Located on the headland of Cape Leeuwin, the southernmost point on the mainland of the Australian Continent, stands the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
Constructed by a company led by M.C. Davies, with George Temple Poole overseeing the construction of the light and designing the keepers' quarters, this historical landmark has been guiding ships for over a century.
The lighthouse was designed to have two lights - a higher white light and a lower red light. Despite this, the lighthouse's impressive design remains a sight to behold.
Opened in 1895 by John Forrest, the Premier of Western Australia, the lighthouse featured a counterweight-driven clockwork mechanism that rotated the lens until June 1982. It also had a pressure kerosene mantle type beacon and served as an important radio navigation beacon from 1955 to 1992 before being automated.
In addition to its navigational function, the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse also serves as an automatic weather station. Its historic buildings and grounds have been vested in the local tourism body, allowing visitors to easily explore the site.
Felix von Luckner, a German World War I war hero, worked as an assistant lighthouse keeper at Cape Leeuwin before his fascinating career. Today, the lighthouse attracts visitors to its grounds and the stunning viewing deck, which requires climbing 176 steps.
To access the lighthouse from the North, visitors can take a scenic drive along the coast to Cape Hamelin Lighthouse, located just south of the Hamelin Bay camping area.
If you plan to visit the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, consider timing your trip to coincide with International Lighthouse Day, which has been