Lighthouses of Australia: Coastal History, Scenic Views & Maritime Stories
Lighthouses of Australia
Australia’s rugged coastline is home to hundreds of historic lighthouses that have guided sailors safely through treacherous waters for over two centuries. The Lighthouses of Australia are more than just navigational aids—they’re enduring symbols of maritime history, adventure, and coastal heritage.
From the dramatic towers along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road to remote sentinel lights on windswept islands in Tasmania and Western Australia, these lighthouses showcase stunning locations and fascinating stories. Many offer spectacular viewpoints, walking trails, guided tours, and unique photography opportunities, making them must-visit stops for history buffs, coastal travelers, and photographers alike.
Below you’ll find a comprehensive guide to notable Lighthouses of Australia, organised by state and territory. Explore their key features, historical significance, and travel highlights to help plan your next Australian coastal road trip or heritage adventure.
Historic Lighthouses of New South Wales
Lighthouse
Year Built
Location
History & Notes
Barrenjoey
1881
Barrenjoey Headland, Palm Beach, Northern Beaches Sydney
Accessed by a scenic hike. Recognisable from Home and Away and famed for sweeping views over Pittwater and the ocean.
Cape Byron
1901
Byron Bay headland, far North Coast NSW
Australia’s easternmost point. Popular for coastal walks, whale watching, and spectacular sunrises over the Pacific.
Cape St George
1860
Southern Jervis Bay Territory, Booderee National Park
Infamous for navigational errors leading to wrecks. Now a photogenic sandstone ruin with sweeping views of the rugged coast.
Green Cape
1883
Southern tip of Ben Boyd National Park, near Eden
Australia’s first concrete lighthouse, in a remote coastal wilderness. Keeper cottages now offer heritage accommodation.
Macquarie Lighthouse
1818
South Head, Sydney Harbour entrance, Eastern Suburbs
Australia’s first lighthouse, designed by convict architect Francis Greenway. The current 1883 tower still guides ships safely into Sydney Harbour.
Montague Island
1881
Offshore from Narooma, South Coast NSW
Accessible only by boat. Renowned for seals, penguins, and birdlife. Guided tours cover the lighthouse and natural reserve.
Norah Head Lighthouse
1903
Norah Head, Central Coast NSW, 30 km northeast of Gosford
One of the last staffed lighthouses in NSW. Now a museum, wedding venue, and heritage-listed site with dramatic ocean views.
Point Perpendicular
1899
Beecroft Peninsula, northern entrance to Jervis Bay
Built from local sandstone on 90 m sea cliffs. Offers breathtaking vistas over Jervis Bay Marine Park and the Pacific.
Smoky Cape
1891
Smoky Cape Headland, South West Rocks, Mid North Coast
NSW’s tallest lighthouse, perched on a granite outcrop with 360-degree ocean views. Surrounded by lush coastal rainforest.
Tacking Point
1879
Headland south of Port Macquarie township
Among Australia’s oldest surviving lighthouses. Popular whale-watching spot on the mid-North Coast with coastal walking tracks.
Warden Head
1873
Ulladulla Headland, Shoalhaven region
Originally built for Ulladulla’s breakwater and relocated in 1889. Offers excellent ocean views and seasonal dolphin sightings.
Historic Lighthouses of Queensland
Lighthouse
Year Built
Location
History & Notes
Bustard Head
1868
Bustard Headland, near Town of 1770 and Gladstone
Remote, heritage-listed site restored by volunteers. Includes a graveyard and interpretive centre; accessible by tour.
Caloundra
1896
Kings Beach headland, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast
The oldest lighthouse in the Sunshine Coast region. Preserved as part of a heritage centre with displays on local maritime history.
Cape Capricorn
1875
Curtis Island, north of Gladstone
Marks the Tropic of Capricorn’s passage. Located in a conservation park with limited access; fully automated today.
Cape Moreton
1857
Northeastern tip of Moreton Island, near Brisbane
Queensland’s oldest lighthouse. Built from local sandstone on a scenic headland with 4WD access and marine wildlife sightings.
Double Island Point
1884
Wide Bay, Rainbow Beach area
Accessible via beach 4WD tracks in Great Sandy National Park. Features striking headland views and coastal bushwalks.
Hinchinbrook Island
1925
Northern tip of Hinchinbrook Island, north of Cardwell
Automated early in its life. A key aid to navigating the Coral Sea’s inner reef channels, surrounded by pristine rainforest.
Point Cartwright
1978
Mouth of Mooloolah River, Sunshine Coast
Modern automated concrete tower in a park setting. Offers panoramic coastal lookouts, picnic areas, and headland trails.
Sandy Cape
1870
Northernmost point of K’gari (Fraser Island)
Remote and only accessible by high-clearance 4WD. Vital for ships rounding Fraser Island, with a history of wrecks and isolation.
Historic Lighthouses of South Australia
Lighthouse
Year Built
Location
History & Notes
Cape Borda
1858
Northwest Kangaroo Island
Unique square tower with time-gun signalling system. Historic site with museum displays and coastal walking trails.
Cape Jervis
1871
Fleurieu Peninsula, ferry terminal to Kangaroo Island
Guides vessels through the often-treacherous Backstairs Passage. Still active and easily viewed from nearby lookouts.
Cape Northumberland
1882
Headland near Port MacDonnell
Southernmost lighthouse site on SA mainland. Original tower in ruins beside its modern replacement, on dramatic cliffs.
Cape Spencer
1975
Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula
Modern, active lighthouse on high cliffs with dramatic Southern Ocean views. Popular for wildlife spotting and bushwalking.
Cape Willoughby
1852
Eastern tip of Kangaroo Island
South Australia’s first lighthouse, with a visitor centre and guided tours offering sweeping Backstairs Passage views.
Troubridge Island
1856
Off Edithburgh, Yorke Peninsula
Now part of a conservation park. Tours by boat explore the decommissioned tower, abundant birdlife, and shipwreck history.
Historic Lighthouses of Tasmania
Lighthouse
Year Built
Location
History & Notes
Cape Bruny
1838
Southern Bruny Island, off southeast Tasmania
Tasmania’s oldest lighthouse, with guided tours offering rich maritime history and expansive Southern Ocean views.
Cape Tourville
1971
Freycinet National Park, east coast
Short walk to panoramic lookout with ocean and Hazards mountain views. Popular sunrise spot and whale-watching point.
Eddystone Point
1899
Northeast coast of Tasmania, Mt William National Park
Built from local granite. Stands in a remote, windswept park known for Aboriginal heritage and wild coastal scenery.
Maatsuyker Island
1891
Off Tasmania’s far south coast
Australia’s southernmost lighthouse, in an isolated and wild marine reserve. Maintained by volunteers on rotation.
Tasman Island
1906
Offshore from Tasman Peninsula, near Port Arthur
Dramatic sea-cliff location, formerly staffed and now part of wilderness cruises. Access only by helicopter or sight-seeing boats.
Historic Lighthouses of Victoria
Lighthouse
Year Built
Location
History & Notes
Cape Liptrap
1913
South Gippsland, Bass Coast
Victoria’s first fully automatic lighthouse. Perched on isolated cliffs with whale-watching potential during migration season.
Cape Nelson
1884
South of Portland, southwest Victoria
Still operational in a scenic coastal reserve with picnic areas and walking trails through native heathland.
Cape Otway
1848
Southern tip of the Great Ocean Road
Victoria’s oldest surviving mainland lighthouse. Includes a telegraph station, WWII radar bunker, and Aboriginal heritage sites.
Cape Schanck
1859
Southern Mornington Peninsula
Limestone tower with surrounding boardwalks over rugged cliffs. Stunning views of Bass Strait and nearby coastal trails.
Gabo Island
1862
Off Mallacoota, far East Gippsland
Made from rare pink granite. Features rich birdlife, historic keeper’s cottages, and one of Australia’s best-preserved remote stations.
Point Hicks
1890
Croajingolong National Park, East Gippsland
Marks the spot where James Cook first sighted Australia’s coast. Remote and rugged parkland with dramatic coastal scenery.
Point Lonsdale
1902
Entrance to Port Phillip Bay, Bellarine Peninsula
Crucial navigation aid for “The Rip,” one of Australia’s most dangerous shipping channels. Walking paths offer excellent views.
Split Point
1891
Aireys Inlet, Surf Coast
Iconic black-and-white striped tower featured in Round the Twist. Offers guided tours with views over rugged cliffs and beaches.
Historic Lighthouses of Western Australia
Lighthouse
Year Built
Location
History & Notes
Cape Leeuwin
1895
Southwestern tip of Augusta, WA
Tallest lighthouse in WA. Marks the meeting of Indian and Southern Oceans. Includes visitor centre and guided heritage tours.
Cape Naturaliste
1904
North of Dunsborough, WA’s southwest
Short, stout lighthouse easily accessed via short paths. Offers guided tours, whale-watching platforms, and maritime museum.
Point Moore
1878
Geraldton, WA’s Mid West coast
Striking red-and-white striped tower. WA’s oldest mainland lighthouse and a local coastal icon with panoramic views over Indian Ocean.
Point Peron
1906
Rockingham foreshore, south of Perth
Operated briefly before decommissioning in 1911. The site is now part of a coastal park with WWII tunnels and headland walks.
Rottnest Island
1849
Rottnest Island, offshore from Fremantle
First built in 1849 and rebuilt in 1896. Essential for Fremantle shipping lanes. Offers guided tours with panoramic island views.
Vlamingh Head
1912
North West Cape near Exmouth
Overlooks Ningaloo Reef. Combines lighthouse and WWII radar station history. Popular for stunning sunsets and whale spotting.
Australia’s Coastal Beacons – A Timeless Connection to Sea and Sky
From the rugged cliffs of Tasmania to the sun-drenched shores of Western Australia, the lighthouses of Australia stand as enduring symbols of maritime heritage, engineering brilliance, and coastal beauty. Whether still active or preserved as historic landmarks, each lighthouse tells a story of isolation, resilience, and guidance. Visiting these beacons offers more than a glimpse into the past — it invites you to experience panoramic views, spot wildlife, and connect with the rhythm of the sea.
So whether you’re a history lover, photographer, or coastal adventurer, Australia’s lighthouses promise inspiration at every turn of the tide.
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