Smoky Cape Lighthouse

Heritage listedOperationalNew South Wales
Smoky Cape Lighthouse

Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons contributors. Used under Creative Commons licence.

About Smoky Cape Lighthouse

Smoky Cape Lighthouse is a heritage-listed active lighthouse located on Smoky Cape, a headland in Arakoon east of the town of South West Rocks, Kempsey Shire, New South Wales, Australia, and within the Hat Head National Park. It directs boats towards the entrance to the Macleay River, which is located just to the north of the lighthouse.

It is one of the last major lighthouse complexes designed by the New South Wales colonial architect of the time, James Barnet, and was one of Australia's last lighthouses to be designed for architectural excellence.

Standing on a granite headland 111 metres (364 ft) above the sea, its light is the highest in New South Wales.

It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Visiting Smoky Cape Lighthouse

  • Location: 30.9229°S, 153.0874°E — view on Google Maps
  • Nearest town: South West Rocks, New South Wales (7 km north-west) — see accommodation in South West Rocks
  • Access: Conditions vary by site. Some lighthouses sit on public headlands with car parks and interpretive signage; others are on islands or in active marine reserves requiring a boat or permit. Check with the relevant state parks service or heritage body for current access, opening times and fees before visiting.

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Further reading

Read more on Wikipedia → — used under CC BY-SA 4.0. This article includes contributions from the Wikipedia community.