CLS2-Carpentaria

Vessel numberHV000420

Previous owner Department of Transport and Communications

Builder Commonwealth Naval Dockyard, Cockatoo Island (Australian, 1913 - 1935)

Date1916

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 21.94 m x 21.49 m x 7.82 m x 2.74 m, 164 tonnes (72 ft x 70.5 ft x 25.66 ft x 8.99 ft, 161.38 tons)

DescriptionCLS2-CARPENTARIA was ship number 47 at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard. It is built of riveted steel plate construction, and had a lens manufactured by Chance Bros in the UK, who also worked closely with the Stevensons as they evolved their lighthouse designs over many decades. The light had 1500 candle power and a range of 10 nautical miles. The vessel also had a large bell that rang as the vessel rolled in the swell and provided an additional warning in low visibility.

The lightships were rotated in pairs at the locations where they were assigned. In 1919 CLS2-CARPENTARIA was assigned with CLS4 to Merkara Shoal in the western approaches of Torres Strait off Cape York, Queensland. However because of costs and funding constraints they lay idle in Brisbane for seven years until 1926 when they were finally deployed. One was held in reserve at Townsville while the other was moored on station, and in 1927 they were rotated for the first time.

CLS2-CARPENTARIA was moved after a couple of years and spent most of its working life marking the Carpentaria Shoals, and had the name CARPENTARIA painted on its topsides. Periodically it was transferred to Breaksea Spit off Sandy Cape in Queensland. In 1983 it was towed to Bass Strait to serve as a traffic separator for the shipping in the oil fields, and was retired from service in 1985.

It is now on display at the Queensland Maritime Museum, sharing the dry-dock with HMAS DIAMANTINA.

Prepared from research supplied by Queensland Maritime Museum
SignificanceCLS2-CARPENTARIA was one of four identical lightships built in the period 1916-18 at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney NSW. The design was prepared by David and Charles Stevenson in Edinburgh Scotland, and for over four generations the Stevenson family was at the forefront of lighthouse design in the United Kingdom, and recognised internationally as the premier builders of these crucial navigation aids. The lightships are a rare example of their work in Australia which included a number of early lighthouse designs as well. CLS2 is one of two of the four lightships have survived intact, the other CLS4 is now at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Two Stevenson designed lighthouses are also on display, one at the ANMM, the other at the South Australian Maritime Museum.