Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01461:front:0:p7
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01461
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 17623–20620

the National Archives of Australia (NAA), the National Library of Australia (NLA) and AMSA's heritage collection.

  2.   Mersey Bluff Lighthouse site
  2.1 Location
Situated on Mersey Bluff, the Mersey Bluff Lighthouse is located at 39 Bluff Access Road, Devonport, Tasmania. The lighthouse is approximately 2 km north of the township of Devonport and overlooks Bass Strait.
Coordinates: 41° 09.5269' S, 146° 21.3317' E
Figure 3. Location of Mersey Bluff Lighthouse within Tasmania (Map data: ©2021 Google, NASA, TerraMetrics)

Figure 4. Mersey Bluff, Devonport (Map data: ©2021 Google, CNES/Airbus, Maxar Technologies)
  2.2 Setting and landscape
The lighthouse is situated on Mersey Bluff, a rocky coastal promontory overlooking Bass Strait. The bluff is approximately 1.6 kilometres east of the mouth of Don River and approximately 1.2 kilometres west of the mouth of the Mersey River. It is located within the Mersey River catchment.
Figure 5. Setting and landscape of Mersey Bluff - view from Lighthouse (© AMSA, 2013)

Fauna and flora
The endangered central north burrowing crayfish, Engaeus granulatus, is found along the coast of Devonport including Mersey Bluff.
Humpback breeding grounds have been recorded along Tasmania's north coast within Bass Strait which includes Devonport's coastline.
  2.3 Lease and ownership
AMSA lease the lighthouse and land from the Minister administering the Crowns Lands Act 1976 (Tas).
The AMSA lease consists of one parcel of land, Lot 1 CPR 4034, with a total surface area of 200 metre-squared2 (See Figure 6. for map of lease). The current lease commenced on 1 May 1998 for a period of 25 years, with the option to renew for a further 25 years.
Mersey Bluff Lighthouse is the only remaining structure from the lightstation. The land surrounding AMSA's lease area is managed by the Minister administering the Crowns Lands Act 1976 (Tas).
Figure 6. Mersey Bluff Lighthouse Map of AMSA lease, 2018 (Map data: © Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community)

  2.4 Access
Mersey Bluff Lighthouse can be publicly accessed via Bluff Access Road, a sealed vehicle track which terminates as a vehicle parking site and cul-de-sac. The Devonport Cycle and Walking Track also leads to the lighthouse and can be accessed 24/7 by the general public.
All visitors are required to walk the remaining 50 metres to base of tower. The general public is able to walk around the base of the lighthouse, however access inside the tower is restricted to authorised personnel only.
Figure 7. View of access road from lighthouse (© AMSA, 2017)

  2.5 Listings
Mersey Bluff Lighthouse is listed on the following heritage registers:
Register                                                 Place ID
Commonwealth Heritage List                               105377[4]
Tasmanian Heritage Register                              1382[5]
Register of the National Estate (non-statutory archive)  12070[6]