Tacking Point Lighthouse

Built 1879New South Wales
Tacking Point Lighthouse

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

About Tacking Point Lighthouse

Tacking Point Lighthouse is Australia's thirteenth oldest lighthouse. It was built on a rocky headland about 8 kilometres south of Port Macquarie in 1879 by Shepherd and Joseph William Mortley, to a design by the New South Wales Colonial Architect, James Barnet. It is operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and is classified by the National Trust of Australia (NSW).

Tacking Point was named by explorer Matthew Flinders in 1802 during his 1802–1803 circumnavigation of Australia. Its nearest lighthouses are Smoky Cape Lighthouse at South West Rocks, to the north, and Crowdy Head Light, to the south.

Visiting Tacking Point Lighthouse

  • Location: 31.4755°S, 152.9372°E — view on Google Maps
  • Nearest town: Port Macquarie, New South Wales (6 km north-west) — see accommodation in Port Macquarie
  • 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.