Lighthouses of Australia: Western Australia

Western Australia is by far the largest state in the Australian union, including roughly one third of the country and about the same fraction of the coastline. The coast sweeps in a great semicircle, facing south on the Great Southern Ocean, west and northwest on the Indian Ocean, and north on the Timor Sea. A large part of the coastline is wild and thinly populated, and there are some very large gaps between lighthouses.

Perth, the state capital, is a large metropolitan area including the seaport of Fremantle.

The coastal Western Australia lighthouses are managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), but after automation a number of the light station properties were transferred to the control of the state Department of Environment and Conservation.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume K of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 111.

General Sources
Lighthouses of Western Australia
The section of the Lighthouses of Australia site devoted to Western Australia lights.
Lighthouses of Western Australia
Photos and information posted by Pauline O'Brien.
Seaside Lights - Western Australia
Photos and notes by Garry Searle.
Lighthouses and Lightvessels in Australia - Western Australia
Index to Wikipedia articles; many include photos.
Lighthouses from the Air - Part 4 and Part 5
Articles from the Lighthouses of Australia Bulletin of December 2001 and January 2002, including good aerial photos of Western Australian lighthouses.
Around Australia Chasing Lighthouses - Part 3
Article from the Lighthouses of Australia Bulletin of January 2001 by John Ibbotson, including photos of many of the more remote lighthouses.
Australian Lighthouses
This site, posted by Kevin Mulcahy, has a comprehensive list of Australian lighthouses and includes good photos of some of them.
Leuchttürme Australiens und Ozeaniens auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.


Cape Naturaliste Light, December 2007
Creative Commons photo by G. Crouch
Albany Area (Great Southern Coast) Lighthouses
Breaksea Island (2)
1901 (station established 1858). Active; focal plane 119 m (390 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 15.5 m (51 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Tower unpainted gray stone; lantern painted white. The station includes at least two more keeper's houses, all in ruins. John Spurling has a photo, a 2010 photo is available, Winsome Bonham has an aerial photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This is the landfall light for Albany. The first lighthouse was a cast iron tower rising through the center of an octagonal stone keeper's cottage. That tower is gone, but ruins of the cottage stand next to the present lighthouse. In October 2009, federal officials announced a grant of $1.3 million for restoration of the light station and its development for tourism. By the end of 2011, the lighthouse and its keeper's houses had been restored to their historic appearance, but it appeared that $350,000 to $500,000 more would be needed to refit the buildings for tourists. Breaksea Island, 12 km (7 mi) east of Albany, is a protected nature reserve. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat or helicopter. Site and tower closed (nature reserve). Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Dept. of Environment and Conservation (Breaksea Island Reserve). ARLHS AUS-012; Admiralty K1800; NGA 8832.
* [King Point (1)]
1858. Inactive since 1911. Ruined 1-story stone keeper's house. The active light (focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white flash every 3 s) is on a 9 m (30 ft) white skeletal tower about 75 m (250 ft) uphill. A photo of the ruins is available, also a second photo, and Google has a satellite view. The light was moved to a skeletal tower close to the house in 1911, and then to the present tower sometime in recent years. The Albany City Council appropriated $20,000 to stabilize the ruins in 2001. Located on the north side of the narrow entrance to Princess Royal Harbour, the inner harbor of Albany, from King George Sound. Accessible by a short walk from a nearby road. Site open. Owner/site manager: City of Albany. ARLHS AUS-279; Admiralty K1802; NGA 8840.
* Cave Point
1976. Inactive since 1994. 12 m (40 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted white, attached to a 1-story circular concrete service building. A 2009 closeup is available, Dirk Slawinski has a distant photo, Barbara Saunders-Jones also has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view of the point. The lantern was replaced in 1996 by a Cospas-Sarsat satellite-aided search and rescue ground receiver, one of two in Australia. The lighthouse is a sibling of Cape Tourville Light, Tasmania. Located on the point in Torndirrup National Park about 15 km (9 mi) south of Albany. The lighthouse should be accessible by a short hike from the natural bridge (one of the best known features of the park) at the end of The Gap Road; however, there is a notable shortage of closeup photos. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Dept. of Environment and Conservation (Torndirrup National Park). ARLHS AUS-055; Admiralty K1799.
Eclipse Island
1926. Active; focal plane 117 m (384 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 14 m (46 ft) unpainted round cylindrical concrete block tower with gallery; lantern removed in 1976. The light is shown from a short mast centered on the top of the capped tower. The original 1st order Fresnel lens has been on display since 1989 in a special building (the Eclipse Building) at the Western Australian Museum in Albany. Google has a distant satellite view. Eclipse Island is a barren island about 7 km (4 mi) south of Cave Point. Landing on the island is difficult, and a crane was used to lift supplies up a 15 m (50 ft) cliff. After a fatal crane accident in 1976, the lighthouse was automated and the lantern removed. Located on the south side of the island. Accessible only by boat; visible from shore at the end of The Gap Road or Eclipse Island Road. Site and tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Dept. of Environment and Conservation (Eclipse Island Reserve). ARLHS AUS-068; Admiralty K1798; NGA 8860.

Southwest Capes Lighthouses
**** Cape Leeuwin
1896 (William Douglass). Active; focal plane 56 m (185 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. 39 m (128 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, on a square base attached to a 1-story storeroom; 2nd order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens in use. Formerly unpainted, the tower was painted white in 2003 or 2004; the lantern is also painted white. Three 1-story stone keeper's houses. Also preserved is a wooden water wheel that formerly supplied fresh water to the station. Amanda Slater's photo is at right, Patryk Priess has a good photo, Ian Sanderson has a fine distant view, Wikipedia has an article with several photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a distant satellite view. This historic building is one of Australia's best known lighthouses. It stands at the southwestern corner of the nation, at the end of a narrow peninsula with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean to the north and the Southern Ocean to the south. There are plans for a museum in the keeper's houses. Located at the end of Leeuwin Road southwest of Augusta. Parking provided. Site open; tower open to guided tours daily. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Dept. of Environment and Conservation (Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park). ARLHS AUS-035; Admiralty K1794; NGA 8872.
* Foul Bay
1967. Active; focal plane 92 m (303 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical concrete block tower with lantern. The tower is unpainted white concrete; lantern painted white. This light replaced the 1938 lighthouse on nearby Hamelin Island. O'Brien has a small photo, Winsome Bonham has an aerial photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on Cosy Corner Road, on a headland near Hamelin Bay, about 20 km (13 mi) northwest of Cape Leeuwin. John Ibbotson describes the road as a "rough, sandy track," so 4WD is required. Site status unknown. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS AUS-211; Admiralty K1792; NGA 8876.
Hamelin Island
1938. Inactive since 1967. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower. Lantern removed. O'Brien has a small photo, the lighthouse can be seen in a distant view from the mainland, Chris Ring has another view from the mainland, and Google has a satellite view. We don't know the function of the skeletal tower seen next to the lighthouse. In 1967 the light was moved about 4 km (2.5 mi) south southwest to Foul Bay (previous entry). Hamelin Island is an islet about 300 m (330 yd) in diameter and 800 m (1/2 mi) off the coast. Accessible only by boat, although there's a view from the end of Hamelin Bay Road. Site status unknown. Site manager: Dept. of Environment and Conservation (Hamelin Island Reserve).

Cape Leeuwin Light, March 2009
Creative Commons photo by Amanda Slater
**** Cape Naturaliste
1904 (C.S.R. Palmer). Active; focal plane 123 m (404 ft); two white flashes, separated by 2.5 s, every 10 s. 20 m (65 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; original 1st order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens. Three 1-story stone keeper's houses, one housing a custodian and another open as a museum. G. Crouch's photo appears at the top of this page, a 2010 photo is available, Lighthouses of Australia also has a good page on the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Items on display at the museum include the original 2nd order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens from Jarman Island Light (see below) and the original Great Sandy Island beacon, both from the Pilbara Coast far to the north. In April 2004 the 100th anniversary of the lighthouse was celebrated. Located at the end of the cape road north of Dunsborough, adjacent to Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Parking provided. Site open; tower open to guided tours daily. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Cape Naturaliste Tourism Association. ARLHS AUS-040; Admiralty K1790; NGA 8880.

Bunbury and Halls Head Lighthouses
* Casuarina Point (Marlston Hill, Bunbury) (4)
1970 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 43 m (142 ft); three white flashes, separated by 2.4 s, every 15 s. 25 m (82 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted in a black and white checkerboard pattern; base is black. The height was increased by 10 m (33 ft) in 1971 by adding a new section above the base. Sheila Thomson's photo is at right, a fine March 2007 photo shows the tower freshly painted, Wikimedia has a photo by Rob Jules, Winsome Bonham also has a photo, the port authority has historical information, and Google has a satellite view. The first Bunbury lighthouse, a 3 m (10 ft) wood tower, was built on Marlston Hill about 365 m (400 yd) east northeast of the present site. It was replaced in 1901 by a temporary skeletal tower, and then in 1903 by a 9 m (30 ft) cast iron tower seen in Huelse's historic postcard view. In 1959, the cast iron tower was raised in height by 6 m (20 ft) by replacing the lantern with a cylindrical extension and a new lantern. The 1959 lantern and the added section were incorporated into the present light when it was built in 1970. The rest of the 1903 lighthouse was demolished, and there is now a modern lookout tower atop the hill. In 2004 a proposal to install a cell phone tower atop the lighthouse drew protests from residents and the city council, and the tower was not installed. Located on Marlston Drive at Bennett Way on the ocean side of Bunbury. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Bunbury Port Authority. ARLHS AUS-054; Admiralty K1782; NGA 8888.
* Halls Head (Robert Point)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); white flash every 2 s. Round unpainted concrete water tower, height unknown. O'Brien has a small photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a hilltop above Leighton Road and Janis Street in Halls Head. Site status unknown, but there must be good views from nearby. Admiralty K1781.6; NGA 8926.

Casuarina Point Light
Casuarina Point Light, August 2007
Creative Commons photo by Sheila Thomson


Cockburn Sound Lighthouses
Success and Parmelia Banks Channel Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); continuous red light; continuous green and white passing lights are shown from lower locations on the tower. 21 m (69 ft) round steel tower with gallery, painted white with one orange horizontal band. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. The range guides vessels into Cockburn Sound. The sound is sheltered behind Garden Island, the site of Australia's main naval base on the Indian Ocean. Located about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of the northern tip of Garden Island and a similar distance west southwest of Woodman Point on the mainland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K1771.1; NGA 9012.
Success and Parmelia Banks Channel Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous red or green light, depending on direction. 12 m (39 ft) round steel tower with gallery, painted white with one orange horizontal band. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located off Woodman Point about 800 m (1/2 mi) north of the rear light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K1771; NGA 9008.
* Woodman Point
1902 (C.Y. O'Connor). Active; focal plane 37 m (123 ft); green, red, or white light depending on direction, white indicating the safe channel, occulting for 3 s once every 30 s. 13 m (42 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. Seaward side of the tower painted white, land side unpainted; lantern painted white. Two 1-story keeper's houses. Wikipedia's article has Andrew Gregory's photo also seen at right, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. A historic but rather poorly known lighthouse. Woodman Point is a sharp promontory projecting into Cockburn Sound about 8 km (5 mi) south of Fremantle. The lighthouse, however, is located atop a hill at the base of the point, on the east (landward) side of Cockburn Road (highway 12). Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from the base of the hill. Operator/site manager: Fremantle Ports. ARLHS AUS-174; Admiralty K1774; NGA 9004.

Woodman Point Light, April 2007
Wikimedia public domain photo by Andrew Gregory

Rottnest Island Lighthouses
**** Rottnest Island (Wadjemup Hill) (2)
1896 (station established 1851) (William Douglass). Active; focal plane 80 m (262 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. 38 m (125 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right, another good photo is available, Wikipedia's article has an excellent photo, Searle has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is Western Australia's oldest light station; the first lighthouse was a 20 m (66 ft) stone tower built by Aboriginal convicts imprisoned on the island. The current lighthouse is a sibling of Cape Leeuwin Light. The island, about 30 km (19 mi) west of Fremantle, is a popular resort for the Perth area, with various accommodations available. In 2005, cellphone transmitters attached to the lighthouse were removed, and on 5 November 2005 ceremonies were held opening the lighthouse to the public. Located at the highest point of the island, near the western end. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Fremantle or Hillarys; the light station is accessible by bus tour, bicycle, or hiking. Site open, tower open for tours daily. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Rottnest Island Authority. ARLHS AUS-146; Admiralty K1760; NGA 9024.
*** Bathurst Point (Kingston Reefs Range Rear)
1900. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); four white flashes, separated by 3 s, every 16 s. 20 m (66 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Two keeper's houses are available for overnight rental. Jason Nolan has an excellent closeup photo, Searle has a photo and several historic images, Wikipedia has an article with a closeup photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse serves as the rear light of a range guiding ships departing Fremantle past the reefs east of Rottnest Island. Located on the northeast point of the island. Site open, guided tours of the boathouse and pilot quarters are available; tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Rottnest Island Authority. ARLHS AUS-006; Admiralty K1761.1; NGA 9036.1.

Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) Light, March 2008
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Fremantle Lighthouses
* Fremantle South Mole
1903 (C.Y. O'Conner). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green light occulting every 2 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted green with white trim; lantern painted white. Keeper's house demolished. O'Brien's photo is at right, another good photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view . Several other small buildings and structures around the lighthouse are the remains of World War II fortifications. Designed in Australia but prefabricated in England. The lighthouse was refurbished and repainted in a lighter green color for its 100th anniversary in 2003. Located at the end of the south breakwater at the entrance to the Swan River, Fremantle's harbor. The pier is open to walkers, bicycles, and motorcylcles. Site open, tower closed. Good view from Rottnest Island ferries. Operator/site manager: Fremantle Ports. ARLHS AUS-151; Admiralty K1765; NGA 9064.
* Fremantle North Mole
1906 (C.Y. O'Conner). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light occulting every 2 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted red with white trim; lantern painted white. Keeper's house demolished. Wikipedia has an article with a good photo, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. A twin of the South Mole Light, designed in Australia but prefabricated in England. Located at the end of the north breakwater at the entrance to the Swan River, Fremantle's harbor. The pier is open to walkers, bicycles, and motorcylcles. Site open, tower closed. Good view from Rottnest Island ferries. Operator/site manager: Fremantle Ports. ARLHS AUS-120; Admiralty K1764; NGA 9076.
* Buckland Hill
1970s. Active; focal plane 66 m (216 ft); directional light, showing green, white, or red depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical tower topped by a square structure and a mast. O'Brien has a photo, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This unusual light tower guides ships on their final approach to the Fremantle harbor entrance. It stands atop a covered water reservoir in the Buckland Hill Reserve. Located on a hill north of the Fremantle harbor. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: Fremantle Ports. ARLHS AUS-014; Admiralty K1762.8; NGA 9044.
** Hillarys Boat Harbour
1986. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 20 m (65 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with lantern and enclosed upper portion, painted white. A circular observation platform surrounds the tower about 5 m (16 ft) off the ground. A photo, a second photo, and a Google satellite view are available. The lantern for this lighthouse was transferred from the Bedout Island Light, which had been replaced. Located at the end of the north breakwater at Hillarys Boat Harbor in Wanneroo, about 20 km (13 mi) north of Fremantle. Site and observation platform open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Fremantle Ports. ARLHS AUS-277; Admiralty K1758.3; NGA 9102.7.

Fremantle South Mole Light
photo copyright Pauline O'Brien
used by permission

Batavia Coast Lighthouses
* Guilderton (Moore River)
1983. Active; focal plane 74 m (243 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) tapered round brick tower with lantern and brick gallery. Tower is unpainted red brick, lantern painted white. Paul Robinson has a 2007 closeup photo, and Chris Williams also has a photo. This lighthouse is a twin of the 1980 Troubridge Hill Light in South Australia. Designed for automated operation, the tower has no windows. Guilderton, a relatively new town at the mouth of the Moore River, is a popular vacation resort. Located off Forrester Road on the north side of Guilderton, 94 km (58 mi) north of Perth. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-088; Admiralty K1757.5; NGA 9112.
Escape Island (2)
1980 (station established 1930). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 24 m (79 ft) square steel skeletal tower with gallery. John Ibbotson has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the center of a low island about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Jurien Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-072; Admiralty K1756; NGA 9140.
* [Port Denison Obelisk]
1869. Active as a daybeacon. Approx. 12 m (40 ft) square pyramidal stone obelisk on a square 1-story base. Obelisk painted white, base red. A good photo is available, also a second photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is one of the best preserved of the many stone obelisks built in Australia during the mid 1800s as unlighted navigational aids. Originally it was one of two obelisks that formed a range. It serves today as an observation point and a memorial to fishermen from Port Denison lost at sea. Located on Port Leander Drive and Harbour View, at the southwestern corner of the harbor of Port Denison and about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Dongara. Site open; parking provided. Site manager: unknown.
Pelsaert Island
1974. Active; focal plane 21 m (70 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical stainless steel tower with gallery but no lantern. Winsome Bonham has an aerial photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located near the southern tip of Pelsaert Island, which is at the south end of the Abrolhos Islands, a string of 122 small islands and reefs in the Indian Ocean about 60 km (40 mi) west of Geraldton. Accessible only by boat. Site open but very difficult to reach, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-126; Admiralty K1753.6; NGA 9160.
* Point Moore (Geraldton)
1876. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two white flashes, separated by 2.5 s, every 10 s. 35 m (115 ft) round steel tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red an white horizontal bands; the original 2nd order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens remains in use. The tower was prefabricated in England by Chance Brothers. 1-story keeper's house. Don Pugh's photo appears at right, another good photo and a closeup are available, and Google has a good satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated about 5 km (3 mi) in 1878 after the original site was found to be unsuitable. The lighthouse was repainted and refirbished in 2007. Located at the end of a narrow peninsula jutting into the Indian Ocean on the south side of Geraldton. Site and tower closed (fenced) but the lighthouse can be viewed from the street. Operator/site manager: Geraldton Port Authority (?). ARLHS AUS-111; Admiralty K1740; NGA 9164.
** Bluff Point Range Rear
1876. Inactive since 1952. 7.5 m (25 ft) square cylindrical limestone tower rising at one corner of a 1-story limestone keeper's cottage. The lantern was removed and replaced with a pyramidal roof. Building painted white. Google has a satellite view. The range was abandoned after the front lighthouse was destroyed by fire in April 1952. Since 1971 the keeper's house has served as the headquarters of the Geraldton Historical Society, which maintains a small museum in the building. The building was restored in 1985-86. Located on Chapman Road south of Elphick Avenue in Bluff Point, on the north side of Geraldton. Site open, museum open Monday through Friday. Owner: City of Greater Geraldton. Site manager: Geraldton Historical Society. ARLHS AUS-009.
Shoal Point
1958. Active; focal plane 118 m (386 ft); white flash every 5 s. 6 m (20 ft) square brick tower with lantern, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on heights about 4.5 km (2.75 mi) from the coast, about 30 km (19 mi) south of Kalbarri. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-216; Admiralty K1739; NGA 9204.
Point Moore Light
Point Moore Light, September 2008
Creative Commons photo by Don Pugh

Southern Gascoyne Coast (Shark Bay and Carnarvon Area) Lighthouses
Steep Point (2)
1984 (station established 1960). Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); white flash every 10 s. 4 m (13 ft) white fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery. The original lighthouse was a 4 m (13 ft) cast iron tower of similar design. Google has a satellite view. The light marks the westernmost point of the Australian mainland, guiding vessels through a narrow passage at the south end of Dirk Hartog Island. Located atop a vertical cliff at the pojnt of the cape. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS AUS-304; Admiralty K1728; NGA 9208.
Cape Inscription
1910. Active; focal plane 39 m (127 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower is unpainted, lantern painted white. This is Australia's westernmost lighthouse, standing in longtitude 112°58.0' E. A closeup photo is available, Lighthouses of Australia has a photo by John Ibbotson (1/3 of the way down the page), Winsome Bonham has an aerial photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is located on Dirk Hartog Island, a long island sheltering Shark Bay. The island, long privately owned, is now incorporated in the Shark Bay Marine Park. The one accommodation on the island is at least 50 km (30 mi) to the south. It is possible to reach the site by 4WD vehicle, but this would require a substantial expedition. Located at the northernmost point of the island, marking the entrance to Shark Bay. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Dept. of Environment and Conservation (Shark Bay Marine Park). ARLHS AUS-032; Admiralty K1724; NGA 9212.
* Cape Peron
1980s (?). Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) slender round cylindrical tower, painted white. Frans IJserinkhuijsen has a good photo (eighth photo on the page), another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Cape Peron is the northern tip of the Peron Peninsula, which is connected tenuously to the mainland east of Dirk Hartog Island. The northern portion of the peninsula is set aside as François Peron National Park. Located on the point of the cape. Accessible by 4WD vehicles (guided tours are available and recommended). Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K1726; NGA 9228.
** Babbage Island (1)
1896. Inactive since 1961. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) round tower with lantern. Lantern dome painted with red and white vertical stripes. Brian Yap's photo is at right, but the lighthouses are hard to spot in a Google satellite view. The 1-story keeper's house is a museum. The lantern was originally mounted on a wood frame skeletal tower, which was damaged by fire in 1909 and again in 1961. The light was then moved to a modern steel tower. Located at Pelican Point, the northwestern tip of Babbage Island, on the northwest side of Carnarvon. Site open, Lighthouse Cottage Museum open daily 2-4 pm, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Carnarvon Heritage Precinct. ARLHS AUS-275.
* Babbage Island (2)
1962. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 18 m (60 ft) square steel skeletal tower with gallery and the light atop a short fiberglass tower. Entire structure painted white. Brian Yap's photo is at right, and Winsome Bonham has an aerial photo. Located at Pelican Point, the northwestern tip of Babbage Island, on the northwest side of Carnarvon. Site open, Lighthouse Cottage Museum open daily 2-4 pm, tower closed. Operator: AMSA (?). Site manager: Carnarvon Heritage Precinct. ARLHS AUS-276; Admiralty K1718; NGA 9252.
[Cape Ronsard (Bernier Island) (2)]
1985 (station established 1961). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); two white flashes every 8 s. 3.5 m (12 ft) white fiberglass tower. No photo of the present light is available, and the small structure is not seen in Google's distant satellite view. The original lighthouse was a 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical steel tower with lantern. Bernier Island is a long, sandy ridge about 30 km (19 mi) west of Carnarvon. The light is at the northern tip of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Dept. of Environment and Conservation (Bernier and Dorre Island Reserve). Admiralty K1717; NGA 9264.

Babbage Island Lights, July 2005
Creative Commons photo by Brian Yap
* Point Quobba
1950. Active; focal plane 64 m (210 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 18.5 m (61 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; the dome of the lantern is red. A closeup photo is available, Lighthouses of Australia has a photo (about 1/4 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. The lantern was relocated here from Cape Wickham Light in the Bass Strait, Tasmania. Point Quobba is famous for spectacular blowholes on the rocky beach; the lighthouse gets less attention. Located about 80 km (50 mi) north of Carnarvon by road. Site open but fenced, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-215; Admiralty K1716; NGA 9268.

North West Cape (Exmouth Area) Lighthouses
Point Cloates (1)
1910. Inactive since the 1930s. Approx. 12 m (40 ft) round sandstone tower; lantern removed. The active light (1966; focal plane 39 m (128 ft); two white flashes every 15 s) is on a 3.5 m (12 ft) fiberglass tower about 1 km (0.6 mi) away. 1-story keeper's house in ruins. A closeup photo of the lighthouse is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Wikipedia has a National Archives photo dated 1917. This lighthouse was abandoned after it was heavily damaged by an earthquake. It was replaced in 1936 by a skeletal tower on Fraser Island, but that light was swept away by a storm in 1966. The light was returned to the mainland in the modern fiberglass tower. The historic tower has conspicuous cracks from the earthquake, but it has stood for more than 75 years and does not seem to be in danger of falling. In 2005 the lighthouse was added to the state register of historic places. Point Cloates, facing the Indian Ocean, is a remote location at the base of the Northwest Cape peninsula. It is said to be possible to reach the site by 4WD from Exmouth. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS AUS-131; Admiralty K1714; NGA 9272.
*** Vlaming Head
1912. Inactive since 1967. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted, lantern painted white. Oil house. The keeper's houses are leased to the Ningaloo Lighthouse Caravan Park and are available for overnight accommodations. Brian Yap's photo is at right, René Brask has a closeup photo, Keith Collicoat also has a great closeup, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built to mark North West Cape, the northwestern corner of the Australian continent. The light was moved in 1967 to one of the tall skeletal towers of the nearby Naval Communications Centre. After being damaged by Cyclone Vance in 1999, the lighthouse was restored in 2000-2001 with the help of numerous volunteers and a federal cyclone repair grant. Ken Baker, of the former Commonwealth Lighthouse Service, succeeded in putting the light back in operable condition, making this the only working kerosene-fueled lighthouse in Australia. The light is lit only on a few special occasions. Located 15 km (9 mi) north of Exmouth and about 10 km (6 mi) west southwest of the point of North West Cape (the northwestern corner of Australia). Accessible by road. Site open, tower open daily. Owner/site manager: Shire of Exmouth. ARLHS AUS-165.
North West Cape
1967. Active; focal plane 129 m (423 ft); white flash every 3 s. 30 m (98 ft) slender steel skeletal communications tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This tower is at the northwestern corner of a huge hexagonal array of naval communications towers. Located about 5 km (3 mi) east of the Vlaming Head lighthouse (previous entry). Site and tower closed. Admiralty K1710; NGA 9276.

Vlaming Head Light, July 2005
Creative Commons photo by Brian Yap

Pilbara Coast Lighthouses
Note: The name of this vast region of northwestern Australia is pronounced "Pillbra." Its coastline faces northwest on the Indian Ocean.
Bessieres Island (Bessiers Island, Anchor Island) (2)
1985 (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 17 m (56 ft) steel skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Bessieres Island is one of a scattering of small islands obstructing the entrance to Exmouth Gulf. Located on the southwestern tip of the island about 75 km (45 mi) northeast of Exmouth. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. Admiralty K1702; NGA 9284.
* Onslow
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 2 s. 18 m (59 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at Second Avenue and Watson Drive on the southeast side of Onslow. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. Admiralty K1704.1; NGA 9296.
Airlie Island (2)
1980 (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); four white flashes, separated by 2 s, every 16 s. 21 m (69 ft) tapered steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white. Winsome Bonham has a good aerial photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Airlie Island is in an oil and gas producing area and large tankers anchor offshore. The island itself is a nature reserve. Located on the north side of the island about 27 km (17 mi) north of Onslow. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-241; Admiralty K1698; NGA 9304.
[Mary Anne Reef (Mary Anne Island) (8?)]
2008 (station established 1933). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white flash every 5 s. 4 m (13 ft) white fiberglass tower. Lights have been replaced repeatedly at this exposed and dynamic location. Located on a reef about 15 km (9 mi) off the coast and 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Onslow. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. Admiralty K1696; NGA 9308.
North Sandy Island (2)
1980 (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); two white flashes, separated by 2 s, every 8 s. 16 m (53 ft) tapered steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white. Winsome Bonham has a good aerial photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Onslow. Site and tower closed. Accessible only by boat. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-237; Admiralty K1694; NGA 9316.
* Dampier Port Control Tower
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; continuous red light. Lantern centered on an octagonal building, part of the port authority's headquarters. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Dampier is a modern industrial port northwest of Karratha. Located on East Intercourse Island, one of several islands connected to shore by causeways as part of the port development. Site open, tower status unknown. Admiralty K1691.77; NGA 9341.5.
[Legendre Island (Cape Legendre) (4)]
1989 (station established 1927). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 4 m (13 ft) white fiberglass tower. No photo of the present light is available, but Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was a 12 m (40 ft) skeletal tower; the 1963 light was a round lantern with a Fresnel lens. The light was replaced twice in 1989, because the first replacement was destroyed almost immediately by a tropical cyclone. Legendre Island is the northernmost island of the Dampier archipelago, and the light serves as a landfall light for Port Dampier. Located at the western tip of the island, known as Cape Dampier. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. Admiralty K1690; NGA 9344.
** Jarman Island
1888. Inactive since 1987. 15.5 m (51 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Lower half of the tower painted red, upper half and lantern white. Guy wires are attached to the tower but appear to provide little support. The original 2nd order Fresnel lens is on display at Cape Naturaliste Light on the Southwest Coast (see above). 1-story keeper's house in ruins. The shire's photo is at right, Alan Thompson has a view from the mainland, and Google has a satellite view. This tower was prefabricated in Birmingham, England. The lighthouse was endangered for many years by rust and abandonment, but in 2003 the Australian government granted $75,000 to begin restoration of the lighthouse as a tourist attraction. Additional funding was sought from the Western Australia Lotteries Commission. By 2005 the restoration of the tower was complete and work was soon to begin on the keeper's house. Located on an island 3 km (2 mi) southeast of Point Samson and about 3 km (2 mi) northeast of Cossack, a historic port that is being restored to its late 19th century appearance. Accessible only by boat. Site open, guided tours available from Cossack, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Shire of Roebourne. ARLHS AUS-278.
Bedout Island (2)
1980 (station established 1909). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 17.5 m (57 ft) stainless steel skeletal tower, painted white. The lantern from the original lighthouse was refurbished and placed on the Hillarys Boat Harbor lighthouse near Perth. Located on an island about 50 km (30 mi) off the coast and about 125 km (80 mi) northeast of Port Hedland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-293; Admiralty K1675; NGA 9416.
Jarman Island Light
Jarman Island Light
Shire of Roeburn photo

Kimberley Coast Lighthouses
Imperieuse Reef (2)
1970 (station established 1960). Active; focal plane 30 m (100 ft); white flash every 5 s. 30 m (98 ft) round cylindrical stainless steel tower with gallery but no lantern. Taller sibling of the somewhat better-known Pelsaert Island Light. Located on the reef, the southernmost of the three coral reefs known as the Rowley Reefs, about 260 km (160 mi) west of Broome. Accessible only by boat; cruises to the reefs are available from Broome. Site open, tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Dept. of Environment and Conservation (Rowley Shoals Marine Park). ARLHS AUS-094; Admiralty K1674; NGA 9424.
* Gantheaume Point (3)
1984 (station established 1905). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two white flashes, separated by 3 s, every 10 s. 23 m (75 ft) tapered square steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white. Keeper's houses demolished. Brian Yap's photo is at right, Winsome Bonham has a good aerial photo, John Ibbotson has an excellent closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1917. The station is surrounded by interesting red rock formations. Located on the point, a prominent cape about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Broome. Site open (but fenced), tower closed. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-212; Admiralty K1660; NGA 9428.
* East Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 2 s. 19 m (62 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a tiny island at the southeastern end of a coral reef about 120 km (75 mi) north of Broome. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty K1658; NGA 9448.
* Cape Leveque
1912. Active; focal plane 43 m (142 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 13 m (43 ft) round steel (?) tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Keeper's houses demolished. A closeup photo is available, Winsome Bonham has a good aerial photo, Chris Breen has a 2009 photo, Wikipedia's article has a photo by Bruce Mitchell, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the northern tip of the Dampier Peninsula about 240 km (150 mi) north of Broome. It is possible to drive to the cape by 4WD, but most visitors arrive by air. The lighthouse is close to the rustic accommodations (cabins and tents) of the Kooljaman Resort. Site open (but fenced), tower closed. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Kooljaman Aboriginal Community. ARLHS AUS-036; Admiralty K1650; NGA 9452.
Caffarelli Island
1967. Active; focal plane 130 m (428 ft); white flash every 10 s. 6 m (21 ft) round cylindrical steel tower with lantern, painted white. Winsome Bonham has a good aerial photo, but the light is not seen in Google's distant satellite view. Located on a high island in the Buccaneer Archipelago, a group of more than 1000 rugged islands north of Derby. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-251; Admiralty K1646; NGA 9468.
Tanner Island (More Island)
1951. Active; focal plane 23 m (77 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Winsome Bonham has a good aerial photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on another island of the Buccaneer Archipelago, about 25 km (15 mi) east of Caffarelli Island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-240; Admiralty K1643; NGA 9472.

Gantheaume Point Light, July 2005
Creative Commons photo by Brian Yap
Adele Island (2)
Date unknown (station established 1951). Active; focal plane 31 m (101 ft); white flash every 5 s. 30 m (98 ft) square steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Google has a satellite view. Located at the northeastern tip of an island at the southern end of a reef system about 250 km (155 mi) north of Derby. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-001; Admiralty K1640; NGA 9500.
Browse Island (2)
1985 (station established 1945). Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 32 m (105 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. Google has a distant satellite view of the tiny island. Located far out in the Timor Sea, about 275 km (175 mi) northeast of Derby. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. Admiralty K1642; NGA 9504.
Degerando Island
1960. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 6 m (20 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a small island at the northern entrance to Collier Bay, a very remote area. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-296; Admiralty K1641; NGA 9508.
Lesueur Island
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); four white flashes every 16 s. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. No current photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view. Lesueur Island is a small island about 30 km (20 mi) east of Cape Londonderry, the western entrance to Joseph Bonaparte Gulf. Located at the west end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Operator/site manager: AMSA. Admiralty K1638; NGA 9512.
[Lacrosse Island]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 113 m (370 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. 6 m (20 ft) cylindrical steel tower, painted white. No lantern. Winsome Bonham has a good aerial photo, and Google has a good satellite view. Located on an island in the mouth of Cambridge Gulf about 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Wyndham. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: AMSA. ARLHS AUS-097; Admiralty 1636; NGA 9516.
 

Information available on lost lighthouses:

  • Arthur Head (1851-1905), Fremantle. Huelse has a postcard view of the second (1879) lighthouse. ARLHS AUS-004.
  • Cape Bossut (1913-1980s), Kimberley coast south of Broome. ARLHS AUS-022.
  • Fraser Island (1936-1966), near Point Cloates. ARLHS AUS-297.
  • Mount Blaze (1921-1948?), Pilbara coast near Pardoo. O'Brien also has a small photo.

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Adjoining pages: North: Northern Territory | East: South Australia

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Posted June 15, 2004; checked and revised July 4, 2011. Lighthouses: 50. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.