Yungaburra Heritage Lamp
Lamp enclosed in timber barrier painted white.
Listen to the Story of the Heritage Lamp
Lamp on corner of Fig Street and Eacham Road just prior to its removal in 2021
Motion of Eacham Shire on 8 December 1923 to purchase three Kitson Lighting and Heating Company street lamps for the towns of 1. Yungaburra 2, Millaa Millaa and 3. Malanda
Kerosene Lighting for Yungaburra!
On 20 December 1923, the then Eacham Shire Council approved to purchase three kerosene road lamps, one for Millaa Millaa, one for Malanda and one for Yungaburra. The Yungaburra lamp was installed in April 1924 at a cost of £2/8/6.
These lamps, using pressurised kerosene fuel and a specialised mantle became commercially available in 1896 through the Kitson – Empire Lighting Company of Stamford, United Kingdom. The pressurised fuel burned via a fabric mantle inside a glazed rectangular lamp housing that the inventor claimed gave “a light of two thousand candle power”. Spectacular lighting for that time.
The Yungaburra lamp was installed on the then main road to Cairns on the intersection of Eacham Street, and Fig Street. This illuminated the intersection near the timber bridge constructed over the railway line on Eacham Road. Imagine all the types of vehicles that travelled past this lamp on the way to Cairns? The lamp was only removed from this location in 2021 to make way for a roundabout.
In Queensland, two more of these lights were installed in Samford, Brisbane after the then new Brisbane to Samford railway line was completed in 1918. These two lights were restored and installed to the Samford village precinct in 2009. They are the only others known to be in existence in Queensland.
The lamp here in Yungaburra was kindly restored by the Tablelands Regional Council and Atherton Men’s Shed volunteers in conjunction with the Yungaburra Beautification Committee and Yungaburra Association. The lamp now lights another historical site, the seat placed here in memory of respected Yungaburra identity, Sue Paggioli.
Source: Eacham Historical Society and Samford Heritage Trail Brochure.
Historical Yungaburra from the air showing the main road to Cairns (bottom), town CBD and railway yards with timber bridge.