2Gabo Island Lightstation Site

2 Gabo Island Lightstation Site

2.1 Location

Gabo Island Lighthouse is located off the north-east coast of Victoria on Gabo Island, a 154 hectare landmass separated from the mainland by a 500 metre-wide channel. Situated approximately 8 kilometres south of the New South Wales/Victorian border, Gabo Island is approximately 13.9 kilometres from the township of Mallacoota.

Coordinates: 37° 34.0750' S, 149° 55.0096' E

Satellite map of Australia, with red marker labelled "Gabo Island Lighthouse" specifying location of Gabo Island Lighthouse on south-eastern coast.

Figure 3. Location of Gabo Island within Australia (Imagery ©2021 NASA, TerraMetrics, Map Data ©2021 Google)

Satellite map of Gabo Island, south of the Victorian-New South Wales border. Red marker points to location of Gabo Island Lighthouse.

Figure 4. Location of Gabo Island Lighthouse south of Victorian-New South Wales border (Imagery ©2021 TerraMetrics, Map Data ©2021 Google)

Satellite map of Gabo Island, red marker distinguishes location of Gabo Island Lighthouse on South end of island.

Figure 5. Gabo Island and Lighthouse (Imagery ©2021 CNES/Airbus, Maxar Technologies, Map Data ©2021 Google)

2.2 Setting and landscape

Standing at 52 metres above sea level, Gabo Island is a 2.4 kilometre long and 0.8 kilometre wide island. Aside from the lighthouse tower and keeper cottages, the following structures and notable features are located on the island:

airfield
jetty
various sheds
store room
garage
pump shed
quarries
gardens and fowl shed
monument
cemetery
radar station
original 1853 lighthouse remnant
footings of WWII buildings

Photograph of collection of buildings within a rocky, vegetated landscape. Buildings include stone keepers cottages, brick service buildings, and several windbreak walls.

Figure 6. View of keeper cottages and other buildings from Gabo Island lighthouse tower (© AMSA, 2019)

Fauna and flora

Gabo Island is known to hold the largest little penguin colony in the world. Short-tailed shear-waters are also prevalent on the island, and the island is recognised by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area.

Feral cats once presided over the island and impacted the bird colonies, however an eradication program from 1987-1991 successfully rid the island of feral cats.

2.3 Lease

AMSA leases Gabo Island Lighthouse from the Minister for Conservation and Environment (Victoria). The AMSA lease consists of two lots:

Lot 2: 756.3m2
Lot 3: 217m2