10 Lighthouses in Queensland That You Shouldn't Miss

Souvenirs, tshirts, bike hire, reef tours. Make this the first place to go to on your holiday to Agnes Water and Town of 1770! Not easy to spot at first, but they're a little hidden gem and absolutely well worth seeing (part of the Caltex petrol station complex). The Discover 1770 Shop is your ONE STOP VISITOR SHOP in Agnes Water. They hire bikes and snorkel gear, advise you of the best walks, tours and free stuff to do there. Grab a free local map and local advice from Lisa and Kevin. Don't leave town without a quality and tasteful t-shirt, hat or hoodie (they stock top quality A S Colour brand!) PASSIONATE, HELPFUL, KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF. There's a beautiful range of souvenirs and gifts (not just generic gifts). Hire bikes from them and explore this beautiful piece of paradise.

The lighthouse on Lady Elliot Island was built in 1873. Standing at approximately 17 metres, the white and red lighthouse was pre-fabricated in England and shipped to the island in pieces. It was the first lighthouse in Australia with a timber frame and weatherproof cast iron external cladding. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1995 when it became too short for the surrounding vegetation and a new solar powered, fully automated tower was built. The original lighthouse was placed on the Commonwealth Heritage List in 2004. The Lady Elliot Island Lightstation Heritage Management Plan was developed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) in March 2012 to protect, conserve and manage the Commonwealth Heritage values of the Lady Elliot Island lighthouse. Unfortunately, the lighthouse is not open to the public but is often the focus of history and photography buffs. There is a little museum in the adjacent building containing historical information and memorabilia.

Grassy Hill offers a 360 degree view of Cooktown, the Endeavour River and the Great Barrier Reef. Although now quite heavily forested, Grassy Hill is so known because local aboriginals deliberately burnt the forest on the hill to encourage re-growth of vegetation and draw animals to the area for hunting. The landscape you see today from the top of the hill has changed little since Captain James Cook and the crew of the HMB Endeavour climbed Grassy Hill in 1770 to view the surrounding reefs enabling him to navigate a safe passage. The views today, especially at sunset and sunrise, are still as spectacular as in 1770 making Grassy Hill one of Cooktown's most popular attractions.

For a fun and interesting family outing you can’t go past a visit the Caloundra Lighthouses at Canberra Tce, Caloundra. They are open every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, 9:00am - 3:00pm. You can climb both lighthouses, but the 1896 structure is not for the feint hearted. Both offer spectacular ocean views, and you can see the ships rounding the marker, and entering Moreton Bay with the sand cliffs of Moreton Island behind. Look the other way and the Glass House Mountains are laid out before you. Learn about Caloundra’s history and the lighthouses. The experience is a very reasonable $5.00 entry for adults, with children free. When the flag is flying they are open . Booked tours can be arranged, $5.00 entry for adults,minimum $40.