Old Caloundra Light facts for kids
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| Old Caloundra Light on the right, New Caloundra Light on the left, 2008 | |
 Old Caloundra Light
Location in Queensland
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| Location | Caloundra Queensland Australia |
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| Coordinates | 26°48′05.91″S 153°08′14.8″E / 26.8016417°S 153.137444°E |
| Year first constructed | 1896 |
| Automated | 1942 |
| Deactivated | 1968 |
| Construction | timber frame clad with corrugated iron |
| Tower shape | conical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, red lantern dome |
| Height | 39 feet (12 m) |
| Focal height | 52 feet (16 m) |
| Original lens | fourth order Chance Brothers dioptric |
| Range | 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) |
| ARLHS number | AUS-253 |
The Old Caloundra Light is a famous old lighthouse in Caloundra, Queensland, Australia. It's also called the Old Caloundra Head Light or Cape Caloundra Light. This lighthouse is super old – it's the oldest building still standing in Caloundra! It helped guide ships from 1896 until 1968.
This amazing tower has moved twice! First, in 1970, it went to Woorim Park. Then, in 1999, it moved back to its first home on Canberra Terrace. That's where you can see it today.
Contents
The Story of Caloundra's Old Lighthouse
Why Was This Lighthouse Built?
In 1879, people realized they needed a lighthouse at Caloundra Head. This was because a deep water channel, called the North West Channel, was found. This channel led into Moreton Bay and the Port of Brisbane. The channel went from Caloundra Head all the way along Bribie Island.
Even though this channel became the most used way to enter the port, it wasn't lit until 1896. That's when the Caloundra Head Light was built. It was one of eight lighthouses of its kind. These lighthouses were made from a hardwood frame covered with corrugated iron.
The main job of the Caloundra Head Light was to mark the entrance to the North West Channel. It also helped guide ships into the harbor.
How the Lighthouse Worked
The lighthouse officially started working in September 1896. It had a special lens from a company called Chance Brothers. At first, it used a fixed kerosene lamp for light.
A single lighthouse keeper lived in a small house next to the light. This keeper's house was also a post office with telegraph service. The lighthouse keeper even managed the telegraph office! The telegraph service stopped in 1910, but a telephone was added in 1912. The post office stayed there until 1934.
In 1910, the light got an upgrade. It started using a brighter incandescent vapour kerosene lamp. This was the first of its kind in Queensland. This new light was very bright and could be seen for many miles.
By the 1930s, the channel became even busier. The lighthouse became a symbol of Caloundra. You could see its picture on maps, postcards, and other things promoting the town.
The Lighthouse During Wartime
During World War II, the Royal Australian Navy took control of the lighthouse. They even set up an observation post nearby. In 1942, the lighthouse was changed to run on electricity. It had a petrol-powered generator as a backup.
The lighthouse became automated, meaning it didn't need a keeper anymore. The keeper's cottage was then used by the Coastal Artillery forces. These forces also looked after the light.
After the War and New Changes
After the war, the light stayed automated. It was connected to Brisbane by phone and managed from there. However, the electricity connection wasn't always reliable. So, a local person named Charlie Bigg was hired to look after the light from his home.
The keeper's cottage was sold and moved in 1946. By 1950, the land around the lighthouse became a public park. The lighthouse itself was fenced off. The lighthouse's image still appeared on postcards and local business logos.
In the 1960s, shipping changed. Bigger container ships meant the channel became even more important. In 1966, permission was given to build a New Caloundra Light. This was a modern building that combined a lighthouse, signal station, and radar station. It was built in 1967, right next to the old lighthouse. By 1968, the new lighthouse was fully working, and the old one was turned off.
The Lighthouse's Big Moves
After it was turned off, the old lighthouse faced threats of being torn down. In 1970, volunteers from a local boat club moved it to Woorim Park. But there wasn't enough money to keep it in good shape. The iron covering rusted, and water leaks damaged the timber frame.
Later, in the 1990s, it was clear the tower was in danger of falling apart. To get money for repairs, it needed to be listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. But it couldn't be listed because it wasn't in its original spot.
Since the new lighthouse was turned off in 1992, moving the old lighthouse back became an idea. After a two-year effort by local people and the Caloundra City Council, they got permission to use the original location. The council even gave money to help with the move.
On June 11, 1999, the lighthouse was successfully moved back to its first home. A new base was built over the old one. Later that year, the tower and its top lantern part were fixed up. It took a while to get official permission, but the lighthouse finally opened to the public on March 31, 2001.
Today, the lighthouse is managed by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council. Local groups like the Friends of the Caloundra Lighthouses Inc. help look after it and open it for visitors.
How the Lighthouse is Built
The lighthouse tower is about 11.5 meters (38 feet) tall. It's built in a way that was common for Queensland lighthouses back then. It has a strong hardwood frame covered with corrugated metal. The tower is shaped like a cone. It's wider at the bottom (about 4.3 meters or 14 feet across) and gets narrower at the top (about 2.26 meters or 7.4 feet across).
The bottom of the tower is a round concrete slab. You enter the tower through a small wooden doorway on the north side. The tower also has four small rectangular windows. Two are at ground level, and two are in the middle.
Inside, there are two platforms. You reach them by climbing stepladders through openings in the floors. The outside of the tower is painted white, and the entry door has a red border.
The top of the tower has a metal lantern room. This is where the light used to be. The lantern room has a dome-shaped roof, which is painted red. Around the lantern room is a balcony with a red metal railing. Inside, there's a stand where the lens used to sit, but the lens itself has been removed.
Visiting the Lighthouse
You can visit the area where the lighthouse stands. The tower itself used to be open for tours. As of August 2012, the lighthouse can be visited. The plan is to have both the old and the new lighthouses open to the public.
