Smith Point Beacon

Construction of the Smith Point Beacon began in 1843 when the ship's company of the Camelion constructed the base of the Beacon. It was not until 1845 when convalescents from Victoria Settlement were sent to Smith Point to recover, that the Beacon was completed. The Beacon assisted navigation around the Orontes shoal which was a danger to shipping passing through the area. The Beacon is a valuable reminder of the difficulties experienced by early colonists and mariners. It is held in high esteem by the community as one of the few physical remains depicting early settlement and maritime history of the Northern Territory. Efforts to reconstruct the Beacon in 1978 and the subsequent efforts to preserve the Beacon in situ, have contributed to both the site's significance and further knowledge of technology at the time of construction.