Cape Wickham Lighthouse

Cape Wickham Lighthouse is a historic coastal lighthouse at the northern tip of King Island in Bass Strait, Tasmania. Completed in 1861, it is Australia's tallest lighthouse at 48 metres, built from locally quarried stone after numerous shipwrecks. The white tower stands on an exposed headland surrounded by rugged coastline and farmland. Heritage-listed and still operational, it is a significant maritime landmark and popular visitor attraction on King Island.

Visitors can expect a remote, windswept headland at the northern tip of King Island with the tall white lighthouse tower as the focal point. The grounds around the lighthouse are accessible for exterior viewing, photography and coastal sightseeing. The setting includes rugged cliffs, Bass Strait views, native grassland and farmland. The tower interior is generally closed to the public. There are interpretive signs explaining the history, a small parking area and open space to walk around the reserve.

Constructed in 1861 in response to frequent shipwrecks in Bass Strait, Cape Wickham Lighthouse was built from locally quarried stone by convict and free labour. At 48 metres it is the tallest lighthouse in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere. It was first lit on 1 November 1861 and remains an active aid to navigation managed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. It is listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register and the Commonwealth Heritage List.

The lighthouse is a significant maritime heritage landmark for Tasmania and Australia, symbolizing 19th-century navigation safety in Bass Strait. It is an iconic cultural attraction for King Island, reflecting the island's maritime history and community identity, and is a focal point for heritage tourism.