Cape Hotham Light

Built 1913OperationalNorthern Territory
Cape Hotham Light

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

About Cape Hotham Light

Cape Hotham Light is an active lighthouse in the Northern Territory of Australia located on Cape Hotham on the coastline of the Van Diemen Gulf about 80 kilometres (50 mi) northeast of the territory capital of Darwin, The lighthouse marks the entrance to Clarence Strait, the eastern approach to Darwin.

The lighthouse was constructed by the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service during the "Golden Age of Australian Lighthouses", between 1913 and 1920.

The light characteristic shown is three flashes, one every two seconds, repeating every 15 seconds (Fl.(3)W.R. 15s). The colour is red on 025°-070° and white elsewhere. The red light is visible for 9 nautical miles (17 km; 10 mi) while the white light is visible for 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi).

The site is accessible by boat from Darwin, but the tower is closed to the public. The light is operated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

Visiting Cape Hotham Light

  • Location: 12.0464°S, 131.2895°E — view on Google Maps
  • 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.

Further reading

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