Lighthouses of Australia: South Australia

The lighthouses of South Australia are all found in the southeastern part of the state; there are none on the long, lightly populated coast of the Great Australian Bight to the west. The eastern coast of South Australia is broken by two large embayments, Gulf Saint Vincent and Spencer Gulf, separated by the Yorke Peninsula. Kangaroo Island is a large island lying off Gulf Saint Vincent and separated from the Yorke Peninsula by Investigator Strait. The capital, Adelaide, is on the east coast of Gulf Saint Vincent. Historically, there is a good deal of ship traffic in and out of both gulfs.

Nearly all South Australian lighthouses are managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), but after automation a number of the light station properties were transferred to the control of the South Australia Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DEH).

Special thanks to Garry Searle for reviewing this page before it was posted and adding some valuable information.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume K of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 111.

General Sources
Lighthouses of South Australia
The section of the Lighthouses of Australia site devoted to South Australia lights.
SeaSide Lights - South Australia
Photos and accounts of many of the lighthouses posted by Garry Searle.
Lighthouses and Lightvessels in Australia - South Australia
Index to Wikipedia articles; many include photos.
Grant and Tracey's Lighthouse Page - South Australia
Photos of seven lighthouses posted by Grant Maizels.
Lighthouses from the Air - Part 3
An article from the Lighthouses of Australia Bulletin of November 2001; includes good aerial photos of South Australian lighthouses.
South Australian Expedition Report Part 1 and Part 2
Articles from the Lighthouses of Australia Bulletin of April and May 2000, with numerous photos.
Australian Lighthouses
This site, posted by Kevin Mulcahy, has a comprehensive list of Australian lighthouses and includes good photos of some of them.
Leuchttürme Australiens und Ozeaniens auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.

Cape Couedic Light
Cape du Couedic Light, Kangaroo Island, April 2008
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Limestone Coast Lighthouses
Note: The southeastern coast of South Australia, from the Victoria border to the Adelaide area, has been named the Limestone Coast. This is an appropriate name, since much of the coast consists of limestone bluffs.
Cape Northumberland (2)
1882 (station established 1858). Active; focal plane 45 m (147 ft); white flash every 5 s; a red flash every 10 s is shown over rocks to the east. 17 m (56 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a single red horizontal band. Two 1-story wood keeper's houses and other buildings. Searle has several photos, Peter Ermel has a 2010 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was 400 m (1/4 mi) west; it was abandoned when it appeared it would be lost to erosion of the cliff on which it stood. Ruins of its foundation can be seen atop a seaside bluff just off the coastal highway. In 2004 the Grant District Council was negotiating with AMSA about refurbishing the lighthouse and opening it to the public, but nothing has come of this initiative. At present, the keeper's houses are rented as private residences, and the current residents have closed the entrance road to the station. Located about 3 km (2 mi) west of Port MacDonnell; accessible by paved road. Site and tower closed; the lighthouse can be viewed from the end of the entrance road. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-042; Admiralty K2132; NGA 8076.
* Cape Banks
1883 (rebuilt in 1928). Active; focal plane 25 m (83 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted bright orange-red, lantern white. 3rd order Fresnel lens, transferred from St. Francis Island. The keeper's houses have been demolished. The 14-sided Deville lantern room (1857, transferred from the first Cape Northumberland lighthouse) is one of only three surviving examples. A stone cairn beside the lighthouse is a memorial to 89 lives lost when the ship Admella wrecked here in 1859. A good 2008 photo and a 2009 closeup are available, Searle has a photo, Wikimedia has a 2010 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The height of the tower was doubled from 7.5 to 15 m in 1928. Located about 2 km (1.2 mi) northwest of the town of Carpenter Rocks; accessible by a gravel road. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-020; Admiralty K2130; NGA 8080.
Penguin Island
1878. Inactive since 1960. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) round stone tower. The lantern and the original 3rd order Fresnel lens were transferred to Cape Martin Light, and two 1-story keeper's houses were relocated to Beachport as private residences. Maizels has photos of the lighthouse and the relocated keeper's houses, and Google has a satellite view. Critically endangered: the heavily vandalized tower is falling into ruin. Penguin Island is home to an important colony of Little Penguins. To avoid disturbing the birds, the island is closed except for carefully guided tours from mid September to early June. Located at the southeast end of the island off Cape Martin; visible distantly from Cape Martin Light. Site restricted, tower closed. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Penguin Island Conservation Park). ARLHS AUS-125.
* Cape Martin (Beachport)
1960 (considerably heightened in 1980). Active; focal plane 38 m (126 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 12 m (40 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery centered on a square 1-story concrete base. The tower is unpainted white concrete; lantern painted white. Wikimedia has a 2010 photo, Maizels has a photo, a 2008 photo and a 2009 photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. The lantern and 3rd order Fresnel lens (1878) were transferred from Penguin Island Light. The original tower was only 4.5 m (15 ft) tall. Although it is readily accessible, this lighthouse seems to be poorly known and rarely visited. Located on the cape at Beachport, marking the western entrance to Rivoli Bay. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-038; Admiralty K2126; NGA 8092.
* Robe
1972. Active; focal plane 63 m (308 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 19 m (62 ft) triangular concrete tower with lantern and gallery; rotating headlight-style lamps. This unusual modern lighthouse is inverted pyramidal: it is wider at the top (5 m (16.5 ft)) than at the bottom (3.5 m (11.5 ft)). The tower is unpainted white concrete; lantern painted white. A photo is at right, Mick Pell has a 2009 photo, a closeup 2007 photo is available, and Google has a rather indistinct satellite view. Located on a headland at Robe, marking the southern entrance to Guichen Bay. Accessible by paved road. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-143; Admiralty K2122.8; NGA 8100.
* [Robe Obelisk]
1852. Never lighted, but recognized as an daybeacon. 12 m (40 ft) square pyramidal stone tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The obelisk was the only navigational aid at Robe before the lighthouse was built. The interior of the tower was formerly used to store rockets and other lifesaving equipment. Critically endangered by erosion of the bluff on which it stands: if it is not moved, this historic tower will probably fall within a few years. Kirsty Johns's 2006 photo shows the imminent danger. The district council's page seems resigned to this danger. Located in front of the Robe lighthouse. Accessible by paved road. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA.

Robe Light, Robe, December 2006
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Richmeister
Margaret Brock Reef (Cape Jaffa Platform)
1872. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 5 s. Short fiberglass tower mounted on the original wrought iron screwpile platform for the Cape Jaffa lighthouse. Winsome Bonham has a good aerial photo. The historic lighthouse (seen at right) has been relocated onshore (next entry). The platform has become an important bird nesting and roosting site, as well as serving as a fish attractor. In 2003, AMSA announced plans to demolish the platform, which it regarded as unsafe. After a firestorm of protest from naturalists, preservationists, and fishermen, AMSA agreed in April 2004 to delay demolition for 12 months, allowing engineering studies to assess the condition and safety of the platform. Preservation plans got an assist in October 2005, when the state parliament passed an act relieving liability concerns. It is expected now that the platform will remain in place indefinitely. Located on Margaret Brock Reef, about 8 km (5 mi) west of Cape Jaffa, southwest of Kingston. Accessible only by boat. Site and platform closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-106; Admiralty K2122.1; NGA 8112.
** Cape Jaffa
1872. Inactive since 1974. 41 m (135 ft) hexagonal pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, central cylinder, and 2-story keeper's office and quarters. Lantern and keeper's house painted white, skeletal portion red. Prefabricated in England. A photo is at right, Phillip Biggs also has a good photo, a 2009 photo is available, Wikimedia has Mike Lehmann's photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was formerly mounted on a wrought iron screwpile platform on Margaret Brock Reef off Cape Jaffa; it took four years to build the platform and lighthouse. After the lighthouse was deactivated the National Trust of South Australia dismantled the lighthouse in 1974-75 and rebuilt it in 1975-76 in Kingston. The keeper's house is now the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse Museum with displays illustrating the lives of 19th and early 20th century keepers. Located on Marine Parade, the beach road in Kingston, at Promenade Street. Site open, museum open afternoons of school holidays or by appointment. Owner: National Trust South Australia. Site manager: Cape Jaffa Lighthouse Museum. ARLHS AUS-033.
* Point Malcolm
1878. Reactivated (inactive 1931-2006?); focal plane 25 m (82 ft); light pattern unknown. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower with a tiny lantern but no gallery. 1-story keeper's house in poor condition. Carolyn Clarke has a good 2008 photo, another 2008 photo is available, the state library has a 1909 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is Australia's only inland lighthouse. It is located on the Murray Lakes, which are in fact large lagoons behind the barrier beach through which the Murray River makes its way to the sea. The tower was restored and relit by the National Trust. Located off Poltalloch Road on the east side of The Narrows, the channel connecting Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert, near Narrung. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: National Trust South Australia. ARLHS AUS-247.
Cape Jaffa Light
Cape Jaffa Light, Kingston, December 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by KerryJ
Kangaroo Island Lighthouses
Note: Kangaroo Island, Australia's third largest island, stretches east and west across the entrance to Gulf St. Vincent. The island is about 150 km (93 mi) long and as much as 57 km (35 mi) wide. It is accessible by air and by car ferry crossing the Backstairs Passage from Cape Jervis on the mainland to Penneshaw at the eastern end of the island.
* Cape du Couedic
1909. Active; focal plane 103 m (339 ft); two white flashes, separated by 2 s, every 10 s. 25 m (83 ft) round sandstone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower is unpainted sand-colored stone; lantern painted white with a red roof. 2nd order (?) Chance Brothers Fresnel lens in use. Three 1-story keeper's houses available for overnight accommodations. A 2008 photo is at the top of this page, Searle has several photos, Wikipedia's page has a photo, Lighthouses of Australia has a Bulletin feature article on the lighthouse, and Google has a fine satellite view. The keeper's houses were restored in 2000; historically accurate slate roofs were added. This is one of the most historically authentic light stations in Australia; all its original buildings are preserved and even the surroundings are little changed. Located on the southwestern point of Kangaroo Island, south of Rocky River. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Flinders Chase National Park). ARLHS AUS-030; Admiralty K2010; NGA 8148.
**** Cape Borda
1858. Active; focal plane 155 m (510 ft); four white flashes, separated by 2.5 s, every 20 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Rare 14-sided Deville lantern room. The original fog signal cannon, restored in 1999, is fired every day at 12:30. Three 1-story keeper's houses are available for overnight accommodations. The former stable and storage building now houses the Cape Borda Heritage Museum. The site also includes a signal station. Gavin Anderson's photo is at right, Patrick Keogh has a great 2008 photo, Wikipedia's page has an excellent photo, Denise Shultz reports on a January 2005 visit, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a distant satellite view. This lighthouse, South Australia's third oldest, is the traditional landfall light for Adelaide, marking the southern entrance to Investigator Strait and Gulf St. Vincent. Located at the northwestern point of Kangaroo Island. Accessible by road 70 km (44 mi) west of Kingscote. Site open, tower open to guided tours daily except Christmas Day. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Cape Borda Lightstation). ARLHS AUS-021; Admiralty K2008; NGA 8152.

Cape Borda Light, Kangaroo Island, September 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Gavin Anderson
*** [Hope Cottage (Tipara Reef/Cape Willoughby lantern)]
1970s. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) tower with external spiral stairway and gallery, carrying the Chance Brothers lantern and 1st order Fresnel lens removed from the Cape Willoughby lighthouse in 1974. A 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lantern and lens had been transferred to Cape Willoughby in 1923 from Tipara Reef. Located at the Hope Cottage Museum on Centenary Avenue near Seaview Road in Kingscote, the largest town of Kangaroo Island. Site open; visitors can climb to the gallery to view the lens. Owner: National Trust South Australia. Site manager: Hope Cottage Museum.
Cape St. Albans
1908. Active; focal plane 48 m (156 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Google has a distant satellite view. This lighthouse stands opposite Cape Jervis on the mainland, marking the narrowest portion of the Backstairs Passage. Located at the end of Cape St. Albans Road northeast of Penneshaw. Site and tower closed (surrounded by private property); there is a distant view from the road. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-250; Admiralty K2110; NGA 8208.
**** Cape Willoughby (Sturt)
1852. Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 26 m (85 ft) old-style round limestone and granite tower with lantern and gallery. The lantern and 1st order Fresnel lens installed here from 1923 to 1974 have been placed on a short tower in Kingscote (see below). The 1-story principal keeper's house and assistant keeper's houses are available for overnight accommodations. The 1-story second assistant keeper's house has been renovated as a visitor center. Weather station (pre-1923) and other light station buildings. Ruins of the original keeper's houses are 800 m (1/2 mi) away near the beach. A photo is at right, Cain Doherty has a good 2007 photo, and a second photo and a 2008 view of the station are available, Denise Shultz reports on a visit in January 2005, and Google has a distant satellite view. This historic and well-preserved light station is South Australia's oldest. It was named the Sturt Lighthouse after the explorer and colonial treasurer Charles Sturt, who had worked for its establishment. The replacement of the 1923 lantern by a smaller aluminum lantern has unfortunately altered the appearance of the lighthouse, but the tower is still one of the most famous and significant in the country. It guards the 11 km (7 mi) wide Backstairs Passage, leading to Gulf St. Vincent and Adelaide. Located at the eastern end of the island. Accessible by road 17 km (10.5 mi) east of Penneshaw. Site open, tower open for guided tours daily except Christmas Day. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Cape Willoughby Lightstation). ARLHS AUS-051; Admiralty K2112; NGA 8136.
Cape Willoughby Light
Cape Willoughby Light, Kangaroo Island, October 2008
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Helen K

Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide Area Lighthouses
Note: South of Adelaide, the blunt Fleurieu Peninsula shelters the south side of Gulf St. Vincent.
* Cape Jervis (2)
1972 (station established 1871). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); four white flashes, separated by 2 s, every 20 s. 18 m (59 ft) inverted-pyramidal concrete tower (wider at the top than the bottom) with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Sibling of Robe Light (see above). A 2007 photo is available, and Google has a good satellite view. The state library has a historic photo of the 1871 lighthouse, a round masonry tower about 6 m (20 ft) in height. The foundation of the 1871 lighthouse can be seen in front of the modern tower. The lighthouse marks the northern entrance to the Backstairs Passage between the mainland and Kangaroo Island. Located on the cape at Lands End, the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula, about 1.5 km (1 mi) south of the town of Cape Jervis. Easily accessible from the Kangaroo Island ferry terminal. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-034; Admiralty K2092; NGA 8216.
* Marino Rocks
1962. Active; focal plane 128 m (420 ft); white flash every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with semicircular lantern and a narrow gallery, painted white. The tower also carries cellphone transmitters. A 2008 photo is available, Wikipedia's page has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. In late 2005, the lighthouse was downgraded to a minor aid, with much reduced range. Located on a headland in Marino, about 15 km (9 mi) south southwest of Adelaide, with a fine view of the city skyline. Accessible by walking trails. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Marino Conservation Park). ARLHS AUS-198; Admiralty K2087; NGA 8244.
* [Adelaide Semaphore Timeball]
1875. Inactive since 1932. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal rubblestone tower carrying a timeball mast and weathervane. Peter Ede has a closeup photo, Hadi Ishak has a 2008 closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The tower was placed at the base of the Semaphore Jetty, built in 1860. The timeball was lowered each day precisely at 1 pm so that ships in the harbor could adjust their chronometers. Although it was never used as a lighthouse, this remains a historic daymarker on the Adelaide waterfront. Located at the Esplanade and Semaphore Road in Semaphore, south of Port Adelaide. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: unknown.
**** Port Adelaide (South Neptune Island)
1869 (relocated here in 1985). Inactive since 1985 (a decorative light is displayed on Saturday evenings). Approx. 25 m (82 ft) hexagonal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and central cylinder rising from a round 1-story keeper's house. Tower and keeper's house painted bright red, lantern and gallery white. 2nd order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens (1901). Luke Roberts's photo is at right, Searle has a historic photo on his page for the lighthouse and a report from a 2003 visit, Wikipedia has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Prefabricated in England by Moreland & Sons, this lighthouse was originally mounted on a screwpile foundation off the entrance to the Port River, Port Adelaide's harbor. In 1901 the lighthouse was dismantled and moved to South Neptune Island in Spencer Gulf. When it was replaced there, in 1985, it was relocated again to the Port Adelaide waterfront. The lighthouse is a very popular exhibit of the South Australian Maritime Museum. Located on the Port River at the foot of Commercial Road in Port Adelaide. Site open, tower open daily (museum admission fee). Owner/site manager: South Australian Maritime Museum. ARLHS AUS-200.

Port Adelaide Light, Adelaide, July 2006
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Luke Roberts
Yorke Peninsula Lighthouses
Note: The Yorke Peninsula is about 250 km (160 mi) long and shaped rather like a hockey stick, with the blade pointing west. The peninsula separates Spencer Gulf, on the west, from Gulf St. Vincent to the southeast. The Investigator Strait separates the peninsula from Kangaroo Island to the south.
Troubridge Island
1856. Inactive since about 2001. 24 m (79 ft) round cast iron tower, painted with broad red and white horizontal bands. Several 1-story keeper's houses, at least one of them available for overnight accommodations. A photo is at right, Dave Wilde has a good 2008 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This light, South Australia's second oldest lighthouse, was built to guide ships through the dangerous entrance to Gulf St. Vincent from Investigator Strait. It survived a major earthquake in 1902, but today it is one of Australia's most endangered lighthouses. After the Troubridge Hill light was built in 1980, the island light was downgraded in importance, and it is now inactive. The island is unstable, and the lighthouse is currently endangered by shoreline erosion (as it has been several times in the past). The generator shed, workshop, and boat shed were washed away in 1992. In 2000, sandbags were emplaced to help protect the structures. In 2005, Colin Lemke reported the lighthouse was deteriorating from lack of maintenance, but Wilde's photo shows that it had been repainted and spruced up by 2008. Located on the island about 6 km (4 mi) east southeast of Edithburgh. Accessible only by boat (DENR permit required). Site open; the managers of the keeper's houses offer guided tours by appointment. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Troubridge Island Conservation Park). ARLHS AUS-164; Admiralty K2022.
* Troubridge Hill
1980. Active; focal plane 62 m (203 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 32 m (105 ft) tapered round brick tower with lantern. Tower is unpainted red brick, lantern painted white. Searle has a collection of photos, Peter Mackey has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Built for automated operation, this modern tower has no windows. Designed with custom-fired, wedge-shaped bricks to resist high winds and earthquakes, it received an award from the South Australian Clay Brick Association. The lighthouse replaced the Troubridge Island Light. Located at the "heel" of the boot-shaped Yorke Peninsula, about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Edithburgh. Accessible by a gravel road. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-163; Admiralty K2020; NGA 8406.
Troubridge Island Light
Troubridge Island Light, Spencer Gulf, December 2010
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Bilby
Althorpe Island Leading (Range Front) (3)
1962 (relocated) (station established 1879). Inactive since 1991. 4 m (13 ft) round cast iron lantern, painted white. The active light (focal plane 86 m (286 ft); light occulting every 14 s: white, red, or green depending on direction) is mounted on a 2 m (7 ft) brick pedestal. The Lighthouses of Australia Althorpe Island page (1/3 of the way down) shows the lantern, and Google has a satellite view. This lantern was transferred here from Grantheaume Point, Western Australia, in 1962. It was used as the front (leading) light until the station was automated in about 1991. Located 390 m (425 ft) north northwest of the Althorpe Island lighthouse. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Althorpe Island Conservation Park). ARLHS AUS-274; Admiralty K2000; NGA 8408.
Althorpe Island (Range Rear)
1879. Active; focal plane 107 m (351 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (82 ft) tapered round limestone and sandstone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A well-preserved light station, with three 1-story keeper's houses and other light station buildings. Searle has excellent photos from a 2002 visit, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks the north side of the entrance to Investigator Strait, standing opposite the Cape Borda Light on Kangaroo Island. Volunteers from Marion Bay and elsewhere, organized as the Friends of Althorpe Island Conservation Park, have worked hard to restore and maintain the station and return native vegetation and wildlife to the island. Located atop an island 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Cape Spencer. Site and tower normally closed (access is restricted to protect wildlife). Visible distantly from Cape Spencer Light. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Althorpe Island Conservation Park). ARLHS AUS-003; Admiralty K2000.1; NGA 8412.
* Cape Spencer (2)
1975 (station established 1950). Active; focal plane 78 m (256 ft); three white flashes every 15 s; a continuous red light is shown over nearby reefs. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and octagonal gallery. The tower is unpainted white concrete, lantern painted white. A photo is at right, Nick Griffin has a 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view of this spectacular site. Cape Spencer is the southwesternmost point of the Yorke Peninsula, with Investigator Strait to the south and Spencer Gulf to the west. The land surrounding the lighthouse is in Innes National Park. Located on the point of the cape, about 5 km (3 mi) south of Inneston. Accessible by a gravel road. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-047; Admiralty K2003; NGA 8416.
Cape Spencer Light
Cape Spencer Light, Yorke Peninsula, January 2007
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Foraminifera
West Cape
1980. Active; focal plane 67 m (220 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) round stainless steel tower with lantern and gallery; tower unpainted; lantern painted white. Lighthouses of Australia has a visitors' report with photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the westernmost point of the Yorke Peninsula about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Cape Spencer. Accessible by a walk of at least 2 km (1.2 mi) from the nearest road. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-264; Admiralty K2002; NGA 8420.
* Corny Point
1882. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); four white flashes every 20 s; red flashes shown over rocks to the southwest. 16 m (52 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. 3rd order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens in use. The keeper's houses were demolished in the 1920s. Searle has several photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a very distant satellite view of the point. This light was built to warn southbound ships away from Web Rock, a hazard at the upper end of the "toe" of the Yorke Peninsula. The lighthouse was severely shaken by the 1902 earthquake, but was repaired. Located on the point, about 10 km (7 mi) northwest of the town of Corny Point. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-060; Admiralty K1996; NGA 8432.
Tipara Reef (Platform)
1877. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two white flashes, separated by 2 s, every 10 s. Small round fiberglass tower mounted on the screwpile platform of the former Tipara Reef lighthouse. A 2009 photo is available. Apparently, an onshore keeper's house survives north of Moonta; more information is needed on this. Located on the reef about 20 km (13 mi) southwest of Wallaroo. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-161; Admiralty K1982; NGA 8448.
Corny Point Light
Corny Point Light, Yorke Peninsula, January 2007
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Foraminifera
* Tipara Reef (light tower 2)
1920 (station established 1877). Inactive since 1995. Approx. 14 m (45 ft) round cylindrical cast iron light tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The original lighthouse was a pyramidal skeletal tower with incorporated keeper's quarters, very similar to the 1872 Cape Jaffa Light (see above). Wikipedia has a historic photo dated 1917. In 1920 the lantern was replaced, the height was reduced, and the station was automated. The original lantern and 1st order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens were transferred to the Cape Willoughby Light in 1923 and are now on display on a short tower at the Hope Cottage in Kingscote (see above). The Tipara Reef lighthouse was dismantled in 1995, but the 1920 central cylinder, gallery, and lantern were saved and relocated to a Wallaroo museum site in 2001. Garry Searles's photo is at right, Peter Mackey has a closeup 2007 photo, a 2009 photo and a 2010 photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located in Investigator Park, at the corner of Jetty Road and Emu Street in Wallaroo. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Wallaroo Heritage and Nautical Museum. ARLHS AUS-302.
* Port Germein (1)
1894. Inactive since 1917. Approx. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal cast iron tower with lantern but no gallery, painted white. A 2007 closeup photo is available, the Degree Confluence Project has a closeup by Stephen and Fiona Langman, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built at the end of the Port Germein Jetty, then Australia's longest at 1680 m (1.04 mi). (Storm damage has shortened the jetty to 1532 m or 0.95 mi.) In 1975 the long-abandoned tower was relocated to a point onshore near the foot of the jetty and restored by the Port Germein Village Museum. Located at Port Germein, near the head of Spencer Gulf and the base of the Yorke Peninsula, about 30 km (19 mi) north of Port Pirie. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS AUS-290.
Tipara Reef Light Tower
Tipara Reef Light Tower, Wallaroo
photo copyright Garry Searle, SeaSide Lights; used by permission

Eyre Peninsula Lighthouses
Note: The Eyre Peninsula is a bluntly triangular, sparsely populated peninsula on the west side of Spencer Gulf. The peninsula separates the gulf from the waters of the Great Australian Bight to the west.
* Point Lowly
1883. Reactivated (inactive 1993-1995 and 2009-2010, now maintained by the city of Whyalla); focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white flash every 5 s. 23 m (75 ft) round sandstone tower with lantern and double gallery, painted white. Two 1-story keeper's cottages are available for overnight accommodations. Searle's page has several photos, one of which appears at right, Grant Baverstock has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Originally 15 m (49 ft) in height, the tower was extended in 1909. It was built to mark the west side of the entrance to Port Augusta at the northern end of Spencer Gulf. After deactivation, the Whyalla City Council purchased the light station from AMSA and reactivated the light. The light failed in March 2009, and in June federal authorities ordered the lighthouse deactivated because its light was said to be confusing to boaters. Apparently, boaters thought otherwise, and the Admiralty announced reactivation of the light in late 2010. Located on the point about 30 km (18 mi) east of Whyalla. Accessible by paved road; parking provided. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Whyalla City Council. ARLHS AUS-103; Admiralty K1948; NGA 8524.
* Cape Donington (3)
1960s (station established 1878). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white light occulting every 6 s. 17 m (57 ft) hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted, gallery and lantern roof painted white. Nearby Donington Cottage, built by the early keeper William Argent in 1899, has been restored and is available for overnight accommodations. A 2012 closeup photo is available, N.J. Murray has a photo, Winsome Bonham has an aerial photo, and Google has a good satellite view. Located on the cape, east of Port Lincoln; accessible by a gravel road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Heritage (Lincoln National Park). ARLHS AUS-029; Admiralty K1878; NGA 8664.

Lower Spencer Gulf and West Point Area Lighthouses
Wedge Island (2)
1970 (station established 1911). Active; focal plane 207 m (679 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 5 m (17 ft) square concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Google has a distant satellite view. The highest light in South Australia, this light replaced a lighthouse similar to the Cape St. Albans Light on Kangaroo Island. Wedge Island, distinctly wedge-shaped when viewed from a distance, is about 30 km (18 mi) west of Cape Spencer in the entrance to Spencer Gulf. The island is privately owned; there are no permanent inhabitants but there are fishing camps and some holiday cottages. Located on the highest point of the island, a cliff at the southeastern tip. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-203; Admiralty K1870; NGA 8428.
Point Lowly Light
Point Lowly Light, Whyalla
photo copyright Garry Searle, SeaSide Lights
used by permission
South Neptune Island (2)
1985 (station established 1901). Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 8 m (27 ft) round cylindrical brick tower with gallery; lantern removed in 1990. Tower is unpainted brick; trim painted white. Triplex keeper's quarters. Google has a very distant satellite view. The 1869 Port Adelaide Light was moved here in 1901; after being dismantled in 1985 it was returned to Port Adelaide in 1986.The lantern from this lighthouse was stored, and in 2011 it was installed on the replica of the Clarence River lighthouse in New South Wales. Located on the island in the western entrance to Spencer Gulf, about 25 km (15 mi) south of West Point, the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed; landing on the island is by permit only. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Neptune Islands Conservation Park). ARLHS AUS-202; Admiralty K1872; NGA 8692.
Dangerous Reef (2)
1988 (station established 1911). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 2.5 s. 7 m (23 ft) round conical tower, painted white. No photo available; Google has a very distant satellite view of the location. Located about 20 km (13 mi) southeast of Cape Donington. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-258; Admiralty K1876; NGA 8668.
Four Hummocks (Whidbey Islands)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 120 m (394 ft); white flash every 5 s. 5 m (17 ft) fiberglass tower with lantern, painted white. No current photo available, but Google has a very distant satellite view. The National Archives has a 1963 photo of the island; the light can be seen on the summit. Located on a high rocky island about 25 km (15 mi) east of West Point. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS AUS-076; Admiralty K1866; NGA 8696.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

  •  Wonga Shoal (1901-1912), Gulf St. Vincent. ARLHS AUS-249. A copy of the Cape Jaffa Light, this lighthouse was destroyed by collision with the ship Dimsdale on 17 November 1912.

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Adjoining pages: East: Victoria | West: Western Australia

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Posted 2004. Checked and revised May 25, 2012. Lighthouses: 31. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.