Wilsons Promontory Lightstation

Wilsons Promontory Lightstation is a granite lighthouse and group of historic keeper cottages on a small peninsula above Bass Strait. It is the southernmost settlement on the Australian mainland. The lighthouse was built in 1859 from locally quarried granite, and the station stands about 100 metres above the water. Getting here is part of what makes it distinctive: the lightstation sits at the end of the Southern Circuit hiking country and is reached on foot.

The shorter approach starts at Telegraph Saddle: 19.1 kilometres each way through eucalypt forest and sandy coastal tea-tree scrub. The longer coastal route begins at Tidal River and covers 23.8 kilometres one way via Oberon Bay, crossing granite country before turning inland. A return from Telegraph Saddle is over 38 kilometres before you add South Point. Staying overnight lets you spread the walk over two days. Both are serious walks, so the distance makes this a planned overnight or Southern Circuit stop. Start at least six hours before sunset and aim to arrive before dark. Mobile coverage can't be relied on. Expect steep track and unstable cliffs; dogs aren't allowed.

The granite tower rises above the keeper cottages at the end of the stone-walled path, with Bass Strait beyond. In the 1800s, supplies came by ship only twice a year and there was no communication with the outside world. Families, sometimes with children, kept the light burning to help save ships and lives. That history lands differently when you're standing at the isolated place where they lived and worked.

Make time to walk down to South Point, the mainland's southernmost point. The offshore islands make a second payoff beyond the lighthouse, and Tasmania can appear on an especially clear day. This is also the place for a slow horizon shot: include the islands from the point and let the open water show just how exposed the peninsula is. Sunsets, sunrises and a dark night sky are part of the appeal, weather and visibility permitting.

Three cottages beside the lighthouse can be booked for one or two nights; the shared cottages have a kitchen with an oven, hotplates, microwave, fridge and cooking gear. Bring all your food and drinks. There are no supplies at the station. Water is available when you arrive, but carry what you need for the walk in and out. Electricity comes from a diesel generator, and the cottages are set up for self-catering. Advance booking is essential, and cottage availability changes with the season. For walkers who enjoy a self-supported trip, this is one of the Prom's most memorable overnight destinations.