Low Head Lighthouse & Penguins
Low Head
A century-old lighthouse and pilot station at the Tamar River mouth, where at dusk visitors on a guided tour can watch little penguins come ashore to their nests.
Low Head lies on the east bank at the mouth of the Tamar River, about 55 km from Launceston. The red-and-white lighthouse, built in 1888, keeps watch over Bass Strait, and its restored foghorn usually sounds at midday on Sundays. The nearby Low Head Pilot Station, established in 1805, is one of Australia's oldest pilot stations and now houses a maritime museum. After sunset, local guides lead visitors along the coastal path to watch little penguins, the world's smallest penguin species, come ashore from the sea and waddle back to their burrows. The tour takes about 1 hour and must be booked in advance. Flash photography of the penguins is prohibited. Nearby George Town is one of Tasmania's earliest towns.
Opening hours
Lighthouse area by day; penguin tours depart after sunset
Nearby sights
- Seahorse World & Platypus House
- Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre
- Batman Bridge
- Tamar Valley Wine Route
- Swiss Village Grindelwald
- Tamar Island Wetlands
- Hollybank Treetops Adventure
- National Automobile Museum of Tasmania