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Forget looking for light at the end of the tunnel – we’ve found it at the end of the world. Tasmania’s Bruny Island, affectionately known as the ‘edge of the world’ – and just a 20-minute ferry ride from Hobart – is home to the lighthouse that proudly holds the title of Australia’s oldest continuously manned lighthouse.
Built in 1836, Cape Bruny Lighthouse rises 114 metres above the remote island’s rugged dolerite cliffs and wild Tasman Sea. This heritage-listed tower has lots of claims to fame: it’s Australia’s fourth-oldest lighthouse (now, the second-oldest still standing), the longest continually staffed extant lighthouse, and the only southern Tasmanian lighthouse open for tours.
Cape Bruny’s remoteness is all part of its charm. To reach the lighthouse, travellers from the mainland must first catch a 20-minute ferry from Hobart to Bruny Island. From the terminal, it’s a scenic one-hour and 15-minute drive to the lighthouse car park, tucked away at the very southern end of the island.
I recently visited Bruny Island, and the lighthouse was the number one recommendation given to me by locals. I happily obliged and was equally impressed by its rich history and sweeping views.
My tour guide, Micah, who grew up on Bruny Island, started by telling us the harrowing history of Cape Bruny Lighthouse. It was commissioned by Governor George Arthur in 1835, following two tragic shipwrecks south of Bruny. 12 convicts were tasked with erecting the lighthouse in just 18 months, with freedom as their reward. Against the odds, they succeeded, handbuilding it from locally quarried dolerite.
Cape Bruny Lighthouse was first lit with sperm whale oil in March 1838. Its lantern remained in constant use until 1996, when a solar-powered tower nearby replaced it.
Today, the historic lighthouse is cared for by a team of volunteers who live there on a rotating six-week roster. We reckon it’s not a bad gig when your backyard is the wild beauty of Bruny Island.
While you can admire the lighthouse from below, I recommend taking a tour for exclusive access to the cast-iron spiral staircase. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking 360-degree views of Cape Bruny’s rugged dolerite cliffs and wild coastline. Just make sure to hold onto your hats; it’ll blow you away both literally and figuratively.