Lighthouses of Australia: South Australia

The independent Commonwealth of Australia occupies the entire Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. British exploration and settling of the continent began late in the 1700s, with the first colony established in the Sydney area in 1788. By the 1850s there were six British colonies, including New South Wales and Queensland in the east, Victoria and South Australia in the south, Western Australia in the west, and Tasmania off the south coast. The Commonwealth was formed on New Years Day 1901 as a federation of the six colonies. Australia is both the smallest continent and the sixth-largest country in the world, with a population of about 26 million.

The state of South Australia occupies the south central portion of the Australian continent, facing the Southern Ocean. The lighthouses of South Australia are all found in the southeastern part of the state; there are none on the long, very 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 state capital, Adelaide, is on the east coast of Gulf Saint Vincent.

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 state parks administration, National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia.

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 Q of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 111.

General Sources
South Australian Lighthouses
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.
AMSA Heritage Lighthouses
An interactive map links to information and photos for the major AMSA lighthouses.
Lighthouses and Lightvessels in Australia - South Australia
Index to Wikipedia articles; many include photos.
World of Lighthouses - South Australia
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Online List of Lights - Australia
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Many of the photos for South Australia were taken by Michael Boucher.
Leuchttürme Australiens und Ozeaniens auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
GPSNauticalCharts
Navigation chart for the coast of South Australia.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for the coast of South Australia.


Cape du Couedic Light, Kangaroo Island, July 2021
Instagram photo by Andrew Fu

Southeast (Limestone Coast) Lighthouses

The southeastern coast of South Australia, from the Victoria border to Cape Jaffa area, consists mostly of limestone bluffs and has been named the Limestone Coast.

District Council of Grant Lighthouses
* Port Macdonnell Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); continuous blue light. The light is in a triangular red slatted daymark mounted on a leg of the town's water tower. Trabas has Boucher's photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The front light is on a post. Port MacDonnell is a fishing and resort port at the southernmost point of South Australia. Located at Charles and Church Streets in Port MacDonnell. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q2133.1; NGA 8072.
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. Kelly Jordan's photo is at right, Searle has several photos, Trabas has Boucher's photo, Lightphotos.net has a closeup photo, Nick Grindle has a 2020 photo, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. The original lighthouse was 400 m (1/4 mi) southwest (next entry). 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. In 2022 AMSA announced a $1.6 million restoration to include repainting and repairs to the stonework. The restoration was completed in December 2023. Located on Lighthouse Road about 3 km (2 mi) west of Port MacDonnell; accessible by paved road. According to the Lighthouses of Australia page, "the residents of the old lighthouse cottages claim the road leading to the lighthouse to be their private property"; the driveway is not gated but there is a No Trespassing sign. Site and tower closed; the lighthouse can be viewed from the end of the entrance road. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: private. . ARLHS AUS-042; Admiralty Q2132; NGA 8076.
* [MacDonnell (Cape Northumberland (1))]
1858. Demolished in 1882. The lighthouse was a 8.5 m (28 ft) square stone tower attached to a 1-story keeper's house. It was abandoned when it appeared it would be lost to erosion of the cliff on which it stood, but its lantern was transferred to the Cape Banks lighthouse (next entry). Wikimedia has a drawing of the lighthouse. Ruins of its foundation are seen close to a popular lookout just off the coastal highway at the point of the cape. Klaus Meyer has a street view taken from the lookout platform and Google has a satellite view. Parking provided. Site open.

Cape Northumberland Light, Port MacDonnell, April 2022
Instagram photo by Kelly Jordan
* 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 on the front and white on the rear, 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 2024 photo is at right, a 2021 photo and a 2009 closeup are available, Searle has a photo, Wikimedia has a 2010 photo, the tower needs repainting in Boucher's photo posted by Trabas, and Google has a street view and 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: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Canunda National Park). . ARLHS AUS-020; Admiralty Q2130; NGA 8080.

Wattle Range Council Area Lighthouses
* [Cape Buffon]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); flash every 2.5 s, white or red depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) white post. Trabas has Boucher's photo and Google has a street view, but the tiny light is not seen in Google's satellite view. This light marks the eastern entrance to Rivoli Bay. Note to local tourism officials: this would be a great place to build a new lighthouse. Located on a sharp promontory, at the parking area at the end of Cape Buffon Road west of Southend. Site open. Operator/site manager: AMSA. Admiralty Q2129; NGA 8084.
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. Grant Maizels has photos of the lighthouse and the relocated keeper's houses, a 2015 photo (second photo on the page) is available, Peter Stokes has a very distant view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was closed in favor of the Cape Martin Light (next entry). 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 Banks Light, Carpenter Rocks, February 2024
Instagrams photo by Lovedays on the Loose
* 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 gray concrete; lantern painted white. Trabas has Boucher's closeup photo, Sylvia Ross has a 2021 photo, Wikimedia has a 2010 photo, Vladimir Lyubimov has a closeup, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a street view and 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 at the end of Foster Street in Beachport, marking the western entrance to Rivoli Bay. Parking is available and a small sign marks the path to the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. . ARLHS AUS-038; Admiralty Q2126; NGA 8092.

Robe Council Area Lighthouses
* 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. Sue Kjellgren's photo is at right, Lighthouses of Australia has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has Boucher's photo, F. Sorbian has a 2021 photo, Mick Pell has a 2009 photo, a closeup 2007 photo is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on Adam Lindsay Gordon Drive in Robe, marking the southern entrance to Guichen Bay. Accessible by paved road; streetside parking available. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. . ARLHS AUS-143; Admiralty Q2122.8; 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. Christie Kennedy has a 2016 photo, Jethro Kleinig has a 2016 street view, 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 could fall within a few years. Kirsty Johns's 2006 photo shows the imminent danger. The area was fenced due to the danger of falling, and in November 2018 the immediate area was closed entirely. Mingfu Xie has a street view showing the small Cape Dombey Light (white flash every 2 s) on a post near the obelisk; Trabas has Boucher's photo. Located on Cape Dombey, at the end of Obelisk Road in Robe, about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) north of the lighthouse. Accessible by paved road. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. Cape Dombey Light: Admiralty Q2123; NGA 8104.

Robe Light, Robe, January 2021
Instagram photo by Sue Kjellgren

Kingston Council Area Lighthouses
Margaret Brock Reef (Cape Jaffa (2))
1872. Inactive. Short round fiberglass tower mounted on the original wrought iron screwpile platform for the Cape Jaffa lighthouse. A distant view is available but the reef is not shown in Google's satellite view. 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 open, platform closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-106.
Cape Jaffa (3)
Around 2003 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 5 s. 5 m (17 ft) round white fiberglass tower mounted on a square platform supported by a robust pile. A photo is available but the reef is not shown in Google's satellite view. Located about 100 m from the historic platform. Accessible only by boat. Sie open, tower closed. Admiralty Q2122.1; NGA 8112.
*** Cape Jaffa (1) (relocated to Kingston)
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. Michael Soutar has the 2022 photo seen at right, Phillip Biggs also has a good photo, Wikimedia has Mike Lehmann's photo, and Google has a street view and 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. A 1970 photo of the lighthouse on station is available. Three 1-story keeper's cottages onshore survive as private residences. 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 principal keeper's house is now the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse Museum with displays illustrating the lives of 19th and early 20th century keepers. In 2014 the town of Kingston agreed to appropriate $10,000 a year toward the maintenance of the lighthouse. In 2016 the lighthouse was in need of repairs, including replacement of the main bolts holding the structure together. The Kingston District Council agreed to provide half the $300,000 cost, and fundraising was underway for the remainder. In 2020 the lantern was restored and repainted. Located on Marine Parade, the beach road in Kingston, at Promenade Street. Site open, museum open afternoons of school holidays or by appointment. Traditionally the tower was only opened on January 15 each year, the anniversary of the first lighting in 1872. However in 2019-20 the tower was opened daily 26 December through 27 January, and guided tours are now available on school holidays throughout the year. Owner: National Trust South Australia. Site manager: Cape Jaffa Lighthouse Museum . ARLHS AUS-033.

Cape Jaffa Light, Kingston, January 2022
Google Maps photo by Michael Soutar

Murray Lakes, Fleurieu Peninsula, and Adelaide Area Lighthouses

Coorong District (Murray Lakes) Lighthouse
* Point Malcolm
1878. Reactivated (inactive 1931-2016); focal plane 25 m (82 ft); continuous (?) white light. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower with a tiny lantern but no gallery. 1-story keeper's house. Chris Howitt's 2021 photo is at right, Lighthouses of Australia has a page for the lighthouse, Carolyn Clarke has a good 2008 photo, another 2008 photo and a 2012 photo are available, Lightphotos.net has a closeup photo, the state library has a 1909 photo, and Google has a street view and 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. At the time the lighthouse was built it guided paddlewheel steamers that were the only means of crossing the lakes. The light was deactivated after commercial traffic on the lakes largely ceased. The National Trust supported some restoration work at the lighthouse in 2006 and additional work was done in 2016 before the lighthouse was relit on October 28. The keeper's house has also been restored in private ownership. 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.

Victor Harbor City Lighthouse
* [Granite Island (Port Victor, Victor Harbor) (2?)]
Date unknown (station established 1892). Active; focal plane 28 m (125 ft); flash every 4 s, white or red depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) white post. Justin Pierce has a street view and Google has a satellite view. The original light was shown through a window of a small white building. The State Library of South Australia has a historic photo (on the left in the fourth row of thumbnails). Located on a ridge at the east end of Granite Island. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Granite Island Recreation Park). Site open. Admiralty Q2116; NGA 8128.

Point Malcolm Light, Narrung, October 2021
Google Maps photo by Chris Howitt

Yankalilla District (Fleurieu Peninsula) Lighthouses
South of Adelaide the blunt Fleurieu Peninsula shelters the south side of Gulf St. Vincent.

South Page
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white flash every 10 s; also a red light, 1 s on, 1 s off, visible over nearby shoals. 7 m (23 ft) skeletal tower mounted on a white fiberglass equipment shelter. Paul Martin has a view from the sea and Google has a distant satellite view. The Pages are small islands in the entrance to the Backstairs Passage about 16 km (10 mi) northeast of Cape Willoughby. South Page is an important breeding site for Australian sea lions. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat (and landing on the rocky island is nearly impossible). Site and tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (The Pages Conservation Park). Admiralty Q2114; NGA 8212.
* 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). Mark Harman-Smith has the 2017 photo seen at right, Lighthouses of Australia has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has Boucher's closeup photo, Aditya Sudarshan has a 2022 photo, and Google has a closeup street view and 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 is preserved 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 and 400 m (1/4 mi) north of the Kangaroo Island ferry terminal. Parking provided. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-034; Admiralty Q2092; NGA 8216.
 

Cape Jervis Light, Cape Jervis, November 2017
Google Maps photo by Mark Harman-Smith
 

Metropolitan Adelaide Lighthouses
* Marino Rocks (Hallett Cove)
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. Lighthouses of Australia has a page with a good photo, Trabas has Boucher's closeup photo, a 2008 photo is available, Wikipedia's page for the surrounding park has a good photo, Peter Ermel has a lovely 2012 photo, Darren Short has a 2022 drone view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built to replace the beacon on the Wonga Shoal platform after that structure was destroyed by collision with a ship. 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: National Parks South Australia (Marino Conservation Park). . ARLHS AUS-198; Admiralty Q2087; NGA 8244.
* Adelaide Semaphore Timeball
1875. Timeball inactive since 1932. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal rubblestone tower carrying a timeball mast and weathervane. There's a web page for the tower, Peter Ede has a closeup photo, Janos Veresbaranji has a 2021 photo, Hadi Ishak has a 2008 closeup photo, and Google has a street view and 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. According to the Jenkins 1904 light list a continuous red light was established on the tower in 1888; we don't know when that light was deactivated. The tower remains a historic daymarker on the Adelaide waterfront. It was restored in 1992 and the timeball is once again dropped daily at 1 pm. Located at the Esplanade and Semaphore Road in Semaphore, south of Port Adelaide. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: City of Adelaide.
**** Port Adelaide (South Neptune Island, relocated)
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). A 2023 photo is at right, Lighthouses of Australia has a page with a photo, Jimmy Cheng has a 2020 photo, Wikimedia has a photo, Russell Grinham has a closeup street view, and Google has a street view and 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 (Port Adelaide Lighthouse). . ARLHS AUS-200.

Port Adelaide Light, Adelaide, May 2023
Instagram photo by Play & Go for Families in SA

Kangaroo Island Lighthouses

Kangaroo Island Council Area Lighthouses
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. In January 2020 a large part of the island was devastated by bushfires.
* 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, previously available for overnight accommodations, were closed due to the bushfires of 2019-20. Andrew Fu's photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has Boucher's closeup photo, Searle has several photos, Wikipedia's page has a photo and Wikimedia has additional photos, Chuang Lim has a good 2018 photo, another 2018 photo is available, and Google has a street view and a 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 (4WD recommended); parking provided. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Flinders Chase National Park). . ARLHS AUS-030; Admiralty Q2010; 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. The principal keeper's house and relief keeper's cottage, previously available for overnight accommodations, were closed due to the bushfires of 2019-20. The former stable and storage building now houses the Cape Borda Heritage Museum. The site also includes a signal station. A 2022 photo is at right, Trabas has Boucher's closeup photo, Patrick Keogh has a great 2008 photo, Gavin Anderson has a photo, Wikipedia's page has an excellent photo, Indra Susanto has a 2021 photo, Dmitry Shirikov has a closeup street view, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a 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 (4WD recommended) 70 km (44 mi) west of Kingscote. Site open, tower open to guided tours Friday through Tuesdays and on school holidays. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Cape Borda Lightstation). . ARLHS AUS-021; Admiralty Q2008; NGA 8152.

Cape Borda Light, Kangaroo Island, October 2022
Instagrams photo by take_it_ezy123
Point Marsden (2?)
Date unknown (station established 1915). Active; focal plane 85 m (279 ft); white flash every 5 s. 5 m (17 ft) square white fiberglass tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The original light was on a small skeletal tower. Located on the northernmost point of Kangaroo Island about 25 km (15 mi) north of Kingscote. Site status unknown (this light is probably surrounded by private property). ARLHS AUS-199; Admiralty Q2094; NGA 8160.
*** [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. Ken Wallwork has a 2018 photo 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. Mark Dixon has a good 2015 closeup photo and additional photos are available, Trabas has Jim Smith's view from the sea, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse stands opposite Cape Jervis on the mainland, marking the narrowest portion of the Backstairs Passage between Kangaroo Island and the mainland. Located at the end of Cape St. Albans Road northeast of Penneshaw. Accessible by a lengthy hike, but the lighthouse is surrounded by private property. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-250; Admiralty Q2110; 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 at the Hope Cottage Museum in Kingscote (see above). The 1-story principal keeper's house and the first assistant keeper's house 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 by Alexey Lapkis is at right, Trabas has Boucher's photo, Alexey Lapkis has a 2022 photo, Cain Doherty has a good 2007 photo, another photo is available, and Google has a street view and a 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 during spring, summer and autumn school holidays except Christmas Day. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Cape Willoughby Conservation Park). . ARLHS AUS-051; Admiralty Q2112; NGA 8136.

Cape Willoughby Light, Kangaroo Island, February 2022
Google Maps photo by Alexey Lapkis

Yorke Peninsula and Upper Spencer Gulf Lighthouses

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 Saint Vincent to the southeast. The Investigator Strait separates the peninsula from Kangaroo Island to the south.

Yorke Peninsula Council Area Lighthouses
Orontes Bank
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 11 m (36 ft) round white fiberglass beacon mounted on a square platform supported by piles. Wikimedia has a photo, another photo is available, and Bing has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on the north end of a shoal about 10 km (6 mi) east of Port Vincent, on the east side of the Yorke Peninsula opposite Adelaide. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q2030; NGA 8370.
Tapley Shoal
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two white flashes every 8 s. 11 m (36 ft) round white fiberglass beacon mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the north end of a long shoal about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Troubridge Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q2025.3; NGA 8396.
Troubridge Island
1856. Inactive since 2002. 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, Hellen McBride has the 2022 photo at right showing the lighthouse freshly repainted, Dave Wilde has a good 2008 photo, Wikimedia has a 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 and Marion Reef lights were 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 placed 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. There was another repainting in 2019-20. Located on the island about 6 km (4 mi) east southeast of Edithburgh. Accessible only by boat (National Parks South Australia permit required). Site open; the managers of the keeper's houses offer guided tours by appointment. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Troubridge Island Conservation Park). . ARLHS AUS-164; ex-Admiralty Q2022.
Marion Reef
1980. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. 12 m (39 ft) round fiberglass tower mounted on a square platform supported by a robust pile. Entire structure is white. No photo available but the shadow of the light is seen in Google's satellite view. Located about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Troubridge Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q2023; NGA 8404.5.
* 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, Deidre Kleingeld also has a closeup, Nikki Perkins has a 2023 photo, Lee Merchant has a drone view, and Google has a street view and 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 Q2020; NGA 8406.

Troubridge Island Light, Spencer Gulf, January 2022
Google Maps photo by Hellen McBride
Althorpe Island Leading (Range Front) (4)
1991 (?). Active; focal plane 86 m (286 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction), 11 s on, 3 s off. Post mounted on a 2 m (7 ft) square equipment shelter. Darlene Chisholm has a 2022 aerial view and Google has a satellite view. A 4 m (13 ft) round cast iron lantern was transferred here from Grantheaume Point, Western Australia, in 1962 and was used as the front (leading) light until the station was automated in about 1991. The range guides southbound vessels leaving Spencer Gulf. Located 390 m (425 ft) north northwest of the Althorpe Island lighthouse. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Althorpe Islands Conservation Park). ARLHS AUS-274. Admiralty Q2000; 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. Mat Harris has a 2022 photo, Searle has excellent photos from a 2002 visit, Ian Pope has a 2012 photo of the station, the lighthouse is in the background of a Wikimedia photo of the Cape Spencer lighthouse, 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: National Parks South Australia (Althorpe Islands Conservation Park). . ARLHS AUS-003; Admiralty Q2000.1; 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. Sonja Harvey's 2023 photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Emma Walker has a 2022 photo, Nick Griffin has a 2007 photo, Wikimedia has a photo, Ian Tresman has a panoramic street view of this spectacular site, Mark Harman-Smith has a closeup street view, and Google has a satellite view. Cape Spencer is the southwesternmost point of the Yorke Peninsula, with Investigator Strait to the south and Spencer Gulf to the west. 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: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park). . ARLHS AUS-047; Admiralty Q2003; NGA 8416.

Cape Spencer Light, Yorke Peninsula, March 2023
Google Maps photo by Sonja Harvey
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. Trabas has a closeup photo, Craig Shier has a 2012 photo, Ando Orth has a 2011 photo, Forté Worthy has a 2020 closeup, Lighthouses of Australia has a page with a photo, and Google has a street view and 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: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park). . ARLHS AUS-264; Admiralty Q2002; 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. Part of Marco Meierhöfer's 2020 street view is at right, Searle has several photos, Klári Antal has a fine 2017 photo, Stefan Greenwood has a 2022 photo, Trabas has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. 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. Accessible by road; parking provided. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park). . ARLHS AUS-060; Admiralty Q1996; NGA 8432.
Wardang Island (3)
1988 (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); three flashes every 15 s, white or red depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) white fiberglass tower. Google has a satellite view. The second light, a 6 m (20 ft) skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, was relocated here from Wedge Island in 1918. Wardang (Wauraltee) Island shelters the harbor of Port Victoria on the central west coast of the Yorke Peninsula. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1986; NGA 8444.

Copper Coast Council Area Lighthouses
Tipara Reef (original 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. Ian Pope has a 2010 photo of the base of the platform and Bing has a satellite view. Wikipedia has a historic photo (1917) of the original lighthouse. 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 Q1982; NGA 8448.

Corny Point Light, Yorke Peninsula, January 2020
Google Maps street view by Marco Meierhöfer
* Warburto Point
1995. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 5 s; also a red light, 2.5 s on, 2.5 s off, at focal plane 27 m (89 ft), shown over reefs off the point. 32 m (105 ft) square skeletal tower painted red and topped by a white fiberglass beacon. A distant photo is available and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the point about 8 km (5 mi) north of Moonta. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1980; NGA 8450.
* Tipara Reef (light tower 2, relocated to Wallaroo)
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). 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, lantern, and 3rd order Fresnel lens were saved and relocated to a Wallaroo museum site in 2001. Jon Hunter has the 2022 photo seen at right, a 2009 photo and a 2010 photo are available, Lightphotos.net has a good photo, and Google has a closeup street view and a satellite view. Located in Investigator Park, at the corner of Jetty Road and Emu Street in Wallaroo. Site open, tower closed. Owner: National Trust South Australia. Site manager: Wallaroo Heritage and Nautical Museum. ARLHS AUS-302.

District of Mount Remarkable Lighthouse
* Port Germein (1) (relocated)
1894. Inactive since 1917. Approx. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal cast iron tower with lantern but no gallery, painted white. Lighthouses of Australia has a page for the lighthouse, Patrick Maessen has a 2024 photo, a 2007 closeup photo is available, Lightphotos.net has a closeup, the Degree Confluence Project has a closeup by Stephen and Fiona Langman, Tamas Bene has a 2020 street view, and Google has a satellite view. This is a rare surviving harbor light. 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 Peninßsula, about 30 km (19 mi) north of Port Pirie. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Town of Port Germein; site manager: Port Germein Village Museum. . ARLHS AUS-290.

Tipara Reef Light Tower, Wallaroo, December 2022
Google Maps photo by Jon Hunter

Eyre Peninsula Lighthouses

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.

Whyalla City Lighthouse
Whyalla, a town of about 22,000 residents at the northern end of Spencer Gulf, is the site of a major steel mill.
* 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. A 2023 photo is at right, Searle's page has several photos, Trabas has Boucher's photo, Grant Baverstock has a 2008 photo, a 2021 photo and a fine 2015 photo are available, and Google has a street view and 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. Boaters thought otherwise and the Admiralty announced reactivation of the light in late 2010. The Whyalla United Church managed the lighthouse cottages for 35 years but the church announced it would surrender its lease to the city in 2015. 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 (Point Lowly Lighthouse ). ARLHS AUS-103; Admiralty Q1948; NGA 8524.

Tumby Bay District Lighthouses
Winceby Island (2?)
Date unknown (station established around 1915). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two white flashes every 8 s. 6 m (20 ft) round (?) white fiberglass tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The state library has a 1919 photo (last row of photos on the page) of the original beacon, a triangular skeletal tower. Winceby is the northernmost in a group of islands in Spencer Gulf northeast of Port Lincoln. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS AUS-204; Admiralty Q1890; NGA 8608.
Bolingbroke Point
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); four flashes every 16 s, white or red depending on direction. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) white fiberglass tower. Google has a satellite view. Located on a prominent cape about 40 km (25 mi) northeast of Port Lincoln. Site status uncertain; there are tracks leading through the bush to the lighthouse.Admiralty Q1889; NGA 8612.

Point Lowly Light, Whyalla, December 2023
Instargram photo by Real 4x4 Adventures


Lower Eyre Peninsula District Lighthouses
* 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. Julie Burgher has a 2012 closeup photo, Jonathan Devasagayam has a 2018 photo, Trabas has Jim Smith's view from the sea, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the cape, east of Port Lincoln; accessible by an unsealed road. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Lincoln National Park). . ARLHS AUS-029; Admiralty Q1878; NGA 8664.
Dangerous Reef (Porter Rock) (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 but Bing has a distant satellite view. 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 Q1876; NGA 8668.
Taylor Island
1982. Active; focal plane 76 m (250 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 9 m (29 ft) round (?) white fiberglass tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Taylor Island is the largest in a group of islands off the Jussieu Peninsula southeast of Port Lincoln. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown (the island is privately owned). Admiralty Q1874; NGA 8672.

Cape Donington Light, Port Lincoln
National Parks South Australia photo
Williams Island
1963. Active; focal plane 52 m (171 ft); white flash every 2.5 s. 6 m (20 ft) round (?) white fiberglass tower. No photo available but Google has a distant satellite view. Williams Island is an island off the south end of the Jussieu Peninsula. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1873; NGA 8676.
[Waterhouse Point (Thistle Island)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. 4 m (13 ft) white fiberglass cabinet. No photo available but Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the southeastern tip of Thistle Island, a high island on the west side of the entrance to Spencer Gulf. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q1872.5; NGA 8680.
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. A 2017 photo is at right, Peter Bellingham has several photos (starting halfway down the page), Wikipedia's article has several photos, and 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 Q1870; NGA 8428.

Wedge Island Light, Spencer Gulf, April 2017
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Wedge island holiday accommodation
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. An AMSA photo is at right, the lighthouse is barely visible in Peter Bellingham's aerial photo of the island, and Bing has a 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: National Parks South Australia (Neptune Islands Conservation Park). ARLHS AUS-202; Admiralty Q1872; NGA 8692.
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 photo available but Bing has an indistinct satellite view. 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 Q1866; NGA 8696.
* [Point Sir Isaac (2)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white flash every 2.5 s. 8 m (26 ft) post rising from a round metal base. Ashley Schmidt has a 2022 photo but the post is not seen in Google's satellite view. The earlier light is at the left edge of Cris Brazzelli's 2009 photo. Located on a promontory on the west side of the entrance to Coffin Bay. Site manager: National Parks South Australia (Coffin Bay National Park). Accessible by 4WD. Admiralty Q1861; NGA 8700.
[Pearson Islands]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 79 m (279 ft); three white flashes, separated by 5 s, every 30 s. 4 m (13 ft) white fiberglass cabinet. No photo available but Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on Pearson Island, a barren and rocky island in the Investigator Group, about 70 km (45 mi) off the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Investigator Group Wilderness Protection Area. Admiralty Q1856; NGA 8752.

South Neptune Island Light
AMSA photo

Streaky Bay District Lightbeacon
* [Streaky Bay (Flinders) Jetty (2?)]
Date unknown (station established 1902). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); quick-flashing light, white or red depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) post. Michael Walsh has a photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of a long jetty at Streaky Bay (formerly called Flinders), a town of about 1600 residents on the upper west coast of the Eyre Peninsula. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1854; NGA 8768.

Ceduna District Lightbeacon
St. Francis Island (2?)
Date unknown (station established 1924). Active; focal plane 86 m (282 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 4 m (13 ft) round white fiberglass cabinet. A 2020 closeup photo is available and Google has a satellite view. No photo has been found of the original lighthouse, which was described as a 13 m (42 ft) skeletal tower in 1942. The Fresnel lens from that lighthouse was transferred to the Cape Banks lighthouse (see above). The island is protected as part of the Nuyts Archipelago Wilderness Protection Area. Located at the east end of the island, about 50 km (30 mi) southwest of Ceduna. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q1818; NGA 8772.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

  • Glenelg Jetty (1872-?), south side of Adelaide. The original lighthouse burned the year after it was built; it was replaced by a 12 m (39 ft) lighthouse in 1874. No photos have been found. The jetty was destroyed by a storm in 1948 and replaced by a new structure.
  • Port Robe (1895-?), Robe. This was described as a "small white lighthouse" on the "first rocky point east of the Robe Jetty." Nothing remains of this light. 
  • Wonga Shoal (1901-1912), Gulf St. Vincent. Lighthouses of Australia also has a page for the lighthouse. A copy of the Cape Jaffa Light, this lighthouse was destroyed by collision with the ship Dimsdale on 17 November 1912. A skeletal tower was placed on the ruins. There is a lightfloat on the shoal today. ARLHS AUS-249.

Notable faux lighthouses:

  •  

St. Francis Island Light, September 2020
Google Maps photo by Cape Ships

Adjoining pages: East: Victoria | West: South Western Australia

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Posted 2004. Checked and revised March 4, 2024. Lighthouses: 46. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.