Cape Sorell Lighthouse
R529+RP Macquarie Heads TAS, Australia
Name and Location
The Cape Sorell Lighthouse, also known as "Macquarie Heads Light", stands guard at the entrance to Macquarie Harbour on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. Its official address is R529+RP Macquarie Heads TAS 7116, and its coordinates are -42.1979002, 145.1693088.
2. Construction and History
The Cape Sorell Lighthouse was constructed between 1899 and 1900, with the first light being lit in 1901. The Office of the Engineer-in-Chief, Tasmania, designed the lighthouse using locally quarried stone, brickwork, and concrete footings.
3. Architecture and Materials
The lighthouse features an industrial-era cylindrical tower with simple classical detailing, standing at a height of 37 meters (excluding the lantern roof). Its focal plane height is approximately 63 meters above sea level.
4. Light and Navigation
The Cape Sorell Lighthouse emits four white flashes every 20 seconds, with a range of 17 nautical miles (approximately 31 kilometers). The light source was originally an oil-wick lamp, later converted to electric AC in the 1960s, and is now solar-powered with a backup installed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
5. Accessibility and Visiting
The lighthouse tower itself is closed to the public, but the surrounding area offers several viewing points. The Strahan-Macquarie Heads Road (C248) lookout provides a distant view of the lighthouse, while the Allawah Colony walking track offers a more scenic route. Access is via the C248 road from Strahan.
6. Notable Views and Landscape
The Cape Sorell area is characterized by coastal heath and spinifex on rolling dunes, exposed granitic headlands used by local seabirds, and nearby wrecks visible only at very low tide.
7. Anecdotes and Folklore
Early keepers of the lighthouse often endured months of isolation, cut off by winter storms. A local oral history tells of one keeper swimming to shore in gale conditions to rescue a marooned passenger during World War II, when the site carried a small coastal-defense observation post.
8. Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse was fully automated in 1971 and is monitored remotely by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. It has no dedicated radar installation, but local vessel AIS tracks remain the primary traffic-monitoring method.
9. Further Information
Note: No further information available based on provided data sources.
Details
| Name | Cape Sorell Lighthouse |
|---|---|
| City | Strahan |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | -42.1979002, 145.1693088 |
| Year of construction | 1899 |
| Events | [object Object] |
| Keeper stories | Early keepers endured months of isolation, often cut off by winter storms. A local oral history tells of one keeper swimming to shore in gale conditions to rescue a marooned passenger. |
| Architectural style | Industrial-era cylindrical tower with simple classical detailing |
| Architect | Office of the Engineer-in-Chief, Tasmania |
| Construction material | Locally quarried stone, brickwork and concrete footings |
| Focal height | 63 |
| Tower height | 37 |
| Access description | Drive west on the C248 from Strahan, cross the King River, then turn south onto a short gravel track (R529) leading to the headland. Four-wheel-drive recommended when roads are wet. |
| Accessible | false |
| Landscape type | Coastal heath and spinifex on rolling dunes |
| View description | Cape Sorell juts into the Roaring Forties wind zone, where iron-grey seas and coastal heathland predominate. |
| Guided tours | false |
| Nearby attractions | [object Object]; [object Object]; [object Object] |
| AIS Radar | false |
| Light characteristic | Fl (4) W 20 s |
| Light range | 17 |
| Automated | true |