Pine Islet Light
Encyclopedia
Pine Islet Light, also known as Percy Isles Light, is an active lighthouse
located at Pine Islet, a small islet belonging to the Percy Isles group of the Northumberland Islands
, about 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) southeast of Mackay
, Queensland
, Australia
. The original lighthouse, established 1885, was active for a hundred years, until it was deactivated in 1985, by then the last kerosene
powered lighthouse in Australia. It was relocated to the Mackay Marina in 1985 and restored to full working condition, making it the last fully functional kerosene operated lighthouse in the world. At the original location now stands a modern fiberglass
tower.
The light was first proposed in 1881 and again in 1882. Tenders were called in 1883, and the lighthouse was constructed by W. P. Clark in 1885, a typical Queensland lighthouse built of a hardwood frame clad
with galvanized iron plates. The light source and the apparatus were upgraded in 1923 and in 1934 respectively. The cottages were replaced in 1927. The station received electricity in 1950, but the light remained kerosene operated until it was decommissioned in 1985. Reconstruction of the lighthouse at Mackay, where it stands today, took from 1989 to 1995. The lighthouse is accessible to the public and tours are available.
The current lighthouse at Pine Islet is a 20 feet (6.1 m) high fiberglass tower without a lamp, which also serves as a daymark. The light source is a solar power
ed VRB-25
lamp. The site is not accessible to the public.
cottages, for both Pine Islet Light and Double Island Point Light
. The contract for both lightstations, for the cost of £6900, was awarded to W. P. Clark, who already constructed Queensland's first lighthouse since Queensland's formation, Bustard Head Light
(in 1868), and who was also awarded the contract for Low Isles Light
in 1877 and for Cape Cleveland Light
and Dent Island Light
in 1878.
Construction was completed and the lighthouse was exhibited on 18 July 1885. The building was prefabricated
and constructed on the islet, built of an internal hardwood frame, clad with rivet
ed galvanized iron plates imported from Britain. It originally had a timber balcony floor. The original apparatus was a second-order revolving lens, having a focal length
of 70 millimetres (2.8 in) focal length
, with four fixed panels and four flash panels. Its optics were either catadioptric
or dioptric. The original lamp was an oil wick burner
running on whale or vegetable oil. A red shade was used to mark Normanby Rock, about 1.6 kilometre (0.863930885529158 nmi) to the southwest. A 1909 listing lists a visibility range of 20 nautical miles (37 km).
In 1923, the light was converted to a Chance Brothers
55 millimetres (2.2 in) incandescent gas mantle fuelled by vapourised kerosene
. In 1927 the original keepers' cottages were demolished and three timber framed and fibro
clad cottages were constructed. At the same year the tower's floor was replaced with concrete. In 1934 the light was again upgraded, replacing the apparatus with a clockwork
driven apparatus from North Reef Light
. The height of the lighthouse meant this mechanism had to be wound every two hours. The light was visible for a distance of 21 nautical miles (38.9 km). In 1950 110V electricity was installed at the islet and the cottages were electrified, but the light was not converted to electricity. A 240V system was installed in 1965, again without converting the light. In 27 August 1985 the lighthouse was decommissioned, to be replaced by a modern fiberglass
tower. By then it was the last kerosene power lighthouse in Australia.
The tower was dismantled by the Department of Transport and Communications from 2 October to 12 November 1986. In 1989, after much lobbying, the lighthouse and apparatus were loaned to the Pine Islet Lighthouse Preservation Society for reconstruction at Mackay, mainly by volunteers. Reconstruction started on 18 August 1989 and the lighthouse was restored to fully functional status in late 1995, making it the last operational kerosene light in the world. In 2004 it was repainted by the Mackay Port Authority.
.
The current light characteristic is a white flash every ten seconds (Fl.W. 10s) visible at 318°-218°, for a distance of 18 nautical miles (33.3 km).
The apparatus is a solar power
ed VRB-25
rotating at 1 rpm. The light source is a 12 Volt
35 Watt
Halogen lamp
with an intensity of 63,155 cd
.
Of the other buildings on the station, one keeper's cottage is extant, painted white with a green roof.
. The island is accessible only by boat, and both the site and the tower are closed to the public.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
located at Pine Islet, a small islet belonging to the Percy Isles group of the Northumberland Islands
Northumberland Islands
Australia's Northumberland Islands are a scattered island chain off the Queensland coast, located south-east of the city of Mackay roughly between the latitudes 21°S and 22°S. All islands are of the continental type. The island group was named by James Cook during his historic voyage along...
, about 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) southeast of Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The original lighthouse, established 1885, was active for a hundred years, until it was deactivated in 1985, by then the last kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
powered lighthouse in Australia. It was relocated to the Mackay Marina in 1985 and restored to full working condition, making it the last fully functional kerosene operated lighthouse in the world. At the original location now stands a modern fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
tower.
The light was first proposed in 1881 and again in 1882. Tenders were called in 1883, and the lighthouse was constructed by W. P. Clark in 1885, a typical Queensland lighthouse built of a hardwood frame clad
Cladding (construction)
Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer intended to control the infiltration of weather elements, or for aesthetic purposes....
with galvanized iron plates. The light source and the apparatus were upgraded in 1923 and in 1934 respectively. The cottages were replaced in 1927. The station received electricity in 1950, but the light remained kerosene operated until it was decommissioned in 1985. Reconstruction of the lighthouse at Mackay, where it stands today, took from 1989 to 1995. The lighthouse is accessible to the public and tours are available.
The current lighthouse at Pine Islet is a 20 feet (6.1 m) high fiberglass tower without a lamp, which also serves as a daymark. The light source is a solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
ed VRB-25
VRB-25
The VRB-25 is a lighthouse optical system designed and built by Vega Industries Ltd. in Porirua, New Zealand. It was originally designed in 1993-95 with the assistance of the United States Coast Guard to meet USCG requirements for a robust mechanism requiring minimum maintenance. It has become the...
lamp. The site is not accessible to the public.
History
A lighthouse at Pine Islet was first proposed in a report to the Queensland Parliament on 26 July 1881, by Commander George Poynter Heath, the first Portmaster of Queensland. A second proposal was made by Heath in a report on 18 August 1882. Tenders were called at the end of June 1883 tenders were called, for the construction of lighthouse and lighthouse keeperLighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
cottages, for both Pine Islet Light and Double Island Point Light
Double Island Point Light
Double Island Point Light is an active lighthouse located at the summit of Double Island Point, a coastal headland within the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park. It is located at the southern end of Wide Bay, north of Noosa Heads, Queensland, Australia.Though the location was...
. The contract for both lightstations, for the cost of £6900, was awarded to W. P. Clark, who already constructed Queensland's first lighthouse since Queensland's formation, Bustard Head Light
Bustard Head Light
Bustard Head Light is an active lighthouse located on the southeast tip of Bustard Head, a headland, about northwest of 1770, Queensland, Australia, within the Eurimbula National Park. Built in 1868, it is the second oldest lightstation in Queensland, following Cape Moreton Light, and the first to...
(in 1868), and who was also awarded the contract for Low Isles Light
Low Isles Light
Low Isles Light, also known as Low Islets Light or Low Island Light, is an active lighthouse located on Low Island, a coral cay which together with Woody Island forms the Low Isles group, about northeast of Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia...
in 1877 and for Cape Cleveland Light
Cape Cleveland Light
Cape Cleveland Light is an active lighthouse located on the northern tip of Cape Cleveland, a promontory projecting into the Coral Sea west of Cleveland Bay and about east of Townsville, Queensland, Australia...
and Dent Island Light
Dent Island Light
Dent Island Light is an active lighthouse located on Dent Island, a small island off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Dent Island is part of the Whitsunday Group of the Whitsunday Islands...
in 1878.
Construction was completed and the lighthouse was exhibited on 18 July 1885. The building was prefabricated
Prefabrication
Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located...
and constructed on the islet, built of an internal hardwood frame, clad with rivet
Rivet
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the buck-tail. On installation the rivet is placed in a punched or pre-drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked A rivet...
ed galvanized iron plates imported from Britain. It originally had a timber balcony floor. The original apparatus was a second-order revolving lens, having a focal length
Focal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...
of 70 millimetres (2.8 in) focal length
Focal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...
, with four fixed panels and four flash panels. Its optics were either catadioptric
Catadioptric
A catadioptric optical system is one where refraction and reflection are combined in an optical system, usually via lenses and curved mirrors . Catadioptric combinations are used in focusing systems such as search lights, headlamps, early lighthouse focusing systems, optical telescopes,...
or dioptric. The original lamp was an oil wick burner
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
running on whale or vegetable oil. A red shade was used to mark Normanby Rock, about 1.6 kilometre (0.863930885529158 nmi) to the southwest. A 1909 listing lists a visibility range of 20 nautical miles (37 km).
In 1923, the light was converted to a Chance Brothers
Chance Brothers
Chance Brothers and Company was a glassworks originally based in Spon Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands , in England. It was a leading glass manufacturer and a pioneer of British glassmaking technology....
55 millimetres (2.2 in) incandescent gas mantle fuelled by vapourised kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
. In 1927 the original keepers' cottages were demolished and three timber framed and fibro
Fibro
Fibro, the shortened form of "Fibrous Cement" - or "Fibrous Asbestos Cement", FAC, is a building material made of compressed fibres cemented into rigid sheets....
clad cottages were constructed. At the same year the tower's floor was replaced with concrete. In 1934 the light was again upgraded, replacing the apparatus with a clockwork
Clockwork
A clockwork is the inner workings of either a mechanical clock or a device that operates in a similar fashion. Specifically, the term refers to a mechanical device utilizing a complex series of gears....
driven apparatus from North Reef Light
North Reef Light
North Reef Light is an active lighthouse located on North Reef, a planar reef, about northeast of Gladstone, Queensland, Australia. The lighthouse was constructed on a migratory patch of sand inside a fringing coral reef, which over the years disappeared and reappeared, as sand was washed away...
. The height of the lighthouse meant this mechanism had to be wound every two hours. The light was visible for a distance of 21 nautical miles (38.9 km). In 1950 110V electricity was installed at the islet and the cottages were electrified, but the light was not converted to electricity. A 240V system was installed in 1965, again without converting the light. In 27 August 1985 the lighthouse was decommissioned, to be replaced by a modern fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
tower. By then it was the last kerosene power lighthouse in Australia.
The tower was dismantled by the Department of Transport and Communications from 2 October to 12 November 1986. In 1989, after much lobbying, the lighthouse and apparatus were loaned to the Pine Islet Lighthouse Preservation Society for reconstruction at Mackay, mainly by volunteers. Reconstruction started on 18 August 1989 and the lighthouse was restored to fully functional status in late 1995, making it the last operational kerosene light in the world. In 2004 it was repainted by the Mackay Port Authority.
Current lighthouse
The current tower is a 20 feet (6.1 m) high fiberglass structure without a lantern, which also acts as a daymarkDaymark
A daymark or a day marker is a structure such as a tower constructed on land as an aid to navigation by sailors. While similar in concept to a lighthouse, a daymark does not have a light and so is usually only visible during daylight hours...
.
The current light characteristic is a white flash every ten seconds (Fl.W. 10s) visible at 318°-218°, for a distance of 18 nautical miles (33.3 km).
The apparatus is a solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
ed VRB-25
VRB-25
The VRB-25 is a lighthouse optical system designed and built by Vega Industries Ltd. in Porirua, New Zealand. It was originally designed in 1993-95 with the assistance of the United States Coast Guard to meet USCG requirements for a robust mechanism requiring minimum maintenance. It has become the...
rotating at 1 rpm. The light source is a 12 Volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
35 Watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
Halogen lamp
Halogen lamp
A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen lamp, is an incandescent lamp with a tungsten filament contained within an inert gas and a small amount of a halogen such as iodine or bromine. The chemical halogen cycle redeposits evaporated tungsten back on to the filament, extending the life of...
with an intensity of 63,155 cd
Candela
The candela is the SI base unit of luminous intensity; that is, power emitted by a light source in a particular direction, weighted by the luminosity function . A common candle emits light with a luminous intensity of roughly one candela...
.
Of the other buildings on the station, one keeper's cottage is extant, painted white with a green roof.
Site operation and visiting
The original lighthouse stands in the Mackay Marina on the waterfront of Mackay Harbor. The site is managed by the Pine Islet Lighthouse Preservation Society and tours of the lighthouse are available. The current lighthouse at Pine Islet is operated by the Australian Maritime Safety AuthorityAustralian Maritime Safety Authority
Australian Maritime Safety Authority is responsible, on behalf of the Commonwealth Government of Australia, for the regulation and safety oversight of Australia's shipping fleet and management of Australia's international maritime obligations...
. The island is accessible only by boat, and both the site and the tower are closed to the public.