Mersey Bluff Lighthouse

The Mersey Bluff Lighthouse standing at the mouth of the Mersey River near Devonport is unusual in Australia with its distinctive vertical red striped day mark.

History

The Mersey Bluff Lighthouse was constructed in 1889 by P Davern under contract to the Hobart Marine Board. It is of brick construction on a stone base. The lightstation originally included two brick houses, a signal shed, tide house and flagpole. Following conversion to automatic operation in 1920 and demanning the houses were sold to the Devonport Municipality in 1922. The houses were demolished in 1958 and 1961 respectively.

The current tower replaced a succession of beacons and obelisks that had formerly stood on the site. It also replaced the earlier Don River light.

In 1910 the original kerosene lamp was converted to acetylene gas which was supplied by a Colt seven-day acetylene generator.

The light was converted to DC electric operation in 1920 with an acetylene burner as a back up lightsource. The light was demanned at the same time.  Mains power was connected in 1978. The lighthouse retains it’s original Chance Bros fourth order lantern.

The lighthouse stands on top of the bluff to western side of the mouth of the Mersey River in Tasmania north of the Port of Devonport.

The establishment of the lighthouse ended a history of wrecks in this area.

The Commonwealth assumed responsibility for the lighthouse under the Commonwealth Lighthouse Act in 1915

It is unusual for an Australian lighthouse to have vertical stripes as it’s day mark.

Another unusual feature of this lightstation is that it was connected to town water in 1901.

Keepers

We need your help in compiling a list of keepers for this lighthouse. If you have any information then send it to keeper@lighthouses.org.au.

Please include this lighthouse’s name, the keepers full name and what years they were keepers. Also include the same information for any other lights they were on.