Photo of the Pine
Islet Lighthouse before being relocated to the Mackay Marina in 1985 and restored to full
working condition.
Mackay is 971 kilometres north of Brisbane
In 1927 the authorities decided to build a new Lighthouse Keeper’s
cottage on the island and the only available flat land was a grave site. The headstone
identified the grave as belonging to Dorethea McKay, who died in 1895, the wife
of a Lighthouse Keeper. Dorethea’s body was exhumed and reburied some distance
away and the new cottage was built on that site.
Dorethea was obviously not going to take that lying down. Soon
mysterious footsteps and faint mutterings were heard. The Lightkeeper would go
to the door in answer to a knock and no one would be there.
The ghost’s visits continued until the 1980s when the lighthouse was
automated and the last time anyone heard from Dorethea was just before the last Lighthouse Keeper departed. There was no knock on the door this time, just
footsteps through the cottage and into the lounge, stopping above her original
grave.
The Lighthouse Keepers hoped that Dorethea was satisfied she would be
left in peace and had found her way back to her original resting place.
Acknowedgement:
Suzanne-Jo Leff Patterson
 |
Pine Islet lighthouse relocated to Mackay Marina |
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