Iron Pot is a small, flat

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

island of approximately located near the entrance to the River Derwent in south-eastern

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. It forms part of the Betsey Island Group and lies about southeast of

Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...

. The island is best known as the site of the Iron Pot Lighthouse, the first lighthouse constructed in Tasmania, completed in 1832 to aid navigation into the River Derwent.

History

Iron Pot is a small sandstone island located at the entrance to the River Derwent, where it marks the transition between Storm Bay and the sheltered waterways leading to

. Its flat profile and exposed location made it a strategic site for marine navigation from the early days of European settlement. The island became the site of Tasmania’s first lighthouse, constructed in 1832 using convict labour and locally quarried stone. The Iron Pot Lighthouse was first lit on 16 November 1832. It was initially powered by

whale oil Whale oil is oil obtained from the blubber of whales. Oil from the bowhead whale was sometimes known as train-oil, which comes from the Dutch word ''traan'' ("tear drop"). Sperm oil, a special kind of oil used in the cavities of sperm whales, ...

, later upgraded to kerosene and acetylene gas, and eventually solar power in 1977 — becoming the first lighthouse in Australia to be solar-powered. While Iron Pot is uninhabited today, it was formerly the residence of lighthouse keepers and their families. In 1884, lighthouse keeper James Parkinson moved to the island with his wife and children, establishing a permanent presence that continued in various forms until the station’s automation in the 20th century. Supplies were delivered by boat and hoisted ashore via a derrick crane; remnants of which remain visible today. In 1856, a colonial commission involving Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia was formed in response to increasing maritime incidents. At that time, Tasmania fully maintained six coastal lighthouses (including Iron Pot) at a cost of £4,540 per year, collecting £6,515 in light dues. The colony also contributed to joint operations such as the

Kent Group The Kent Group are a grouping of six granite islands located in Bass Strait, north-west of the Furneaux Group in Tasmania, Australia. Collectively, the group is comprised within the Kent Group National Park. The islands were named Kent's Grou ...

lights. The origin of the name "Iron Pot" is uncertain. One theory suggests it may refer to an iron cauldron once used by whalers or early navigators as a rudimentary beacon before the lighthouse was constructed.

Flora and fauna

Despite its small size and exposure to harsh maritime conditions, Iron Pot supports limited vegetation, including invasive species such as

boxthorn ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...

(''Lycium ferocissimum'') and

lupin ''Lupinus'', commonly known as lupin, lupine, or regionally bluebonnet, is a genus of plants in the legume family Fabaceae. The genus includes over 199 species, with centres of diversity in North and South America. Smaller centres occur in No ...

s (''Lupinus'' spp.). The island serves as a breeding site for several seabird and wader species, including

little penguin The little penguin (''Eudyptula minor'') is the smallest species of penguin. It originates from New Zealand. It is commonly known as the fairy penguin, little blue penguin, or blue penguin, owing to its slate-blue plumage and is also known by ...

s (''Eudyptula minor''),

Pacific gull The Pacific gull (''Larus pacificus'') is a gull, native to the coasts of Australia. It is moderately common between Carnarvon, Western Australia, Carnarvon in the west, and Sydney in the east, although it has become scarce in some parts of the s ...

s (''Larus pacificus''),

silver gull The silver gull (''Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae'') is a gull in Oceania. It is the most common gull of Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly at or near coastal areas. It is smaller than the Pacific gull (''L ...

s (''Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae''),

pied oystercatcher The pied oystercatcher (''Haematopus longirostris'') is a species of oystercatcher. It is a wading bird native to Australia and commonly found on its coastline. The similar South Island pied oystercatcher (''H. finschi'') occurs in New Zealand. ...

s (''Haematopus longirostris''), and

black-faced cormorant The black-faced cormorant (''Phalacrocorax fuscescens''), also known as the black-faced shag, is a medium-sized member of the cormorant family. Upperparts, including facial skin and bill, are black, with white underparts. It is Endemism, endem ...

s (''Phalacrocorax fuscescens'').

Lighthouse

The Iron Pot Lighthouse remains a distinctive landmark at the mouth of the River Derwent. Constructed in 1832, it is Tasmania’s oldest lighthouse and one of the oldest surviving in Australia. Technological upgrades over time reflect shifts in maritime safety practices, from manual oil lamps to fully automated solar power systems.

Access and tourism

Iron Pot is uninhabited but accessible via guided tours operated by Pennicott Wilderness Journeys, departing from

Constitution Dock Constitution Dock is the harbour-side dock area of Hobart, the capital city of the Australian state of Tasmania, in the Port of Hobart, on the Derwent River. The dock is adjacent to other Hobart landmark areas, Victoria Dock, Salamanca Pla ...

Sullivans Cove Sullivans Cove is on the River Derwent adjacent to the Hobart City Centre in Tasmania. It was the site of initial European settlement in the area, and the location of the earlier components of the Port of Hobart. History The cove was the init ...

. These cruises allow visitors to view the lighthouse and the historic

derrick crane A derrick is a lifting device composed at minimum of one guyed mast, as in a gin pole, which may be articulated over a load by adjusting its guys. Most derricks have at least two components, either a guyed mast or self-supporting tower, and a b ...

used for unloading supplies. Due to its small size and shallow surrounding waters, access is limited and best achieved by boat from nearby South Arm.

In popular culture

Iron Pot has featured in Tasmanian maritime folklore, art, and literature, often symbolising Hobart's seafaring heritage and early navigational infrastructure.

References