Cape Tourville Lighthouse and Lookout

Cape Tourville is a small automated lighthouse at the tip of a headland in Freycinet National Park, circled by an elevated boardwalk. It is a strong choice for coastal views without committing to a longer hike: the 600 m circuit takes about 20 minutes and is rated easy. The lighthouse is unmanned and closed to visitors, so the draw is the headland and its outlooks rather than an interior tour.

The track is wide, even and gently graded, with much of the loop on raised boardwalk. At points it reaches the cliff edge, opening views toward the Hazards, Wineglass Bay and the offshore rocks known as The Nuggets. Take time for the different lookout angles as the path wraps around the cape.

The current lighthouse was built in 1971 and runs automatically. It replaced the Cape Forestier light on nearby Lemon Rock and helped guide bulk carriers carrying wood chips from the Triabunna mill. Building it meant cutting a road and powerline through eucalypt forest and levelling part of the granite headland for the light and its parking area.

Seabirds and sea eagles are among the wildlife seen from the lookout; whales, seals and dolphins have also been spotted offshore. Bring binoculars if you have them, but treat marine mammals as a bonus rather than a sure thing.

For a picture that identifies the stop, include the white lighthouse in the foreground with the coast beyond it. The cliff-edge boardwalk gives you broad views across the Hazards and toward Wineglass Bay, while the changing angle around the loop can bring The Nuggets into the frame.