Tours of the Museum and the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse

This page contains information about Museum tours, Point Lonsdale Lighthouse tours  and the lighthouses associated with the Museum.  Click here to go to the Lighthouses section of the page including lighthouse tours.

Museum tours

The Museum conducts group and school tours of the Museum. Tours take approximately 1 hour and can be tailored to suit specific groups. Please try to book your tour at least 2 weeks ahead so that we can organize our guides.

Once a tour is booked at a time to suit, we arrange a guide/guides to conduct the tour.  Our guides are local people who have an extensive knowledge of the maritime history of Queenscliff and southern Port Phillip and they make the tours interesting, informative and exciting.

Tours may be booked by contacting the Museum by phone between 9.00am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday (03) 5258 3440 or contact us by email.

When organizing a school tour please advise the approximate number of students and their age so that the guide can tailor the tour to suit. The Museum can provide worksheets for the students if requested or you may design your own worksheet with the help of information we are happy to send to your school prior to the visit.

Hours of opening and the price of admission including tour prices are given on the 'Hours of opening' page on our web site. Teachers, assistants and bus drivers are not charged an admission fee.

Payment

Tours can be paid for by cheque on the day or a Tax Invoice can be issued.

Amenities

Car/coach parking close by, wheelchair friendly facility, toilets, nautical gift shop, short walk to Queenscliff shopping precinct, Historical Museum, Railway Station, Fort Queenscliff, harbour, pier and ferry terminal.

LIGHTHOUSES AT QUEENSCLIFF AND POINT LONSDALE

Click here for details about tours of Point Lonsdale Lighthouse.

The first lighthouse at Queenscliff commenced operating around 1844. at Shortland’s Bluff as a leading mark for ships entering Port Phillip.  The original Shortland’s Bluff Lighthouse had a lantern platform 35 metres above sea level, the main light being produced by 8 oil burners.  Another burner projected a powerful beam towards the entry from the ocean.  The sandstone structure fretted in the salty atmosphere and extreme weather conditions and it soon became necessary to build a wooden structure around it for protection.

The upper lighthouse (Black Lighthouse) situated in the grounds of the Fort, was built in 1863 of solid bluestone from the Maribyrnong district.  This lighthouse (known as the High Light) still stands today and is the only black lighthouse in Australia.  The wooden tower it replaced was shifted to Point Lonsdale.

Soon after the completion of the High light, the building of another lighthouse commenced. This lighthouse was called the Low Light. The high light (black) and low light (white) are navigation lighthouses and when the lights are in transit (that is, in line), they form the main lead for ships entering Port Phillip.

High Light (Black)

Height above sea level         130 ft  -  approx 40 mtrs

Tower height                            81 ft  -  approx 25 mtrs

Low Light (White)

Height above sea level           94 ft   -  approx 29 mtrs.

Tower height                            73 ft   -  approx 22 mtrs

The Obelisk tower                   50 ft   -  approx 15 mtrs

Hume tower                             80 ft   -   approx 24 mtrs

The Point Lonsdale Lighthouse is a land fall Light. The concrete structure was built in 1902 replacing the wooden lighthouse which had been shifted from Queenscliff.  In 1950 the base was altered to provide for an observation and shipping  control operations room in the Lighthouse.  The concrete tower is 22 metres high; walls at the base are approximately 2 metres thick, and at the top about one metre thick.  The light is 37 metres above sea level.

The control room of the Lighthouse is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year by communications officers of Port of Melbourne Corporation.  They maintain a visual and radio watch as well as monitoring and advising shipping passing through the entrance to Port Phillip.  They also provide visual and radio back up for small craft.

Group and School Tours of Point Lonsdale Lighthouse

(A reasonable level of aerobic fitness is needed to climb up and down the Lighthouse)

Bookings must be made in advance.  Because of the restricted area, only 8 people can be accommodated per tour. Tours take approximately ½ hour.

Appropriate footwear must be worn (no thongs, high heels or slip-on shoes).

Admission  prices:

       Adults                              $6.00 each                                                                                           

       Concessions                  $5.00 each

       Children                          $4.00 each (children under 5 years not permitted)

Tours may be booked by contacting the Museum by phone between 9.00am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday (03) 5258 3440 or contact us by email.

Amenities:   Parking and toilets nearby.