NSW Maritime Lighthouse Lights
NSW Maritime is keeping the lights burning in 13 lighthouses along the coast. These safety beacons have served the seafaring community over many decades and although their role as navaids is now shared with modern shipboard satellite navigation systems, NSW Maritime recognises their historic and ongoing invaluable role and will continue to ensure they are operational in all conditions.
NSW Maritime is responsible for the light operation and power systems of the following lighthouses from north to south along the coast:
Most of these lights were transferred from the Commonwealth to NSW Maritime in 1997 and 2004 as advances in navigation technology, especially from satellites, lessened the role of lighthouses in shipping safety. With the Commonwealth reducing its stake in lighthouses, NSW Maritime stepped in to preserve the unique heritage, tradition and basic safety function they continue to provide the boating community.
Click on the photo thumbnail to obtain a larger view.
Download a map of the location of the 13 lighthouses jointly managed by NSW Maritime.
| Lighthouse |
Description |
Location |
Height |
Light Range |
Year Built |
Photo |
Point Danger |
The Captain Cook Memorial Lighthouse at Point Danger was built to commemorate the bicentennial of Captain Cook’s voyage along the East Coast of Australia. |
Lat. 28°10' S Long. 153°33 ' E |
20 m |
10 nm |
1971 |
 |
Fingal Head |
Even though the Fingal Head light tower is not high and it is built on a low headland the light is effective as it is built on one of the most easterly points of Australia with plenty of deep water offshore. |
Latitude 28°12.2' S, Longitude 153°34.3' E |
7 Metres |
White 17 Nautical Miles; Red 14 Nautical Miles |
1872 |
 |
Ballina Head |
The Ballina Head lighthouse was built in 1880, making it one of the oldest lighthouses in Australia. |
Latitude 28°52' S , Longitude 153°36' E |
7 metres |
17 nm |
1879 |
 |
Evans Head |
It is on the headland east of the mouth of the Evans River, fairly elevated and serving the purpose of a lighthouse albeit a small one of not a grand structure. |
Latitude 29° 07.2’ S. Longitude 153° 26.8' E |
4 metres |
White 9 nm
Red 7 nm |
1975 |
 |
Tacking Point |
In 1879 a fixed catadioptric light of less than 1000 candelas was erected on Tacking Point. |
Latitude 31° 28.7 S. Longitude 152° 56.2 E |
8 metres |
16 nautical miles |
1879 |
 |
Crowdy Head |
The Crowdy Head Lighthouse was built in 1878 with a fixed catadioptric light of less than 1,000 candelas. |
Lat. 31° 50.7' S, Long. 152° 45.3' E |
7 metres |
White 16 nm Red 13 nm |
1878 |
 |
Point Stephens |
It is located either on Fingal Point or Fingal Island depending on whether it is low or high tide. |
Latitude 32° 44.9'S, Longitude 152° 12.2'E |
21m |
17 nautical miles |
1862 |
 |
Norah Head |
The Norah Head Lighthouse has an unusual lens that rotates in an enclosed mercury bath. |
Latitude 33° 16.9' S. Longitude 151° 34.7' E |
27 metres |
26 nautical miles |
1903 |
 |
Barranjoey Head |
Built to help guide ships into Broken Bay, Barrenjoey Lighthouse is one of the few that are open to the public. National Parks and Wildlife Service conducts tours of the lighthouse and its grounds. |
Latitude 33° 34.8' S, Longitude 151° 19.7' E |
20 metres |
19 nautical miles |
1881 |
 |
Kiama |
The light was established in 1887, 10 years after the creation of the Robertson Basin, a manmade harbour to service Kiama. |
Latitude 34°40.4' S. Longitude 150°51.7' E |
15 metres |
17 nautical miles |
1867 |
 |
Warden Head |
It was made of curved wrought iron plates riveted together to form a shell, similar to some Queensland, South Australian and Western Australian lighthouses. |
Latitude 35° 22' S, Longitude 150° 29.5' E |
12 Metres |
14 nm |
1869 |
 |
Brush Island |
Brush Island Light is situated on the Tasman Sea which is part of the South Pacific Ocean in southeast of New South Wales. |
Latitude: 35° 31.9’ S Longitude: 150° 25.0’ E |
2 metres |
8 nm |
1967 |
 |
Burrewarra Point |
The Burrewarra Lighthouse was first exhibited in 1974 and was powered from batteries charged from the mains. |
Latitude 35°50' S , Longitude 150°14' E |
10 Metres |
9 nm |
1974 |
 |
Photos sourced from:
