Rachel Hagan, Yorke Peninsula Country Times
A little island off the coast of Edithburgh is about to be in the World Heritage spotlight, and locals hope this will be a catalyst to get more funding to properly care for it.
The Troubridge Island Lighthouse is about to be nominated for World Heritage, as part of a proposal that includes 117 other portable buildings from states and territories across the country.
The nomination will be lodged by February 1, 2025 and is expected to take about one year to go through the evaluation process, however the entire process could take up to five years.
Edithburgh resident Chris Johnson first visited Troubridge Island when he was 16 years old, and has cared for the island for about 60 years.
He said he was happy about the nomination, but also wary.
“Once something is under heritage, you can’t do anything to it — you are pinned down to what you can and can’t do,” Mr Johnson said.
“But the sea is always causing trouble out there, so you may not always have the time to go through all the processes to get it fixed before something serious really happens.
“I think that a World Heritage listing would be good, as long as it doesn’t restrict things out there.”
Portable Buildings Task Force executive member and architectural historian professor Miles Lewis said there was strong overseas support for the listing and he expected it to be approved by UNESCO.
“Our problem is within Australia, where the Australian Heritage Council, unlike UNESCO, will not agree to ‘serial listings’,” Professor Lewis said.
“There is no good reason for this and we are trying to get it changed – lobbying from South Australia would be helpful.”
Serial listings identify places which share a common history, but do not share a geographical location.
The 1855 Troubridge Island Lighthouse is special because it was constructed of cylindrical cast iron segments that were shipped out from Britain, and then bolted together on the island.
Professor Lewis said this technique was never used in Britain itself, but was used in its colonies, such as Berumda, Jamaica and Sri Lanka.
It is believed Troubridge Islands is one of two lighthouses constructed in Australia using this method.
In order to visit, visitors need to book through YP operators Troubridge Island Escape, and stay for a minimum of two nights in the heritage listed cottages adjacent to the lighthouse.
Owners Mark and Lois Petersons said they fell in love with the island about 15 years ago, and would often stay on the secluded island for five days at a time.
“You’re forced to take a step back and relax,” Mr Petersons said.
With scant phone coverage on the island, visitors are forced to unplug and connect with their environment.
Mr Petersons said at certain times of the year the island could feel like a tropical paradise.
However, keeping the island up to scratch is a big job for the Petersons, who are constantly battling Mother Nature.
The lighthouse foundations are very deep in the ground, but other structures, such as the lighthouse’s concrete base, are constantly being hammered by waves and need regular repairs.
Mr Petersons said he would not be able to maintain the island by himself, and was grateful for help from Friends of Troubridge Island and National Parks rangers.
He said he hoped the world heritage listing would make it easier to be successful in grant applications, so the island could continue to be cared for.
“We love doing it, but financially we haven’t made any money since the start,” he said.
Mr Petersons said he had dreams to bring the interior of the lighthouse back to its original aesthetic, and maybe even open it up as accommodation for those who do not mind a cramped space.
Past Friends of Troubridge Island president Peter Bartram had a similar idea and said he hoped the listing might create a reason for the iconic light to be turned back on.
“Coming home to Edithburgh from the north at night, you could see it flash and it was beautiful,” Mr Bartram said.
“That was the first place you could see coming home at night, and I’m overwhelmed by the nomination.”
This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 21 January 2025.