South Australian lighthouse records – Fact sheet 259

The protection of shipping was vital to the developing colony of South Australia. The Cape Willoughby Lighthouse – or Sturt Light as it was originally named – was therefore established on Kangaroo Island in 1852 to guide vessels through the treacherous waters of Backstairs Passage. Other lighthouses were established on Troubridge Island off the coast of Yorke Peninsula in 1855, at Cape Borda on Kangaroo Island in 1858 and at Cape Northumberland, also known as McDonnell Light, in 1859.

For vessels sailing through the Roaring Forties of the Southern Ocean, the Cape Northumberland light was the first light visible on the Australian coast. Construction of lighthouses continued for the remainder of the 19th century and into the 20th century resulting in more than 20 lighthouses along the South Australian coastline.

With Federation in 1901, the administration of lighthouses became a Commonwealth responsibility. However, the transfer of control did not occur until 1915 when the Lighthouses Act 1911 came into effect.

Record holdings

Records relating to the operation of South Australian lighthouses are held in the Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra and Sydney offices of the National Archives. The earliest South Australian records date from 1852 and include drawings, logbooks, weather reports and various records relating to individual lighthouses as well as central administration records. Details of the major record holdings are listed below.

Lighthouse drawings, plans and images

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Drawings and plans of lighthouses and associated buildings and equipment	1833–1968	A9568
	Original drawings, plans and prints of National Estate properties	1847–1977	D1051
	Lightstation drawings	1860–	A10182
	Glass plate negatives of coastal lighthouses	1917–	A6247
	Photographs of buildings including lighthouses	1946–83	D3481

General administrative and staffing records

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Register of vessels (arrivals and departures), Port Adelaide	1874–1924	D1
	Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) correspondence files	1916–56	D2014
	AMSA Navigation section correspondence files	1919–55	D1911
	Taking-on forms – list of persons for lighthouse service	1934–46	AP143/5
	Confidential personal administration files	1952–72	D2113
	Department of Shipping and Transport correspondence files	1955–92	D935

Records of South Australian lighthouses

A selection of records relating to South Australian lighthouses is listed in the table below.

Cape Borda (Flinders Light)

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Lighthouse log books	1858–1966	D21
	Lighthouse log books and monthly return of weather	1967–71	D2159
	Monthly fuel and oil statements	1972	D2017

Collection references

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Lighthouse log books	1867–1966	D25
	Monthly return of weather	1952–66	D2230
	Navigational aid station log books	1971–80	D2016
	Half-yearly returns of children on lightstation	1976–79	D2924

Cape Willoughby (Sturt Light)

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Lighthouse log books	1852–1966	D26
	Record of passing vessels	1931–40	D39
	Requisitions book	1933–41	D40

Lowly Point

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Lighthouse log books	1883–1973	D18
	Record of necessary work	1934–44	D43
	Head light keepers general order books	1940–44	D45
	Register of rainfall observation	1946–72	D2903

For more information

Find out more about lighthouses in the National Archives collection.

Records about South Australian lighthouses in the period before Federation can be found at the South Australian Archives Centre. 

Information on other Australian lighthouses:

• Lighthouse records held in Hobart
• Lighthouse records held in Brisbane