A very steep service road (concrete wheel tracks) from the north-east end of Welcome Bay climbs through rainforest towards the lighthouse. A lookout on the windy north side of the island offers views of Green Island on a clear day. From the lighthouse, spectacular views of the ocean and, in winter, an occasional migrating humpback whale make this challenging walk well worth the effort. (3.6km return, 2 hours total, Grade: Medium).

Over the years several ships were wrecked on the reefs near Fitzroy Island. The first navigation light, a carbide gaslight, was placed on Little Fitzroy Island in 1923. In 1943 a lighthouse was built on Fitzroy Island providing an important navigational service especially for wartime shipping. The remains of this lighthouse can be seen on the Summit walking track. This lighthouse was replaced by the existing light on Little Fitzroy Island in 1973. The cottages (circa 1960) were home to the lighthouse keepers until the light was changed to an automatic system in 1991. Another change saw the lighthouse function replaced by an automatic solar/battery-operated light on Little Fitzroy Island in 1992.

The lighthouse on the main island today stands on what was once was the site of a radar station, established in 1942. The Number 28 Radar Station, along with coastal artillery gun emplacements on Cape Grafton, served to protect Grafton Passage. Both were disbanded and removed at the end of the war. The lighthouse and lighthouse cottages are part of the national park.

Brion H. 4/3/2011

"It wasn't too bad of a walk. Unfortunately, it was closed when we got there, so we couldn't read the inside displays with the history of the lighthouse"

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