More about Low Head Pilot Station

The Tamar River is not so much a river as a flooded estuary. 70km from the ocean, the North Esk and South Esk Rivers merge at the city of Launceston before emptying into Bass Strait at Low Head.  It has a significant navigable channel of mostly over 40m depth and these days is used by shipping concerned with the woodchip, aluminium processing(Pacific Aluminium) and manganese (BHP Billiton) industries. Historically, shipping was possible all the way to Launceston but now with the increased size of cargo vessels, Bell Bay is the destination half way upstream and the river channels beyond have been allowed to silt up to shallower depths.

The Hebe Reef marker on western approach.

Looking up the Tamar from Low Head although the Bloke is looking out to sea.

We confirm that you CAN see sheep.

There has been a long history of marine Pilots in the Tamar River and in the earliest days of European settlement a Pilot Station and Lighthouse were established to assist vessels avoid the hazards and safely navigate into the restricted channel. The old Pilot Station and associated precinct of accommodation, school and church have been preserved and there is a Museum and Cafe for tourists.

 Some of the Pilot's houses are now used as holiday accommodation.

The 'village green' was used to corral livestock, often rescued from sinking ships.

 The original Hebe Reef nun buoy.

It is timber and constructed much the same as a barrel.

In the background are 2 lead-lighthouses to assist in safe night pilotage.

A closer look at various lead markers.

On the way to the Low Head lighthouse.

 

The lighthouse keepers house is now used as holiday accommodation.

It's very noisy at night because of the penguin colony nearby.

 

The Low Head lighthouse was visible from miles out to sea - even in the day.

The Low Head lighthouse is accompanied by another building that is no-longer in use - it houses a Fog Horn. The Fog Horn has been restored and is operated on Sundays by volunteers. It can be heard for 20nm out to sea. Since the advent of modern navigational equipment it is no longer required.
 

About 150m away from the lighthouse is a semaphore mast which was one of 5 similar towers used for relaying messages to George Town. Once decoded, signal flags were then used to relay necessary messages onwards to the Launceston Post Office. In it's day and before it was replaced by the electronic telegraph, messages could be sent and received in a matter of minutes. The messages might include such things as the sighting of a ship or a request for additional rowers to deliver a pilot to a ship and so on.

These days, the lighthouse is automated and the Pilots are dispatched in a powerful boat from the little marina at the Low Head Pilot Station. Given the strongly tidal conditions, even on a calm day it's hard to imagine how tough the oarsmen must have been to deliver the Pilots in all weathers. During our 3 days there, the modern Pilots went out only once.

Zofia on the floating public jetty and the Pilot boat on it's own jetty, all ready to go.