Cape Bruny Lighthouse

The Cape Bruny Lighthouse is is the third oldest Commonwealth lightstation in Australia. Cape Bruny lighthouse is on the southernmost tip of Bruny Island, off the coast of south eastern Tasmania and 100 km from Hobart. The lighthouse is also the oldest continuous lighthouse tower in Australia under Commonwealth control.

On the heels of George Bass and Matthew Flinders, who in 1798 had established that there was a strait between Van Diemens Land and New South Wales, came the sealers. Soon ships en route from English and Indian ports were using the strait, but quickly experienced its dangers and decided it would be wiser to travel via the longer route and as a result Hobart became a popular calling place. In 1835 three ships were wrecked in DEntrecasteaux Channel and consequently it was recommended to build a lighthouse at Cape Bruny.

The Cape Bruny lighthouse has kept vigil on the south-western edge of the cape on South Bruni Island since 1838 and was the third tower to be built, at a cost of 2,500 pounds, by convicts in Tasmania.