Described as Australia’s most significant lighthouse, Cape Otway Lightstation is full of history. It includes not just the lighthouse but also the surrounding buildings and areas. It is Australia’s oldest lighthouse.

Built where Bass Strait meets the Southern Ocean it was sailors first contact with Australia. Actually is was also their first contact with land since leaving their departure port. This was also a very dangerous area. To travel around mainland Australia there was a very narrow opening of 84 kilometres known as the Eye of the Needle. This is between Cape Otway and Cape Wickham on King Island. Captains who misjudged this space ended up shipwrecked.

The photos below were taken from the top of the old lighthouse. We could walk all the way around however when on the southern side over the ocean we thought we would be blown off. The wind gusts were huge so we could get a real sense of how hard and isolating it would have been.

• 

• 

• 

The above photo gives an indication of how amazing the old stone work was in the lighthouse.

Cape Otway lightstation included a telegraph station. Built in 1859 it was the first attempt at linking communication between mainland Australia and Tasmania. After this failed it began communication with every ship’s captain that passed Cape Otway. It’s task was to separate the healthy and unhealthy ships before they landed in Melbourne.

Another hidden aspect of the area during World War 2 was a radar bunker. It was so secret that when it informed about an enemy vessel it wasn’t believed. I love finding these surprising stories of our history on our travels.

Unfortunately during our visit we were told that this amazing piece of Australian history is to be sold. Let’s hope common sense changes the government’s mind.