Lighthouses seem to defy the odds, especially the old historic ones. It amazes me how they were built in the often rough remote locations, with the equipment of the day. And, of course, they did beat the odds, reducing the number of ship wrecks and groundings.

This is the Iron Pot Lighthouse at the entrance of the River Derwent and shipping lane to Hobart.

It is the first lighthouse built in Tasmania, in 1833. This square lighthouse made of rubble was built within an earlier timber frame where the light apparatus was raised and lowered by hand.

It is the second oldest lighthouse ever built in Australia. The first built at Sydney Heads in 1818.

Iron Pot was the first to use locally manufactured optical apparatus and is believed to be the first Australia lighthouse to convert to solar power.

There is debate about the origin of it’s name, one story relates that since the early days of European settlement, whaler’s pots were left on the small island where the lighthouse is located.

Against the Odds