The Bundaberg firm, S.C. Lohse & Co. won the $41,853 contract to erect a new lighthouse in 1971.

The base of the original lighthouse remains, following it being re-sited to Lighthouse Park, in 1972. The original light housing is to be restored and incorporated into a Welcome Vista in Jack Strathdee Park.

South Head Lighthouse is currently maintained by the Australian Maritime Authority, and is one of 2 Australian COSPAS SARSAT satellite - ground receiving stations (known as Local User Terminal, or LUT).

The International Satellite System for Search and Rescue (COSPAS-SARSAT) is a satellite and ground system designed to provide distress alert and location information from emergency beacons to assist search and rescue (SAR) operations at sea, in the air or on land. Go to www.cospas-sarsat.org for more information on this system that has rescue many thousands of distressed mariners.