Lighthouse records held in Brisbane

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During the mid-nineteenth century new ports were being developed along Queensland’s north coast, including Mackay in 1860 and Bowen in 1864. To reach these ports ships had to navigate the dangerous waters inside the Great Barrier Reef. At this time Queensland had only one lighthouse – on Moreton Island – which had been built by the New South Wales government in 1857. In 1864 a select committee of the Queensland Legislative Assembly recommended that four lighthouses be built: Cape Byron (on the northern New South Wales coast), Sandy Cape, Cape Capricorn and Bustard Head. The first – at Bustard Head – was completed in 1868. Many Queensland lighthouses were built by 1915 when the Commonwealth government took responsibility for the function.

Record holdings

The National Archives holds records relating to the operation of Queensland lighthouses. Dating from 1854 these include drawings, logbooks and weather reports of individual lighthouses as well as central administration records. Records relating to lightships are also held.

Most of these records are held in Brisbane. You can identify many of them by conducting searches for items using the RecordSearch database. Samples of the types of records held are listed below.

Lighthouse drawings and plans
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station drawings 1854–1954 J2775
Light station drawings, 'CN' (Central Navaid) prefix 1860– A10182
Light station drawings, 'SN' (South Australia/Northern Territory) prefix 1890–1990 J3013
Light station drawings, 'QN' (Queensland Navaid) prefix 1914– J2776
Original tracings, architectural drawings 1942–59 J153
Plans of works 1878–1971 BP227/1
Plans 1950–72 BP374/1

General administrative and staffing records
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Property correspondence files 1902–98 J56
Correspondence files relating to marine navigation (includes staff matters) 1915–60 BP250/1
Correspondence files relating to marine services 1915–61 J2826
Correspondence files relating to shipping, maritime incidents, coastal navigation, wreck and salvage, and lighthouse facilities 1935–95 J317
Personal history files 1927–92 J1170
Personal history cards 1927–90 J1139
Monthly return of watches kept and duties performed 1952–71 BP283/1

Examples of records on particular Queensland lighthouses

Booby Island
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station log books 1934–60 BP306/5
Light station visitors books 1976–92 J2524

Bustard Head
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station log books 1962–86 J1135
Light station log books 1935–62 BP306/6
Light station visitors books 1961–86 J1132
Register of equipment 1915–53 BP306/17
Light station daily shipping logs 1954–61 BP306/2

Cape Cleveland
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station log books 1935–61 BP306/7
Light station log books 1971–87 J2513

Cape Moreton
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station log books 1959–66 BP306/8
Light station log books 1966–91 J2514
Light station visitors books 1973–87 J2873

Dent Island
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station log books 1935–66 BP306/9
Light station log books 1970–87 J2518
Light station daily shipping logs 1952–58 BP306/4

Double Island Point
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station log books 1936–65 BP306/10
Light station log books 1965–90 J2515

Lady Elliott Island
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station log books 1936–59 BP306/12
Light station log books 1971–88 J2519

Sandy Cape
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Light station log books 1936–67 BP306/16
Light station log books 1971–90 J2522

Other holdings of records about lighthouses

Records about Queensland lighthouses in the period before Federation are also held by Queensland State Archives.