Dent Island Light facts for kids
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| Dent Island Lightstation, 2007 | |
 Dent Island Light
Location in Queensland
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| Location | Dent Island Queensland Australia |
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| Coordinates | 20°22′09.31″S 148°55′44.17″E / 20.3692528°S 148.9289361°E |
| Year first constructed | 1879 |
| Automated | 1987 |
| Construction | timber frame clad with galvanized iron |
| Tower shape | conical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower and lantern, red lantern dome |
| Height | 33 feet (10 m) |
| Focal height | 121 feet (37 m) |
| Original lens | 4th order |
| Current lens | ML-300 |
| Intensity | 1785 cd |
| Range | 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl.W. 5s |
| Admiralty number | K3064 |
| NGA number | 111-10204 |
| ARLHS number | AUS-188 |
The Dent Island Light is an active lighthouse in Queensland, Australia. It stands on Dent Island, a small island that is part of the Whitsunday Group. This lighthouse is very important for guiding ships. It helps them safely navigate the Whitsunday Passage. This passage is a busy shipping route between Whitsunday Island and other islands to the west. The light also marks the Dent Island Passage.
This lighthouse has a long history. It was built at the same time as the Cape Cleveland Light in 1879. Over the years, the Dent Island Light has been updated several times. In the 1920s, its old oil lamp was replaced with a brighter gas lamp. Later, in 1983, it started using solar power. The lighthouse became fully automated in 1987, meaning no one needed to live there anymore to operate it.
The Dent Island Light looks like many other lighthouses in Queensland. It has a timber frame covered with galvanized iron plates. These plates protect the structure. At the top, there is a special room called a lantern room. This room holds the light. The tower is painted white, and its dome is red. Today, a modern ML-300 lantern produces the light.
Contents
History of the Dent Island Light
The idea for the Dent Island Light came from Commander George Poynter Heath. He was in charge of the Queensland Marine Board. In 1878, he suggested building this lighthouse and the Cape Cleveland Light. Both lighthouses were approved in April 1878.
Building the Lighthouse
Companies were asked to bid on building both lighthouses. Each project included the lighthouse tower and two homes for the keepers. W. P. Clark won the contracts. He had built other lighthouses in Queensland before. However, due to some problems, John Clark and James Wiseman took over. They finished building both stations in December 1879.
The lighthouse tower was built in a special way. It had a strong timber frame inside. This frame was then covered with thin iron plates. These plates were not part of the main structure. They simply protected the tower from the weather.
Early Light and Upgrades
When it first started, the lighthouse used a "fourth order lens." This lens focused the light from an oil wick burner. The light was quite bright, at 4,000 cd. Like many old lighthouses, it used a clockwork system. This system had weights that needed to be wound up regularly. Because the tower was not very tall (only 6 metres (20 ft) from base to lantern), the keepers had to wind the mechanism every 75 minutes.
In 1925, the light got a big upgrade. The oil lamp was replaced with a powerful gas lamp. This new lamp used pressurized kerosene and was much brighter. It had an intensity of 225,000 cd. Ships could see this light from 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) away. Two years later, in 1927, the lens was also replaced. It received a refurbished lens that used to be at the Cape Cleveland Light.
The lighthouse was updated again in 1983. It was changed to run on solar power. This made it more efficient. Its visibility range was set to 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi). Finally, in 1987, the lighthouse became fully automated. This meant that lighthouse keepers were no longer needed to live and work there.
How the Light Works Today
The Dent Island Light still guides ships today. Its light flashes white every five seconds. This pattern is called "Fl.W. 5s." The light can be seen from 335 to 167 degrees around the compass. It has a range of 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi).
The equipment inside the lantern room is modern. It uses an ML-300 apparatus. The light comes from a 12 Volt, 35 Watt Halogen lamp. This lamp produces a bright light with an intensity of 1785 cd.
What the Lighthouse Looks Like
The tower itself is 6 metres (20 ft) tall from its base to the lantern. It has a cone shape. The main structure is a timber frame. This frame is covered with galvanized iron plates. The entire tower is painted white.
To get to the top, there is a circular cast iron staircase inside. The very top of the tower holds the lantern room. This room is about 6 feet 7.75 inches (2.0257 m) wide. It was made by Chance Brothers, a famous company that built many lighthouses. The lantern room is white, and its dome is painted red. Inside, you can see the modern ML-300 lens.
Other Buildings at the Station
The lighthouse station also has other buildings. There are two cottages that were built in 1960. These homes have timber frames and are covered with fibro material. Their roofs are made of galvanised iron. One cottage has two floors and an enclosed porch. The other is a single-story building with an open porch.
Other buildings at the station include a winch house, a storage shed, and an engine room. There is also a building that combines a workshop and a radio room.
Visiting Dent Island Light
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority operates the Dent Island Light. The island can only be reached by boat. However, Dent Island is privately owned. This means that the lighthouse site is not open to the public.
Images for kids
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A 1917 photo of the lighthouse
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Plans for the tower, 1878
