International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend Approaches 300 Entries

Entries for the 2019 International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend are nearing the 300 mark with recent rarer entries from Serbia, Malaysia, Cuba, Hawaii, Market Reef and Mexico.

One lighthouse having its first activation in the event is in Bass Strait, Australia, and is situated on Deal Island. This body of water is between the Australian mainland and Tasmania and is notoriously dangerous for shipping.

Glenn, VK3ILH, is putting a small team together to travel to the island by boat at a cost of around $800 per head including food and accommodation. The activation will of course, be highly weather dependent.

The lighthouse was built in 1848 and has been Inactive since 1992. It is a 22 m (72 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A 1st order Fresnel lens installed in 1937 remains in place.
The keeper's houses were demolished, but a 1-story superintendent's house survives.

This historic light station was built by the joint efforts of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania to help ships through the dangerous Kent Group, a scattering of small islands and rocks at the eastern end of Bass Strait.

With a focal plane of 305 m (1000 ft) it was the highest light in Australia. The tower is located on a headland at the southern end of Deal Island in Bass Strait and is accessible only by boat. The light station can be reached by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Tasmania Parks and Wildlife (Kent Group National Park). ILLW-AU0129.

ILLW management requests entrants to submit their entries asap so as to avoid the last minute rush of entries that are usually submitted in the last 2 weeks.

Entry form and entrants lists are all available on the event web site - https://illw.net