Booby Island Light

The Booby Island Light is a heritage-listed lighthouse located on Booby Island in the Shire of Torres, near the tip of Cape York Peninsula, west of Prince of Wales Island, within the Endeavour Strait, Queensland, Australia. It marks the western entrance to the navigation channel through the Torres Strait. The lighthouse was constructed in 1890 and features a conical tower with a balcony and lantern, standing 59 feet tall. Its focal height is 121 feet, and it has a characteristic of flashing white every 10 seconds.

The history of the Booby Island Light dates back to 1859, when the colony of Queensland was formed. The first Portmaster, Commander George Poynter Heath, recommended the construction of the lighthouse in 1873, but it wasn't until 1885 that formal approval was given, and tenders were called in April 1899. The lighthouse was built by the Rooney brothers and first exhibited on June 24, 1890. Over the years, the lighthouse has undergone several upgrades, including the installation of a radio beacon in 1961, conversion to electricity in 1963, and a solar power conversion in 1991. The original lens and pedestal were removed and replaced with a modern rotating mechanism, which now resides in the Thursday Island Museum.

Today, the Booby Island Light is an active lighthouse and a significant landmark in the region. Its location near the tip of Cape York Peninsula makes it a vital aid to navigation for ships passing through the Torres Strait. The lighthouse is also a testament to the importance of maritime safety and the efforts of the Queensland government to establish a network of lighthouses along the coast.

Light and tower

It has a conical tower with balcony and lantern tower. The tower is built of timber frame [[Cladding (construction)|clad]] with [[galvanised iron]]. The light has a range of 20 nautical miles. Its light characteristic is Fl W 10s. It was automated in 1991.