Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Wednesday 16 November 1938, page 23


Foundation For Lighthouse

THE COMMONWEALTH Government has commenced the erection of a lighthouse on a 72ft steel tower at Y Reef, an outcrop of rock 20 miles south of Cape York, and 50 miles from Thursday Island.

AT low water only a portion of the reef is bare (picture above, right), but at high water it is completely covered, and the construction work can only be undertaken three hours each side of high water. The picture below shows concrete pillars, erected to carry a platform 50ft by 50ft. for the workmen to pitch their tents on for living quarters, and for a building which is in course of erection (picture top left) for the storing of material necessary for construction purposes.

THE lighthouse service steamer S.S. Cape Leeuwin (below left) calls on its usual maintenance routine trip, and the ketch. Goodwill, of Thursday Island (right), stands by in case of need. In the preparatory work. 200 tons of sand and gravel and 40 tons of cement, in bins, and 75 tons of stone, and large quantities of ironwork, had to be anchored to the reef. There was no shelter from the intense heat, and the water is infested with sharks. All fresh water has to be brought from Thursday Island.