The Iron Pot Lighthouse (also known as the Derwent Lighthouse) is a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

located on Iron Pot island in

Storm Bay The Storm Bay is a large bay in the south-east region of Tasmania, Australia. The bay is the river mouth to the Derwent River estuary and serves as the main port of Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. The bay is bordered by Bruny Island to ...

, at the mouth of the Derwent River in

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 ...

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. Constructed in 1832 with convict labour, Iron Pot Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in Tasmania and the oldest original tower in Australia. It was the first lighthouse in Australia to utilise locally manufactured optics, and became the first Australian lighthouse to use

solar power Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to c ...

in 1977. The tall tower has a range of .

History

During his circumnavigation of Van Diemen's Land in 1798,

Matthew Flinders Captain (Royal Navy), Captain Matthew Flinders (16 March 1774 – 19 July 1814) was a British Royal Navy officer, navigator and cartographer who led the first littoral zone, inshore circumnavigate, circumnavigation of mainland Australia, then ...

observed that the rocks in

produced magnetic pulses that disorientated compasses. In the years following the founding of Hobart, early merchants and locals advocated for the construction of a light after a number of significant shipwrecks and groundings, including those of the ''

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

'' (1830), ''SS Lintrose'' (1832), and the ''

Princess Royal Princess Royal is a substantive title, title customarily (but not automatically) awarded by British monarchs to their eldest daughters. Although purely honorary, it is the highest honour that may be given to a female member of the royal famil ...

'' (1832), which had 300 free women settlers on board. Governor Arthur urged the Hobart Port Control in 1830 that a lighthouse be built in response to the 1827 sinking of the colonial commercial ship ''Hope''. Constructed on a firm rock foundation, the square-based, obelisk sandstone lighthouse was erected in 1832. Quarried from the island with convict labour, the lighthouse walls consist of sandstone blocks thick. Raised and lowered by hand, the original lighting apparatus was operated by a

lighthouse keeper A lighthouse keeper or lightkeeper is a person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Lighthouse keepers were sometimes referred to as ...

who lived in a tent with two convict aides. Although ship owners complained that the light source was insufficient, it was not upgraded until 1851.

Parkinson family home

The construction of a two-storey house for lighthouse keeper James Parkinson and his family in 1884 significantly improved the island's living conditions. The home featured leadlight windows, a cast-iron laced veranda, and the bottom floor functioned as a classroom for Parkinson's seven children. Essie (or Elsie) Margaret Roberts, a child born to the headkeeper's wife in 1895, was the first and only person to be born on the island. The house was demolished in 1921 when the lighthouse became automated and the Marine Board failed to find a tenant.

Light source

The Iron Pot Lighthouse has seen several innovations in its light source technology over the years. Originally, the lighthouse used a simple

oil burner An oil burner is a heating device which burns #1, #2 and #6 heating oils, diesel fuel or other similar fuels. In the United States, ultra low sulfur #2 diesel is the common fuel used. It is dyed red to show that it is road-tax exempt. In most ma ...

, which required a

to manually operate and maintain it. This system involved filling the lamp with oil and adjusting the wick to ensure a consistent flame. The light emitted from the oil burner was relatively dim and insufficient for the needs of larger ships navigating through

. Complaints from shipowners about the weak light led to an upgrade in 1851. In 1904, an incandescent

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...

vapour burner was introduced. This system represented a major technological advancement for the time, as it used vaporised

kerosene Kerosene, or paraffin, is a combustibility, combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in Aviation fuel, aviation as well as households. Its name derives from the Greek (''kērós'') meaning " ...

as a fuel source. The kerosene was pressurised, causing it to vaporise when heated, resulting in a bright, consistent flame. The vapour was then forced through a fine mesh mantle, which would glow brightly when heated, significantly increasing the intensity of the light. This was the first instance in Australia where this type of lamp was used in a lighthouse, providing a much stronger and more reliable light source than the earlier oil lamps. By the late 20th century, the focus shifted to more cost-effective and sustainable energy solutions. In 1977, the Iron Pot Lighthouse became the first lighthouse in Australia to be converted to

. Solar panels were installed to charge a battery bank during the day, which would then power the light at night. This conversion drastically reduced the need for maintenance, as the solar-powered system was automated and required less manual intervention compared to the kerosene burners. The light source was also changed to an electrically powered bulb, further increasing the efficiency and range of the light. The solar system allowed the lighthouse to operate autonomously, marking the end of the need for an on-site lighthouse keeper. These technological advancements reflect the evolving needs and capabilities of maritime navigation in Tasmania, transforming Iron Pot Lighthouse from a manually operated, oil-fuelled beacon into a fully automated solar-powered facility.

Access

Located south east of Hobart, Iron Pot island is located at the mouth of the Derwent estuary, situated offshore from Cape Direction on the

South Arm Peninsula South Arm Peninsula is a peninsula that lies on the east side of the mouth of the River Derwent south of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia. The peninsula commences at Lauderdale and curves landward or inward on a narrow isthmus that has South Arm ...

. The island is regularly circumnavigated by tourism operato
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 ...

, Hobart. The lighthouse itself is automated and closed to the public.

Gallery

The Derwent Lighthouse, Hobart, Tasmania - circa 1910 (32418645864).jpg, Iron Pot lighthouse with the Parkinson family home Iron Pot Lighthouse.jpg, Iron Pot lighthouse

References

External links

Australian Maritime Safety Authority
{{Hobart landmarks 1832 establishments in Australia Convictism in Tasmania History of Hobart Lighthouses completed in 1832 Lighthouses in Tasmania Tasmanian Heritage Register River Derwent (Tasmania)