Tasmania’s most remote lighthouse station is the spotlight, thanks to a standout project by the Friends of Maatsuyker Island (FOMI), supported by a TasPorts Community Grant.
Posted
17 September 2025
In early 2025, FOMI delivered a unique two-part initiative that celebrated Tasmania’s maritime legacy and advanced critical conservation efforts on Maatsuyker Island, located off the state’s rugged southwest coast.
At this year’s Australian Wooden Boat Festival, over 30,000 attendees passed by FOMI’s vibrant stall, with an estimated 8000 people engaging directly with displays, stories and heritage artefacts. The centrepiece? A hand-built scale model of the island’s original horse-drawn haulage ‘whim’, crafted by Ailsa Ferguson, great-granddaughter of the lighthouse’s original architect, and a restored haulage trolley that brought the island’s history to life.
Large interpretive banners funded by TasPorts helped tell the story of Maatsuyker’s maritime and ecological significance, while festivalgoers learned about FOMI’s volunteer-led conservation work. A follow-up storytelling night co-hosted with Friends of Tasman Island extended the reach even further, bolstered by local media coverage.
In March, attention shifted from storytelling to hands-on conservation. Maatsuyker Island can only be accessed by helicopter, and TasPorts’ support helped fund essential transport for FOMI’s annual working bee.
Volunteers contributed more than 1800 hours of work, valued at over $83,000, across a wide range of tasks, including weed control to protect native vegetation and seabird habitats, shearwater monitoring to track chick survival and burrow health, and heritage maintenance, through repainting the Lightkeeper Quarters and Whim Shed. These efforts build on decades of community commitment, supported by a close partnership with the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service.
First constructed in 1891 by TasPorts’ predecessor, the Marine Board of Hobart, the Maatsuyker Island Light Station is one of Tasmania’s great feats of remote engineering. Through this project, that legacy continues to shine, reaching new audiences and protecting one of the most spectacular environments in the state.
Thanks to TasPorts and the dedication of volunteers, Maatsuyker Island remains a beacon for heritage, conservation, and community spirit.