpse into the work involved in keeping our coastlines safe.

Keeping the Light on for Future Generations

From ingenious inventions and rare engineering equipment to towering lighthouse structures and the everyday tools of lighthouse keepers, this collection tells an extraordinary story of innovation and dedication.

Discover the technology that guided generations of sailors and helped light the way along Australia’s coastline.

Because without these lights, navigating the seas would have been a much darker journey! 🌊