Quicksilver Congratulates the Heritage Listing of Low Isles and the Lighthouse

26th June 2008

Quicksilver has been travelling to Low Isles for the past 29 years and we have always known it is a special island. We were delighted with the announcement that two icons on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park have been formally recognised for their place in Australia’s cultural and indigenous heritage.

As a first for the Great Barrier Reef, Low Isles and the Low Isles lighthouse have been incorporated into the Commonwealth Heritage List. This listing of Low Isles is very significant as it is the first time one location has received a dual listing for both Indigenous history and the Australian cultural heritage.

For the past 20 years, Quicksilver’s marine biologists have been travelling to Low Isles every day to inform, educate and bring to life the history of the island. With an Advanced Eco Tourism Accreditation our marine biologist conducts a guided beach walk showing our passengers the unique marine life living at the waters edge and how the island was formed along with information on the flora and fauna inhabiting the island. After learning about the island the biologist follows the heritage walk through the island and highlights the history of the lighthouse and human use of the island.

You will discover that in 1770 Captain James Cook described Low Isles as a “small low island” and was officially called Low Isles in 1819. Low Isles is a small coral cay and the Aboriginal people know these islands as Wungkun. It is an important indigenous and cultural site for the KuKu Yalanji and Yiragandi people as the sea country for both groups overlaps at Low Isles.

The lighthouse was completed in 1878 and for the past 130 years has guided ships through the main shipping channel between Port Douglas and Cairns. Originally oil burners were used to light the way but over the years with new technology the lighthouse continued to be upgraded and in 1993 solar conversion made it into a self contained beacon.

Quicksilver was the first to operate tours to Low Isles and today you can sail in a 30-metre luxury sailing catamaran Wavedancer to Low Isles, which is still an idyllic, unspoilt coral island. We invite you to experience the wonders of snorkelling over the coral gardens and the only guided heritage walk of Low Isles with our marine biologist.