Victoria Lighthouses

The state of Victoria, located in the southeastern corner of Australia, includes the country's second largest metropolitan area, Melbourne. Victoria is the smallest Australian state, but it has a very dangerous coastline that required about 20 historic light stations. The coastline faces south, looking across the Bass Strait to Tasmania, and southwest onto the Great Southern Ocean.

Lighthouse management: coastal aids to navigation in Australia are maintained by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). Harbor aids are maintained by the Port of Melbourne in the Melbourne area and by the Victorian Regional Channels Authority (VRCA) elsewhere. In most cases, these authorities are responsible only for the lighting equipment. The majority of the light stations are now parklands managed by Parks Victoria.

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

What's Hot:

General Sources

Lighthouses of Victoria

The section of the Lighthouses of Australia site devoted to Victoria lights.

Lighthouses of Victoria

Photos and accounts by Kristie Eggleston.

Lighthouses of Australia - Victoria

An excellent website by Garry Searle, with photos and accounts of most of the lighthouses.

Grant and Tracey's Lighthouse Page - Victoria

Photos of most of the lighthouses posted by Grant Maizels.

Australian Lighthouses

This site, posted by Kevin Mulcahy, has a useful list of all Australian lighthouses linked to photos of some of them.

Special Places - Lighthouses

This page on the Parks Victoria website links to pages for seven of the lighthouses under state management.

Point Lonsdale Light, October 2006
anonymous Creative Commons photo

East Coast (Gippsland) Lighthouses
Gabo Island (2): 1862 (station established 1853). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 47 m (156 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery. The unpainted tower is pink in color; lantern painted white. The principal keeper's house is occupied by a resident caretaker; the assistant keeper's house is available for overnight rental. This majestic lighthouse marks Cape Howe, the southeastern corner of the Australian continent. The island is a park and wildlife reserve. Mike Irvine has a good photo, Maria Brandl has posted an account of a visit, Garry Searle has an excellent page with many photos and a drawing of the first lighthouse, and Google has a fine satellite view. Located on the southeastern corner of Gabo Island, about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Cape Howe and 16 km (10 mi) east of Mallacoota. Accessible only by boat or by air; guided tours are available. Site and tower open to guided tours (reservations required). Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Parks Victoria (Gabo Island Lightstation Reserve). ARLHS AUS-078; Admiralty K2558; NGA List 6592.
* Point Hicks: 1890. Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 37 m (121 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Principal keeper's house occupied by a resident caretaker; two assistant keeper's houses available for overnight rental. Rohan Rogers has a good photo, Garry Searle has a good page on this lighthouse, Lighthouses of Australia also has a page on the station, and Google has a satellite view. This is the tallest lighthouse on the Australian mainland. In a design unusual for mainland Australia, there is no central column; the cast iron spiral stairs are cantilevered from the walls. The Friends of Point Hicks Lighthouse help support preservation of the site, which is included in Croajingolong National Park. Located in a remote area about 55 km (35 mi) south of Highway A1 at Cann River; 4WD suggested. Accessible by a hike of about 3 km (2 mi) from the end of the road. Site and tower open. Operator: Victorian Regional Channels Authority. Site manager: Parks Victoria and Point Hicks Lighthouse. ARLHS AUS-133; Admiralty K2556; NGA List 6604.
* Citadel Island (1): 1913. Inactive since 1982. 3.5 m (11 ft) lantern. Australia's first automated, acetylene-powered lighthouse. Originally located atop a granite pinnacle a few miles west of Wilson's Promontory, this light was replaced by a fiberglass tower. After being in storage for two decades it was restored by volunteers for display at the maritime museum in Port Albert. Site open; museum open daily September through May, also on weekends and school holidays June through August; tower closed. Owner/site manager: Gippsland Regional Maritime Museum. ARLHS AUS-057.

Melbourne Area Lighthouses
**** Cape Schanck: 1859. Active; focal plane 100 m (328 ft); white light shown to the south and west and red to the east, on 10.8 s, off 5.8 s, one quick intense flash, off 5.8 s. 21 m (70 ft) round limestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is red. Rotating 1° Chance Brothers lens (1915) in use; the original clockwork mechanism is also in place but no longer used. The original limestone principal keeper's house is used as a lighthouse museum. Two assistant keeper's houses and an additional small cottage are in service as a bed and breakfast inn. Garry Searle has a page with excellent photos, Damien Huang has a good 2008 photo, Lighthouses of Australia has a report of a 2004 visit to the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. This handsome lighthouse is a landfall light for ships approaching Melbourne. Solidly built, it is one of the few Australian lighthouses with stone stairs. It was carefully restored in the late 1970s and early 1980s and has become a very popular tourist attraction. Located at the end of Cape Schanck Road on the southwestern tip of the Mornington Peninsula, which shelters Port Phillip Bay. Site open, tower open to guided tours daily. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Parks Victoria (Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve). ARLHS AUS-045; Admiralty K2423; NGA List 7456.
** Point Lonsdale (3): 1902 (station established 1863). Active; focal plane 37 m (120 ft); white or red light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off, 2 s on, 9 s off. 21 m (70 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, the lower portion surrounded by a 2-story circular signal station. Tower and signal building painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). There is a photo at the top of this page, and Kristie Eggleston has a page with many photos. This lighthouse guards "The Rip," the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne's harbor. The signal station, added in 1950, is staffed at all times. The exterior of the lighthouse was restored in 1997, and in 2002 the Victorian Channels Authority and Heritage Victoria cooperated to restore the interior. Located on the west side of the bay entrance off Flinders St. in Queenscliff; accessible by paved road. Site open; tower open to guided tours every Sunday sponsored by the Queenscliff Maritime Museum. Operator/site manager: Victorian Regional Channels Authority. ARLHS AUS-222; Admiralty K2194; NGA List 7460.

* Murray Tower: 1974. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); green light, occulting for 2.5 s every 15 s. Approx. 16 m (53 ft) square cylindrical steel tower carrying a large green daymark. The Murray Tower lines up with the Queenscliff High Light to indicate the eastern edge of the deepwater channel into Port Phillip Bay. It replaced a stone obelisk on the same location. This tower is a little to the right of the white lighthouse in a Google satellite view. Located adjacent to the Queenscliff Low Light. Parking provided nearby at Fort Queenscliff. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Port of Melbourne. ARLHS AUS-289; Admiralty K2204; NGA List 7488.
* Queenscliff High ("The Black Lighthouse," Port Phillip Entrance Range Rear) (2): 1862 (station established 1843). Active; focal plane 40 m (130 ft); white light, fixed or occulting 2.5 s every 15 s, depending on direction. 25 m (82 ft) round bluestone (basalt) tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted dark stone (not actually black); the lantern and gallery are painted green. 3-story octagonal signal station (1850). The occultations are shown toward the entrance of Port Phillip Bay, in unison with the Queenscliff Low Light, Hume Tower, and Murray Tower. Ships in the proper channel see the Black and White Lighthouses in line and blinking in unison, with the Hume Tower on the left and the Murray Tower on the right. Eggleston's page has several photos, a good 2007 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located in Fort Queenscliff. Parking available nearby. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Port of Melbourne. ARLHS AUS-263; Admiralty K2200; NGA List 7480.
South Channel Range Front (South Channel Pile Light): 1874. Reactivated (inactive 1985-1998); focal plane approx. 9 m (30 ft); white flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) light tower centered on the roof of a 1-story octagonal wood keeper's house, mounted on wood pilings. Lighthouse painted white; gallery painted gold. Google has a satellite view. This is Australia's only surviving cottage pile lighthouse. Originally it guided ships on the South Channel, a natural deepwater channel that runs east southeast from Queenscliff parallel to the south shore of Port Phillip Bay. The lighthouse deteriorated rapidly after deactivation in 1985. In 1998, it was removed by Parks Victoria, restored on land, and then relocated to a site about halfway between the original location and the town of Rye. At its new home it is known officially as the Rye Channel South Light. Located about 3 km (2 mi) north of Rye. Accessible only by boat, but clearly visible from many locations on the shore. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Parks Victoria (South Channel Pile Lighthouse). ARLHS AUS-150; Admiralty K2325.5; NGA List 7523.4.

* Port Melbourne Channel (former Range Rear): 1924. Active; two lights: a general purpose light (focal plane 24 m (78 ft)) showing a white flash every 5 s and a leading light (focal plane 21 m (70 ft) showing a white light on the line of the channel with green in a narrow sector the the right (east) and red in a narrow sector to the left (west). 26 m (85 ft) slender concrete tower, painted white with a red "cap" at the top. Jimmy Medallada has a good December 2007 photo, Waymarking.com has a good photo of both range lights, and Google has a satellite view. Formerly located in an industrial area, this tower now stands at the north end of Beacon Vista, a boulevard in an upscale waterfront development called Beacon Cove. Located about 600 m (650 yd) inland from Beach Street east of Princes Pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Port of Melbourne. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS AUS-139; Admiralty K2338.1; NGA List 7896.
* Point Gellibrand (Time Signal) (2): 1849 (station established 1839). Inactive 1859-1934 and since 1987. 17 m (58 ft) tapered square bluestone tower carrying a timeball mast. No lantern; tower unpainted. Tower floodlit at night. Garry Searle' page has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. In the 19th century this tower was used only briefly as a lighthouse. Beginning in 1853 it was also equipped with a timeball apparatus: a mast with a sphere that was lowered each day precisely at 1 pm so that ships in the harbor could adjust their chronometers. The timeball remained in use until 1926. In 1934 the tower was reconverted to a lighthouse by the addition of a 15 m (50 ft) cylindrical brick tower atop the original structure. In 1989-90 this tower extension was removed and the tower was restored to its late 19th century appearance. The timeball is now lowered automatically each day at 1 pm. Located on Point Gellibrand at the south end of Nelson Place in Williamstown. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Parks Victoria (Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park).

Western Victoria Lighthouses
*** Split Point (Eagles Nest Point): 1891. Active; focal plane 66 m (218 ft); four white flashes, separated by 3 s, every 20 s. 34 m (110 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is red. 1° Fresnel lens in use. At least two 1-story keeper's houses. A fine closeup is available, Eggleston's page has many photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse, known affectionately as the White Queen, is a welcoming sight for sailors westbound for Melbourne. In early 2004, two keeper's houses were sold at auction as private residences. In early 2005 the Surf Coast Shire government secured a lease of the lighthouse and then contracted with Eco-Logic, Inc., to offer tours. Ceremonies opening the lighthouse to the public were held on November 2, 2005. Located on the point at Airey's Inlet, about 120 km (75 mi) southwest of Melbourne. Parking provided; a popular oceanfront trail begins at the lighthouse. Site open, tower open for tours daily but reservations are essential. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Surf Coast Shire. ARLHS AUS-154; Admiralty K2182; NGA List 7984.

* Griffiths Island (Griffith Island, Port Fairy): 1859. Active; focal plane 12 m (41 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 11 m (36 ft) round bluestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern roof is red. The keeper's houses were demolished around 1956. In 2000, volunteers restored the site, removing non-native vegetation to reveal the foundations of the keeper's houses and other structures. Eggleston has good photos, Gareth Jones has a fine 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the eastern point of the island, which shelters the harbor of Port Fairy. Accessible by footbridge and a walk of about 400 m (1/4 mi). Site open, tower closed. Operator: Victorian Regional Channels Authority. Site manager: Moyne Shire Council. ARLHS AUS-086; Admiralty K2136; NGAList 8028.
* Whaler's Bluff (Whaler Point, Portland Bay): 1859 (relocated 1889). Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); three white flashes, separated by 4.5 s, every 30 s; red flashes are shown over the reef to the east. 12 m (39 ft) round stone tower, painted white with red trim; entire lantern is red. The keeper's houses have been demolished. Darrell Morrison has a good photo, and Eggleston has excellent photos. The lighthouse was built on what is now called Battery Point south of Portland; it was dismantled and relocated in 1889 so that artillery could be placed at that site. Located on a bluff at the end of Lighthouse Street on the north side of Portland. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Victorian Regional Channels Authority. ARLHS AUS-168; Admiralty K2138; NGA List 8048.
**** Cape Nelson: 1884. Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); four white flashes, separated by 3 s, every 20 s. 32 m (105 ft) round bluestone tower, painted white; lantern roof is red. 4° Chance Brothers Fresnel lens in use. The keeper's houses are available for overnight accommodations. Stables and workshop converted to use as a café. An unusual feature of this station is a long rubblestone wall built to protect the keeper's houses from the frequent high winds. A good 2007 photo is available, Searle has good photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. A historic and well preserved light station, now a state park with visitor facilities operated by a lessee. Located 13 km (8 mi) south of Portland; accessible by paved road. Site open, tower open to guided tours daily. Operator: AMSA. Site manager: Cape Nelson Lightstation. ARLHS AUS-041; Admiralty K2136; NGA List 8064.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Lady Bay Beach (1859-1871), Warrnambool. ARLHS AUS-272.

Notable faux lighthouses:

St. Kilda Marina, southeast of Melbourne on Port Phillip Bay, carries two spotlights and is floodlit at night, but it is not an official aid to navigation.

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