Entrance Island Lighthouse

The Entrance Island and Bonnet Island Lighthouses stand at the entrance to Macquarie Harbour, a huge inland sea of about 100 square miles.

History

The narrow 120 metre entrance to the huge Macquarie Harbour was discovered in 1815. Within a year, timber cutters moved in and navigating the narrow entrance and its sandbar was an essential hazard to getting the timber out to Hobart.

A signal station was erected near Cape Sorell in 1822 to indicates conditions entering the harbour. It was manned by convicts from the newly established penal settlement at Sarah Island.

The conditions were so bad at the new Sarah Island that the convicts named the entrance to the harbour Hells Gate. Other records indicate the name was used due to the enormous rush of the tides through the entrance to the harbour which can create very dangerous conditions.

In the 1890’s the discovery of silver and lead at Zeehan greatly increased the traffic entering the harbour works were taken to improve the entrance. In 1891, a light was exhibited from two white six sided wooden towers, one on the western side of Entrance Island, and the other on Bonnet Island. Also a breakwater was constructed at Hells Gate to check the sandbar and in 1899 a light was constructed a Cape Sorell.

The Strahan Marine Board purchased a dredge in 1909 and continued to improve the entrance so that many large vessels could enter.

The Entrance Light was powered by gas until 1977, when solar panels and batteries took over. The light was never manned, although an officer of the Strahan Marine Board was stationed at Strahan until 19 May 1970, when the Hobart Marine Board took over.

The weatherboard cladding was renewed in 1989.

© All images are copyright of their respective photographers and are not to be used without permission.

Title Address Description
Blinking Billy
Blinking Billy Point Reserve, 652 Sandy Bay Rd, Sandy Bay TAS 7005, Australia

Blinking Billy

John Garrow Shoal
Blinking Billy Point Reserve, 652 Sandy Bay Rd, Sandy Bay TAS 7005, Australia

John Garrow Shoal

Derwent Lighthouse Iron Pot
Iron Pot, Tasmania, Australia

Derwent Lighthouse Iron Pot

Tasman Island
Tasman Island, Tasmania, Australia

Tasman Island

Cape Bruny
Cape Bruny Lighthouse Tours, Lighthouse Rd, South Bruny TAS 7150, Australia

Cape Bruny

Maatsuyker Island
Unnamed Road, Tasmania, Australia

Maatsuyker Island

Cape Sorell
Unnamed Road, Macquarie Heads TAS 7468, Australia

Cape Sorell

Entrance Island
Unnamed Road, Macquarie Heads TAS 7468, Australia

Entrance Island

Bonnet Island
Macquarie Harbour,, TAS, Australia

Bonnet Island

Bluff Hill Point
Bluff Hill Rd, Marrawah TAS 7330, Australia

Bluff Hill Point

West Point
Unnamed Road, Marrawah TAS 7330, Australia

West Point

Sandy Cape
Unnamed Road, West Coast TAS 7321, Australia

Sandy Cape

Stokes Point
Unnamed Road, Surprise Bay TAS 7256, Australia

Stokes Point

Currie Harbour
LOT 1 Lighthouse St, Currie TAS 7256, Australia

Currie Harbour

Cape Wickham
687 Cape Wickham Rd, Wickham TAS 7256, Australia

Cape Wickham

Councillor Island
Councillor Island, Tasmania, Australia

Councillor Island

Highfield Point
Unnamed Road, Stanley TAS 7331, Australia

Highfield Point

Highfield Point Old
Marine Park, 14 Wharf Rd, Stanley TAS 7331, Australia

Highfield Point Old

Rocky Cape
Rocky Cape Rd, Rocky Cape TAS 7321, Australia

Rocky Cape

Table Cape
Lighthouse Rd, Table Cape TAS 7325, Australia

Table Cape

Round Hill Point
Chasm Creek Lighthouse, 1A Bass Hwy, Chasm Creek TAS 7321, Australia

Round Hill Point

Mersey Bluff
39 Bluff Access Rd, Devonport TAS 7310, Australia

Mersey Bluff

Devonport Leading Lights
6 Victoria Parade, Devonport TAS 7310, Australia

Devonport Leading Lights

Devonport Leading Lights
26 Best St, Devonport TAS 7310, Australia

Devonport Leading Lights

Low Head
496 Low Head Rd, Low Head TAS 7253, Australia

Low Head

Middle Channel (Tamar Rear Leading Light)
180 Low Head Rd, Low Head TAS 7253, Australia

Middle Channel (Tamar Rear Leading Light)

Sheoak Point (Tamar Front Leading Light)
199 Low Head Rd, Low Head TAS 7253, Australia

Sheoak Point (Tamar Front Leading Light)

Swan Island
Unnamed Road, Tasmania, Australia

Swan Island

Goose Island
Flinders, TAS, Australia

Goose Island

Eddystone Point
Eddystone Light Station, 2986 Eddystone Point Rd, Eddystone TAS 7264, Australia

Eddystone Point

Deal Island
Unnamed Road, Tasmania 7255, Australia

Deal Island

Cape Tourville
Cape Tourville Rd, Coles Bay TAS 7215, Australia

Cape Tourville

Cape Forestier (Lemon Rock)
Freycinet National Park, Coles Bay Rd, Coles Bay TAS 7215, Australia

Cape Forestier (Lemon Rock)

Point Home
Unnamed Road, Triabunna TAS 7190, Australia

Point Home

Keepers

This lighthouse was never manned.

Technical Details

First Exhibited
Permanent Tower
CurrentTower
Architect
Status
Location
Original Optic
Current Optic
Automated
Demanned
Construction
Height
Elevation
Range
Character
Intensity
Light Source
Power Source
Operator
Custodian
Notes

  NB: Information is historical data and is not for navigational purposes.

Access

The lighthouses can be reached by boat from the port of Strahan. There are regular tours of Macquarie Harbour that include the lights.

Site Access

The lighthouse grounds are open all year round.

Tours

No tours are available.

Accommodation

No lighthouse accommodation is available

Associated Lighthouse

Bonnet Island