About Hornby Lighthouse
Hornby Lighthouse is a historic active lighthouse at South Head in Watsons Bay, within Sydney Harbour National Park, Woollahra, New South Wales. Built in 1858, it is the third oldest lighthouse in New South Wales and features distinctive red and white vertical stripes. Positioned on the tip of South Head, it marks the southern entrance to Sydney Harbour and is notable for its heritage value, scenic coastal setting and panoramic harbour views.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect an exterior viewing of the red and white striped lighthouse at the tip of South Head, accessed via the South Head Heritage Trail walking track. The setting is an exposed coastal headland with sandstone cliffs, harbour and ocean views, and historic gun emplacements nearby. The lighthouse interior is generally closed to the public except for occasional open days. The area offers lookouts, photography opportunities, whale watching in season, and interpretive signs about maritime history.
Key highlights
- 01
Historic 1858 lighthouse with distinctive red and white stripes, third oldest in New South Wales
- 02
Panoramic views of Sydney Harbour entrance, North Head and the Tasman Sea
- 03
Located on the South Head Heritage Trail within Sydney Harbour National Park
- 04
Nearby heritage gun emplacements and military fortifications at South Head