cape willoughby lighthouse tours

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Cape Willoughby Lighthouse tours: The oldest lighthouse in South Australia

• David Whitley

Tours of the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse on Kangaroo Island involve climbing 102 steps. The orange and red rocks of Devils Kitchen are next to the oldest lighthouse in South Australia.

The Cape Willoughby Lighthouse is at the eastern tip of Kangaroo Island in South Australia . It is also the oldest working lighthouse in South Australia, having opened in 1852.

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1. Full day island highlights tour . 2. Harriet River kayaking . 3. Little Sahara buggy tour . 4. Sandboarding on the dunes. 5. Little Sahara fat-biking . 6. Vivonne Bay koala-spotting nature walk . 7. Ocean Safari wildlife cruise . 8. Quad biking adventures . 9. Food and wine hop-on, hop-off tour . 10. Half day tasting tour . 11. KI Spirits cocktail masterclass . 12. Small group Dudley Peninsula tour .

This Kangaroo Island lighthouse is open for tours, and there are two options available. The first is a basic 20 minute lighthouse climb, costing $10.50. This guided climb is available daily at 12.00 and 15.00. There are 102 steps to tackle on the way to the top.

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse tours: Times and prices

The longer, 45 minute historic lighthouse tour is a little more involved. Guides take visitors around Cape Willoughby, fill them in on the history from the original settlement to the present day and include an interactive experience with a first order lantern. These lighthouse tours depart at 10.00 and 13.00, with tickets costing $17.50. See the National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia website for more information.

Devils Kitchen on Kangaroo Island

The Cape Willoughby Lighthouse is 20.5 metres tall. It is not the only attraction within the Cape Willoughby Conservation Park, however.

The headland here is spectacular, especially when you admire the Devils Kitchen – a section of cliffs with orange-red rocks. Here, there can be a blowhole effect as the ocean slams against the cliff walls.

This is becoming a popular Instagram spot, so expect a deluge of Devils Kitchen photos on the internet any time soon.

There’s also a good chance of seeing the distinctive Kangaroo Island kangaroos around the sheoak trees.

Cape Willoughby accommodation

It is possible to stay at the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse Cottages, with rates starting at $245 per night. However, you’re arguably better off staying at the nearby – and considerably more lavish – Sea Dragon Kangaroo Island . This full service lodge also offers touring packages around Kangaroo Island.

For from $1,480, you get two nights’ accommodation, two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, airport or ferry transfers plus all national park and activities fees covered. There are two days of touring the island’s highlights, which include the Cape Willoughby Conservation Park. The package can be booked online .

Other lighthouses in Australia worth visiting include the Point Hicks Lighthouse in East Gippsland, Victoria , the Round The Twist Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet and the Green Cape Lighthouse near Eden , New South Wales .

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• For plenty of space in Kingscote : Villas on the Bay .
• For hotel service: Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge .

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How to join the 170th anniversary celebrations at Cape Willoughby Lighthouse

Kan­ga­roo Island off the coast of South Aus­tralia is known for its abun­dant and unique wildlife, clear waters and nat­ur­al won­ders – includ­ing a rugged coast­line that boasts one of Australia’s old­est lighthouses.

In 2022, Cape Willough­by Light­house cel­e­brates its 170 th anniver­sary of guid­ing ships to safe­ty through a treach­er­ous stretch of water known as Back­stairs Passage.

Today, vis­i­tors can enjoy the light­house by stay­ing overnight at the light­keep­ers’ cot­tages, tak­ing a light­house climb tour, hik­ing the sur­round­ing con­ser­va­tion park or sim­ply enjoy­ing a picnic.

Join the 170 th anniver­sary celebrations

On Sat­ur­day, 17 Decem­ber, Cape Willough­by Light­house comes alive in a cel­e­bra­tion mark­ing 170 years of his­to­ry. The open day from 10am to 4pm includes free entry, free tours, live music play­ing inside the light­house, kids’ activ­i­ties and a very spe­cial 170 th birth­day cake! Tea and cof­fee is sup­plied, BYO  picnic.

Join the celebrations

Cape Willough­by Con­ser­va­tion Park is locat­ed about half an hour’s dri­ve from Pen­neshaw, where the Kan­ga­roo Island fer­ry dis­em­barks, or an hour’s dri­ve from Kingscote Airport.

The Cape Willough­by Con­ser­va­tion Park vis­i­tor cen­tre is open dai­ly (closed Christ­mas Day) from 10am to 4pm. Guid­ed tours depart reg­u­lar­ly through­out the day. A small site entry fee applies for adults and can be paid at the vis­i­tor cen­tre. Entry is free on Sat­ur­day 17 Decem­ber 2022.

Find out more

Take a tour

Can’t make the open day? Then join one of the dai­ly tours through­out the year that fea­ture spec­tac­u­lar views and share incred­i­ble tales of hard­ship and sur­vival. Let local guides trans­port you as they nar­rate the his­to­ry of this icon­ic and rugged site, giv­ing an insight into the ear­ly light­keep­ers’ liv­ing con­di­tions and how iso­la­tion and a demand­ing rou­tine dom­i­nat­ed their often harsh lives. Top off the tour with a 102-step climb to the top of the light­house and be reward­ed with views across the water.

Plan your light­house tour

Stay overnight

Guests who have stayed at Cape Willoughby’s light­house accom­mo­da­tion say that it’s a charm­ing and rus­tic expe­ri­ence that’s ide­al for fam­i­lies. Two cot­tages at the site were built in the 1920s and accom­mo­date up to 9 adults in 5 bed­rooms. With no TV and no reli­able phone cov­er­age it’s per­fect for dis­con­nect­ing from the out­side world. Kick back on the veran­da for scenic views of the light­house and the spec­tac­u­lar coast and in whale sea­son you might even spot one of these giants.

Book your stay

Walk through history

Grab a self-guid­ed walk­ing trail brochure from the Cape Willough­by Light­house Vis­i­tor Cen­tre and take the Cape Willough­by Light­sta­tion Her­itage Hike for an insight into the ear­ly 1853 set­tle­ment. The hike will give you an insight into the ear­ly light­keep­ers’ lives and how their demand­ing rou­tine and sense of iso­la­tion was height­ened by the dis­tance between their homes and the lighthouse.

Plan your walk

Can’t get enough of Kan­ga­roo Island Light­hous­es? Check out Cape Bor­da Light­sta­tion for Park of the Month

Through­out Decem­ber, Parks of West­ern Kan­ga­roo Island are being cel­e­brat­ed as part of Park of the Month .

Join a free ranger guid­ed tour on Sun­day, 3 Decem­ber 2022 at Cape Bor­da Light­sta­tion. Gain insight into the ear­ly light keep­ers’ liv­ing con­di­tions, and how iso­la­tion and a demand­ing rou­tine dom­i­nat­ed their often harsh lives. You will even have the chance to see the canon fired at the end of the 11:30am and 2:30pm tours! Find out more.

Check the Nation­al Parks of Kan­ga­roo Island Vis­i­tor Guide: May 2022 for more infor­ma­tion to plan your trip to the island.

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The state government acknowledges Aboriginal people as the First Peoples and Nations of the lands and waters we live and work upon and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge and respect the deep spiritual connection and the relationship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to Country. We work in partnership with the First Peoples of South Australia and support their Nations to take a leading role in caring for their Country.

Your guide to Kangaroo Island’s most famous lighthouses

01 Dec. 2022 7 min read

From incredible tales of survival and hardship to spectacular views, it’s little wonder lighthouses spark so much interest in national parks visitors.

On South Australia's Kangaroo Island, the lighthouses at Cape Willoughby and Cape Borda continue to attract visitors more than 160 years since they were first lit.

Cape Willoughby: South Australia’s first lighthouse

Cape Willoughby Conservation Park is situated on Kangaroo Island’s far eastern coast at the entrance to the treacherous waters of Backstairs Passage.

The lighthouse was first lit in 1852 at a time when most transport was carried out by boat. All boats from the eastern states to Adelaide passed through Backstairs Passage and the Cape Willoughby lighthouse was their guiding light to the entrance.

There were three lighthouse keepers living with their families on the site in the early 1850s ensuring that the facility was manned 24 hours per day. The extreme isolation would have made life hard. These families needed to live off the land as a supply ships would only stop by every three months and in an emergency they needed to flag down passing ships to put out the call for help.

The high wind speeds on the Cape — of up to 140 kilometres per hour — would have also added to the challenges of everyday living—and possibly of hanging out the washing!

Visitors to the site can enjoy the same amazing views of those early inhabitants which stretch across to Cape Jervis and Victor Harbor on the mainland — and even spot passing whales or circling eagles.

The early light consisted of oil lanterns and parabolic reflectors. The latter were mirrors that would be positioned behind the lighthouse lanterns to reflect the light out to sea. From 1925 the glow of Cape Willoughby lighthouse shone through a three tonne crystal lens which rotated around kerosene-powered lanterns. The lighthouse was automated in 1974 and is now powered by an LED light but visitors can still see an identical version of the original lens at the site.

The lighthouse keepers have now been assigned to history and the last one moved out in 1992. Cape Willoughby was one of the last manned lighthouses in Australia.

Be a lighthouse keeper for a night

Today’s visitors have the chance to revel in this history and enjoy the simple life in one of the two former lighthouse keepers’ cottages on the site – Seymour Cottage and Thomas Cottage. The cottages are fully furnished and heated and television has been replaced by plenty of board games and books. Book your stay now .

Take a tour

Step back in time and learn about what it was like to be a lightstation keeper at Cape Willoughby. The local guide will transport you as they narrate the history of this iconic and rugged site. Guided tours are available daily. You can take a 45 minute Historic Lightstation tour (10am and 1pm) or a 20 minute Express tour (12pm and 3pm).

Cape Borda: a squarely different lighthouse

Free from urban lights, Cape Borda ’s night sky is dazzling – with millions of stars glistening above while its lighthouse sends beams of light out to sea where 6 other lighthouses blink on the horizon.

Cape Borda lighthouse is situated on the far north-west tip of KI, surrounded by some of the highest cliffs in South Australia. It was first lit in 1858 and is the last traditionally operated lighthouse in SA. Although automated now, the lighthouse still has the old-style rotating turntable with lenses that focus a fixed light into separate beams. From a distance, its four rotating beams appear as four flashes.

The architecture is also striking as this lighthouse is short and square rather than tall and round. As Cape Borda is 155 metres above sea level it doesn’t need to be tall to be seen nor round to be strong. It is one of only three square, stone lighthouses that exist in Australia.

It was an isolated life on the Cape in the early days. With no road access to Cape Borda for nearly 70 years, supplies came by ship once every three months. Harvey’s Return, 5 kilometres to the east, was the nearest place where supplies could be landed. There, a 150-metre-long, 45-degree rocky cliff face leads down to the water’s edge. Supplies were pulled on trolleys through a horse-drawn capstan up the steep track and then hauled the 5 kilometres through the scrub to the lighthouse.

It wasn’t until 1933 – when two diesel motors were built onsite – that manpower and horsepower could be swapped for electric power.

Being in such an isolated place, lighthouse keepers and their families were completely cut off. If something went wrong, such as breakdowns, machinery failures, accidents or sickness, they were on their own. Many children were born on the site without any medical assistance. A few were stillborn or survived only a few days.

Despite the isolation and hardship there were amusing stories. One horse learned to recognise the signs that the supply ship had arrived. Knowing that meant a couple of days of hard work, he would wander away and hide in the bushes. Another horse was taken by a lighthouse keeper’s daughter when she left to elope. Yet another horse stole a freshly baked loaf from the kitchen window sill where it had been put to cool.

Take a self-guided tour and the Clifftop Hike

The self-guided tour around the Cape Borda Lightstation settlement gives an insight into the early lightkeepers’ living conditions, and how isolation and a demanding routine dominated their often harsh lives.

After the self-guided tour, enjoy a stroll along one of the walking trails around the park including the Cliff Top Hike. This short trail through a picturesque rock garden takes you to a stone lookout that provides an ideal vantage point for spotting whales and dolphins.

Park of the Month:

Throughout December, Parks of Western Kangaroo Island are being celebrated as part of Park of the Month .

Join a free Ranger guided tour on Sunday, 3 December 2022 at Cape Bor­da Light­sta­tion. Gain insight into the ear­ly light keep­ers’ liv­ing con­di­tions, and how iso­la­tion and a demand­ing rou­tine dom­i­nat­ed their often harsh lives. You will even have the chance to see the canon fired at the end of the 11:30 and 2:30pm tours! Find out more.

Check the National Parks of Kangaroo Island Visitor Guide: May 2022 for more information to plan your trip to the island.

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Cape Willoughby Lighthouse

Located on Kangaroo Island Cape Willoughby Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in South Australia.

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Lighthouse, Kangaroos and Views

Kangaroo Island

Venture into the rugged Kangaroo Island countryside to discover one of the Island’s most scenic and historic places. Enjoy the views of local bushlands and beaches as you are afforded the opportunity to learn about the areas amazing maritime history and the tough living conditions of the early settlers. Visit the Cape Willoughby Conservation Park and South Australia’s first lighthouse and don’t forget to keep an eye out for those Kangaroos! Further your exploration of the Cape with a scenic drive through Antechamber Bay and Chapman River, taking note of the varied landscapes that exist on the island and getting a glimpse of local island life. A tour rich in local history, amazing views and endless photo-op opportunities, all within half a days journey there and back again from Penneshaw!

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Cape Willoughby Lightstation Heritage Hike

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About the Walking Trail

The hike begins from the Visitor Centre beside the lighthouse. The hike costs $3 per person. You can also walk around and explore the lightstation. The Visitor Centre is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. During spring, summer and autumn school holidays the Visitor Centre is open 7 days a week. When the Visitor Centre is closed, you can still undertake the Heritage Hike by placing the $3 fee in the fee box.

Brochures of the walk can be borrowed from the Visitor Centre. The brochure describes the sites at the 7 marked posts.

• Cape Willoughby Lightstation Heritage Hike brochure
• Cape Willoughby Lightstation Heritage Hike map from Parks of Kangaroo Island booklet

View to Cape Willoughby Lightstation

Cape Willoughby Lightstation from the heritage walk

The Cape Willoughby Lightstation Heritage Hike has numbered points of interest with a brochure

The beach and landing near the old settlement at Cape Willoughby Lightstation

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse, 1852

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse is the oldest in South Australia, build in 1852

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse from the walk

Cape Willoughby Lightstation Heritage Hike information sign

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse

Top ways to experience Cape Willoughby Lighthouse and nearby attractions

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Cape Willoughby Lighthouse - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Cape Willoughby Lighthouse

Top ways to experience Cape Willoughby Lighthouse and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Cape Willoughby Heritage Trail

A 1.9km self-guided walking trails provide further insight into the lives of the early Lighthouse Keepers and the construction of the Lightstation.

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Kangaroo Island's Lighthouses Popular lighthouses on Kangaroo Island.

Kangaroo Island lighthouses are not only some of the island’s most popular attractions, but have also saved countless lives since they were first erected during the middle of the 19th century.

Navigating the narrow Backstairs Passage between Australia’s third biggest island and mainland South Australia before lighthouses were built on Kangaroo Island resulted in several shipwrecks along the island’s coast.

Cape Willoughby, now part of the larger Cape Willoughby Conservation Park on the island’s east coast, was the first lighthouse constructed on not only Kangaroo Island , but all of South Australia.

The property of this lighthouse first built in 1852 from limestone slurry and granite now contains several lighthouse keepers’ cottages as well as a small museum.

The views from the top of this lighthouse originally called the Sturt Light are truly a sight to behold. Guided tours of the Cape Willoughby Lighthouse are available.

The Cape Borda Lightstation was first constructed on Kangaroo Island’s northwest coast in 1858. Today, Cape Borda is Australia’s only square lighthouse as well as South Australia’s tallest lighthouse.

The guided tours which take place at 12:30 include firings of a signal cannon first built to warn people about invading Russian ships.

The lives of the people now buried in the nearby light-keepers’ cemetery were difficult and isolated.

The Cape Borda Lightstation may no longer have full time lightkeepers, but weather observations are still conducted and guests may stay in the old cottages on this Flinders Chase National Park property.

The Cape du Couedic Lighthouse has stood guard over Kangaroo Island’s southwest coast since 1909.

The small stone storeroom close to the base supplied the kerosene used to power the lighthouse, while the former lighthouse keepers’ cottages have been converted into holiday houses.

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Explore more with our Kangaroo Island map and find your way around Australia’s third-largest island. Zoom in on the map to discover more.

There are plenty of things to experience on Kangaroo Island. Crystal clear waters are perfect for swimming, diving, kayaking and surfing while, on land, food safaris, bushwalks and walking tours are some of the best in Australia.

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