Point Lonsdale Lighthouse

A vigil is kept by the still manned Point Lonsdale Lighthouse over the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay. The Rip, as it is known, is one of the most notorious entrances to any bay in the world.

History

his lighthouse is one of the few left that is staffed 24 hours a day. The base has an signal and observation room for the control of shipping through the Heads.

Point Lonsdale received a signal station in 1852 to help ships negotiate its dangerous waters.

Four years later, a red pillar beacon was built to warn of Lonsdale Rock.

A wooden lighthouse from Shortland Bluff was then dismantled and re-erected at Point Lonsdale in 1863.

The present lighthouse was built in 1902, but the earlier wooden lighthouse was not cut up for firewood until 1912.

In 1915 the light passed from the Victorian State Government to Commonwealth control. It was handed back in 1934 and classified as a harbour entrance light rather than a “Coastal Highway Light”.

The base was altered in 1950 to provide an observation and shipping control room.

This is possibly the last manned lighthouse in Australia.

The lighthouse celebrated its centenary in 2002.

The Point Lonsdale Lighthouse before the signal station was added
Image: Queenscliff Historical Society

The original relocated Shortland Bluff Lighthouse
Image: Queenscliff Historical Society

Denise Shultz and Malcolm Macdonald at the centenary celebrations
Image: Laurie Sharp

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

Title	Address	Description
Melbourne Leading Light Rear	66 Beacon Vista, Port Melbourne VIC 3207, Australia	Melbourne Leading Light Rear
Melbourne Leading Light Front	Bay Trail, Port Melbourne VIC 3207, Australia	Melbourne Leading Light Front
Williamstown Timeball	Timeball Tower, Williamstown VIC 3016, Australia	Williamstown Timeball
Point Gellibrand Pile Light	31 Battery Rd, Williamstown VIC 3016, Australia	Point Gellibrand Pile Light
West Channel Pile Light	75 Bluff Rd, St Leonards VIC 3223, Australia	West Channel Pile Light
South Channel Pile Light	2591 Point Nepean Rd, Rye VIC 3941, Australia	South Channel Pile Light
Eastern (McCrae)	658 Point Nepean Rd, McCrae VIC 3938, Australia	Eastern (McCrae)
Cape Schanck	Cape Schanck Access Rd, Cape Schanck VIC 3939, Australia	Cape Schanck
Shortland Bluff (Black)	66 Gellibrand St, Queenscliff VIC 3225, Australia	Shortland Bluff (Black)
Queenscliff (Low) White	133 Hesse St, Queenscliff VIC 3225, Australia	Queenscliff (Low) White
Port Phillip Lights	133 Hesse St, Queenscliff VIC 3225, Australia	Port Phillip Lights
Point Lonsdale	9-13 Point Lonsdale Rd, Point Lonsdale VIC 3225, Australia	Point Lonsdale
Split Point	Federal St, Aireys Inlet VIC 3231, Australia	Split Point

Keepers

We need your help in compiling a list of keepers for this lighthouse. If you have any information then send it to keeper@lighthouses.org.au.

Please include this lighthouse’s name, the keepers full name and what years they were keepers. Also include the same information for any other lights they were on.

Technical Details

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