Jutting into the northern reaches of Spencer Gulf near Whyalla on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, the elegant white tower of Point Lowly Lighthouse has guided vessels bound for the industrial ports of Port Pirie, Port Augusta, and the burgeoning steelworks of Whyalla for over 140 years. Watching over waters renowned for their treacherous “dodge tides”, periods of almost no tidal movement unique to the region, and sudden weather changes, this solitary beacon represents a vital link in the maritime chain that fuelled the colony’s grain exports, mineral trade and laterly heavy industry. Its construction marked the end of reliance on lightships in upper Spencer Gulf while its survival into the modern era owes much to fierce community advocacy.

Erected on a low rocky promontory approximately 20 km north of Whyalla Point Lowly Lighthouse was born from necessity in the early 1880s. As shipping traffic intensified with the expansion of northern ports and the lead smelting boom at Port Pirie, mariners repeatedly highlighted the hazards of navigating the gulf’s narrow upper reaches where poor visibility and deceptive currents led to many groundings. Replacing an unsatisfactory lightship the lighthouse was constructed in 1882/3 from local sandstone quarried nearby at a cost of £4,500. The circular tower, originally 15 metres tall, was first exhibited on 1 February 1883 with Fred Franks and George Templemen appointed as its inaugural keepers.

The original apparatus featured an eight panel catadioptric lens revolving once every 80 seconds, producing a two-second white flash every 10 seconds from a wick burner fuelled by mineral oil (later upgraded to vapourised kerosene). Supplies reached the isolated station by boat from Port Pirie across the gulf, underscoring the keepers’ self-reliance in this remote outpost. Two attached keepers’ cottages, built simultaneously, provided family accommodation amid the harsh coastal conditions.

By the early 1900s, incidents, including vessels grounding near Douglas Point, exposed limitations in the light’s limited visibility and range and in 1909 the tower was heightened by 8m using reinforced concrete, an innovative early application of this new material in South Australian lighthouse construction. This extension, combined with intensified illuminants boosted the light’s effectiveness markedly.

The station remained manned for 90 years with keepers maintaining the revolving mechanism and fog signals as shipping traffic grew with BHP’s iron ore and steel operations at Whyalla. Conversion to electric operation and automation occurred in 1973 leading to it’s demanning. In 1993 the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) deactivated the light deeming it redundant amid modern navigational aids like GPS and were planning to demolish it however local community outcry was swift and effective.

The City of Whyalla, supported by state government funding purchased the site in 1995 and reactivated the lighthouse which was regarded as an important historical icon of the area and which as since become a popular tourist attraction. Today, the lighthouse operates automatically on mains electricity its light maintained by the local council rather than AMSA. The heritage listed keepers’ cottages have been refurbished as popular holiday accommodation drawing visitors to this scenic area famed for its giant Australian cuttlefish aggregation, dolphin sightings, and dramatic coastal vistas.

The Point Lowly Lighthouse endures not only as a navigational relic but as an iconic emblem of upper Spencer Gulf’s industrial heritage and community resilience, its beam still sweeping over waters now shared by recreational boaters, divers and the occasional bulk carrier.

Technical Details

Point Lowly Lighthouse

• First Exhibited: 1 February 1883
• Construction: 1882–1883 (local sandstone lower section); extended 1909 (reinforced concrete upper section)
• Tower Height: 23 metres (original 15 m sandstone base + 8 m concrete extension)
• Focal Plane: Approximately 30 metres above sea level
• Original Lens: Eight-panel catoptric (revolving)
• Original Light Source: Mineral oil wick burner; later vapourised kerosene
• Current Characteristic: Fixed white (symbolic operation; historic pattern maintained)
• Range: Approximately 14–20 nautical miles (historical maximum)
• Status: Active, reactivated 1995 (symbolic/community-operated, automated)
• Automation: 1973 (electric conversion and demanning)
• First Keepers: Fred Franks and George Templemen (1883)
• Heritage Listings: South Australian Heritage Register (15 December 1994; confirmed 11 November 1999); includes lighthouse, cottages, and 2.14 ha reserve
• Operator: City of Whyalla (since 1995; previously AMSA & CLS)