Breaksea Island Lighthouse
heritage listed building in Albany, Western Australia
Breaksea Island Lighthouse is an active lighthouse located at Breaksea Island in King George Sound 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Albany.
The first lighthouse was built in 1858 by English convicts using pre-made cast iron sheeting rising it at the centre of an octagonal stone keeper's cottage; in 1889 two keeper's cottages were built.
This lighthouse was replaced in 1901 by a cylindrical granite tower built on the rear still active and in good condition.
A major refurbishment taking 21 weeks was undertaken in early 2020, under a contract from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
Keepers
William Hill (1812–1864) was an Enrolled Pensioner Guard living in Albany. He was the lighthouse keeper from August 1860 until 23 March 1864 when he had a mental breakdown and is believed to have jumped into the sea.
Robert Wilkinson Howe (1862 – 1943) became the keeper in 1906 having previously been stationed at Cape Leeuwin. His wife Hannah and daughter Faye lived with him on the island and his wife died in 1914. His daughter then looked after her father and she left the island in 1916.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Breaksea Island Lighthouse” as heritage listed building in Albany, Western Australia. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as heritage listed building in Albany, Western Australia. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 30, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q23073485. Authority coordinates are -35.063, 118.054. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1858, 1889, 1901 and 2020.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Breaksea Island Lighthouse”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Breaksea Island Lighthouse primary sources, Breaksea Island Lighthouse archive and Breaksea research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Breaksea Island Lighthouse”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Breaksea Island Lighthouse” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.