Booby Island Lighthouse

Chance Brothers Lighthouse Chance Brothers Lighthouse
  • Date of lens manufacture

    1886

  • Date of lighthouse construction

    1890

  • Country

    Australia

  • Commissioning body
    ---
  • Order of lens

    2nd order

  • Fixed or revolving lens

    Revolving

  • Active/Inactive

    Active

  • Describe the character of light

    was F1.W.4s now F1.W10s

  • Describe the lighthouses daymarks

    White conical tower with red dome

  • Which aspects of the lighthouse (other than the lens) were manufactured by Chance brothers
    ---
  • Describe the history of the lighthouse

    1890 the lighthouse was contructed by John and Jacob Rooney of Maryborough for £3,329. It was of timber frame with galvinised iron cladding. This was the last of the major lighthouses to be built. The lens was built on a rotating pedistal with a mercury bearings. the light source was an oil wick burner. There were 3 houses for the keepers and 1 for the relief keeper. In the 19th century there were so many shipwrecks in the area that extra provisions were kept on the island for the wrecked seamen. 1917 Light source changed to kerosene lamp 1961 Radio beacon installed. 1963 Converted to electricity 1991 Converted to solar power. The lens and mercury pedistal was removed and the mercury drained. /the lens and pedistal is on veiw in the Green Hill Fort museum on Thursday Island. 1992 The lighthouse was automated and demanned. Apparently Capt William Bligh landed on Booby Island in 1789 during his 6000km voyage in an open 7m boat to Timor.

  • Current management body/ ports authority

    Australian Maritime Safety Authority

  • Historical preservation societies/manager/operator

    Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

  • Is the site vulnerable to coastal erosion?
    nu
  • Have you experienced any affects of climate change on the lighthouse?
    ---
  • Observations on the condition of the lighthouse?

    Maintained

  • Is the site open/closed to the public

    Closed

  • Is the tower open/closed to the public

    Closed

  • Latitude and Longitude

    -10.6041671, 141.9113513

  • On-site bookable accommodation available
    ---
  • Associated web addresses
    1. Lighthouses of Australia: Far North
    2. https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/qldn.htm
    3. Lighthouses of Australia inc
    4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booby_Island_Light
  • Other details

    photo acknowledgement: Lighthouses of Australia inc

    ARLHS AUS-011; Admiralty K3274; NGA 9620.

  • Which resources did you use to research this lighthouses?
    1. Google.com
    2. en.Wikipedia.org
    3. Chance Lighthouses (1856-1917) (61 years), David Encill's list 1856-95: 1886; Holophotal revolving lights ordinary type
Former Chance Lens Since Replaced/Removed Former Chance Lens Since Replaced/Removed
  • Date of decommissioning or removal of Chance lens

    1991

  • Which lens(es) replaced the Chance lens ?

    VRB-25

added on 15 august 2022
Made In Smethwick: Lighthouses Around the World

In the 1800s, Chance Brothers & Co glassworks in Smethwick began making the hi-tech lenses that lighthouses use to warn ships of dangerous locations. By 1951, over 2,500 lighthouses around the world were fitted with a Chance lens.

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