15/06/2026
🏛️ Cleveland Point Lighthouse – A Relocated Maritime Landmark of Moreton Bay
💡 Did you know the Cleveland Point Lighthouse was moved about 30 metres from its original working position to preserve it after more than a century of service?
The lighthouse story begins in 1847, when Francis Edward Bigge established a simple private beacon at the tip of Cleveland Point. It was little more than a wooden pole with a kerosene lamp, maintained daily by a local constable who walked to the site each morning and evening to light, extinguish, and service it. This early light guided small vessels between Brisbane, the Logan River, and Moreton Bay for around 17 years.
In 1864–1865, the pole was replaced with a permanent lighthouse - a rare hexagonal timber-framed tower clad in weatherboards, built on the same headland. First lit in 1865, it used a kerosene lamp visible for around 14.5 km, later upgraded in 1874 and 1879 with Chance Brothers Fresnel lenses to improve its reach across the bay.
From 1877 to 1927, the lighthouse was maintained by keeper James Troy and his family, an extraordinary 50-year tenure, followed by Charles Klemm until the mid-20th century. The light was converted to electricity in 1934, remaining in use until automation replaced lighthouse keepers.
In 1976, a modern automated beacon was installed on the same navigation point. To preserve the historic structure, the original timber lighthouse was relocated approximately 30 metres within Cleveland Point reserve, rather than demolished, and later restored by the Redland Shire Council in 1978.
Today, it stands as one of only two surviving hexagonal timber lighthouses in Australia, retaining its original form, lantern room, and gallery — a rare physical link to Moreton Bay’s early maritime history.
📍 If you like facts like this, come visit the Redlands Coast Museum to explore more stories, objects, and history from the region’s past.
💬 Do you remember seeing it before restoration, or hearing stories from locals who grew up with it on the point?
