Three men painting the tower of Troubridge Island lighthouse, they stand on a frail platform suspended from the light's lookout platform. Mariners had agitated for a light to be placed on Troubridge Island (or Shoals) since shortly after first settlement of South Australia: in March 1838 the brig Dart was wrecked there, and in November the barque Passee; in 1849 the ship Sultana was stranded on the reef and subsequently destroyed by storms. The emigrant ship Marion struck the reef, but no lives were lost, the brig Charles Carter ran aground in February 1854.

Finally a lighthouse was constructed in 1855 and began operation from 1 February 1856. The light was 80 feet above high water and had a range of 16 miles. Constructed of cylindrical metal sections bolted together on site it is believed to be one of only a few lighthouses of its type in Australia.

The light was upgraded several times, as was the power source. The light's range was increased to 25 miles. Despite upgrades as recent as the late 1970s it was eventually decided to build a lighthouse on the adjacent mainland at Troubridge Hill. This began operating in 1981.

Troubridge Island was subsequently reduced in power and demanned. Finally in 1982 it was sold to the South Australian government and the island became a bird sanctuary. The light was finally extinguished in 2002.