Low Head: Lighthouse History, Museum and Penguins

Low Head combines maritime history with a coastal landscape on the Bass Strait and seasonal penguin watching. Travellers can choose from several different highlights: the history of the historic pilot station and lighthouse, the museum about shipping on the Tamar River, or a guided evening tour. These landmarks can help you plan your routes, historic sites and nature experiences around your travel plans.

Landscape and Getting Around Low Head

Low Head is about 6 km north of Georgetown on Low Head Road. Access to Low Head Light Station is via a landscaped gate from Low Head Road, leading to a small public car park. A gravel access road continues to the tip of the headland. The Light Station stands on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Bass Strait.

The landscape also includes Low Head Coastal Reserve, bordered by boxthorn. Alongside its prominent coastal setting, the reserve’s vegetation and the maritime surroundings are also central to the description of the area.

Pilot Station, Lighthouse and Museum

The pilot station at Low Head has been in operation since 1805 and includes Australia’s oldest surviving pilot buildings. Low Head Light Station was the third lighthouse station built in Australia; it has been in continuous operation since 1833. The dates refer to different aspects: 1805 marks the pilot station, and 1833 the start of the Light Station’s continuous operation.

The Low Head precinct includes a wide variety of 19th-century maritime buildings. Low Head Pilot Station Maritime Museum is located in Pilots Row, a building constructed by convicts in 1835. The museum shares stories about shipping on the Tamar River. It also offers guided tours for visitors. Check the tour arrangements before your trip.

Penguins and Evening Activities

Low Head Penguin Tours run every evening at sunset, are fully guided and last up to one hour. The tour includes an easy three-minute walk to a viewing platform overlooking the beach. The short walk is part of the guided program; it is not the same as the total duration of the tour.

On this nature experience, little penguins return from the Bass Strait to nest in their burrows. At Low Head Coastal Reserve, little penguins come ashore from the sea every evening at sunset. Wildlife watching is seasonal.

The kanamaluka Trail

Another way to include some activity in your plans is the kanamaluka Trail. The 6 km shared-use trail is for cyclists and pedestrians and runs from George Town to Low Head Lighthouse. This makes it different in length and format from the guided evening tour: on the trail, the route and shared use are key considerations, while the sunset sets the timeframe for the tour. Check current trail conditions before using it.

Discover more destinations: Plenty, Fentonbury, Promised Land, Windermere, Deviot, Port Sorell, Bronte Park, Scottsdale

For the broader travel overview: Tasmania.