Located on the North Eastern Point of Moreton Island and the Eastern side of Moreton Bay, Cape Moreton Lighthouse is a spectacular attraction for tourists that visit this part of Queensland, Australia. Moreton Island can be accessed by a ferry ride from Scarborough that may take approximately 2 hours.
Cape Moreton Lighthouse is the first to be built in Queensland and is believed to be over 150 years old. Cape Moreton Lighthouse is used to mark the northern access to Brisbane and Moreton Bay.
In addition, Cape Moreton Lighthouse adds to the many tourist attraction features of along Moreton Island making the place a good tourist attraction site.
With its unique red and white bands, Cape Moreton Lighthouse stands 75 feet tall (23 meters) and is the only stone-built lighthouse in the whole of Queensland.
The Cape Moreton Lighthouse station is built on three levels; the uppermost level has the lighthouse itself which is bordered by a workshop, an old fuel store and powerhouse, a cottage for the head keeper and an office; the second level consists of a residence for the assistant keeper, a garage, a powerhouse, and two sheds; the bottom level consists of a residence of the second assistant keeper and a fuel store.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority operates the lighthouse station and offers travel permits to people who would like to access the area.
The lighthouse was built following a rise in ship traffic at the northern entry point to Moreton Bay. Before its construction, ships used to hit the mainland as they entered Moreton Bay thus the need for the lighthouse.
The first source of light for Cape Moreton Lighthouse was an oil wick which was later transformed to acetylene gas in 1930. Between 1937 and 1998, Cape Moreton Lighthouse’s light source went through several upgrades with the final one being an automated laser beam that directs light up to a distance of 30 kilometers.
The light from Cape Moreton lighthouse shows four white flashes that are 3.3 seconds apart after every 20 seconds.
Visitors to Moreton Island can access the lighthouse through resorts that are available on the Island or that offer trips to the Island. At the Cape, visitors can enjoy a spectacular view of the open ocean waters as the angry waves hit the rocky outcrop on which the lighthouse lies.
Visitors to the lighthouse can also enjoy a dazzling view of the whale migration that happens annually between June and October. Different species of fauna like Dolphins, turtles, manta rays, and dugongs can also be found around the lighthouse.
The Moreton Island National Park Information Centre which is near the Cape Moreton Lighthouse may be accessed by visitors who wish to gain more insight on the history of both the lighthouse and Moreton Island.
Visitors of the lighthouse are not only confined to enjoying the views of the ocean or those of the migrating fish, but also they can take part in dolphin feeding which is part of the activities in the island as well as fishing.
This is appropriate for the campers who wish to explore marine food since all they have to carry is fishing lines and probably fire to roast the fish. Access to the lighthouse exposes visitors to diving and snorkeling.
For the food lovers, Cape Moreton Lighthouse is surrounded by restaurants such as Gutter Bar and Castaway Restaurant serving seafood cuisines.
Also, the fact that the lighthouse is quite a climb from the beach, it provides a good platform for fitness enthusiasts to exercise as they enjoy the beautiful views of the beach and the Glasshouse Mountains which are found on the western side of Moreton Island.
