Late 1942. A convoy is massing off Caloundra Head, the lighthouse keeper has vanished, and someone inside the signal station wants the light switched on before dawn. Four suspects, ten stops and one night to keep the light dark.
“This is Walter Pendleton, keeper of the Caloundra light. Tonight a convoy slips past this headland in the dark, and somebody inside the signal station means to light it up for the enemy. I can't trust a single uniform. I can trust you. Grab your phone, and meet me at the lighthouse. Hurry.”
Closed for now. This game is paused while we check something on the route. Get the launch email above and we will tell you when it reopens.
The light has just gone onto mains power and the Navy has taken over the lighthouse grounds. A convoy bound for Brisbane is waiting off Caloundra Head to run the North West Channel before dawn. Overnight, the civilian keeper, Walter Pendleton, has disappeared.
You are volunteer coastwatchers on the night roster. Pendleton trusted you, and you soon find out why: the breach came from inside the signal station, so you cannot take this to the Navy. He has left his log, his ledger and a code card for you to find, one stop at a time, before someone shows the convoy to a submarine waiting past the channel.
The suspects
Four men stood the watch that night. All four look guilty from the start.
Sub-Lieutenant Arthur Miller
The only officer on the station. Called the new mains system "a gift to the enemy" in front of the whole watch.
Leading Signalman Andrew Davies
A local man from Nambour who knows every track on the headland. Complains loudly about the night watches.
Telegraphist Thomas Vance
Transferred from Brisbane in the spring. Seen leaving the station at odd hours, and will not say where he goes.
Signalman Charles Blake
A decorated veteran. Says openly that command is running the convoys badly.
Good forDate night or a day out for twoFriends and family teamsHistory buffsVisitors to Caloundra
What you'll do at the Caloundra lighthouses
Cipher wheelTurn the wheel until the coded message reads true.
Eyes on the spotAnswers you can only find standing there: a date on a plaque, a count, a colour.
Morse interceptsListen to the signal, read the dots and dashes, decode the message.
Combination locksCrack the code on a padlock, a keypad or a safe.
Name the culpritStrike off suspects as the evidence clears them, then make your accusation.
Where it takes you
The old Caloundra lighthouse, the white timber and iron tower first lit in 1896
The headland lookout over the North West Channel
Characters and events are fictional. The places and the wartime setting are real.
Questions about The Keeper's Last Light
How much does it cost?
Chapter 1 (stops 1 to 3) is free. The full game will be $10.
How long does it take?
About 90 to 120 minutes, including the walking.
Where does it start?
At Caloundra Head: the lighthouse reserve on Canberra Terrace and the headland.
Can kids play?
Older kids and teens do well in a family team. Players under 18 play with a parent or guardian.
Do I need an app?
No. It plays in your phone's web browser, one phone per team. Teammates can join with a team code.
Is it open yet?
Not yet. Get the launch email on this page and we will tell you the day it opens.
5.10am in Noosa, and the middle hook in the surf shed is empty. The paddle-out is at 6.30. Pops wrote everything down: follow sixty years of Noosa surf to find his board in time.
