Our two Off-Season Offers are : "Pirate Station at the Museum and Fishy Fridays at the Low Head Lighthouse (click the links for more information.)
Welcome to the Low Head Pilot Station
Low Head Pilot Station, situated at the mouth of the Tamar River in northern Tasmania, is the oldest group of pilot buildings in Australia. While it was the first station to operate it is the third oldest pilot service after the private operations of Sydney and Hobart. The pilot service dates from 1805, with the appointment of William House as Harbour Master at Port Dalrymple, and the first building on the site was probably in 1806. The pilot service still operates from this site today. The first European settlers to arrive in the Tamar Valley came with Lieutenant Colonel William Paterson in November 1804. They landed and set up camp at Outer Cove (now George Town), established their settlement at York Town on the West Tamar, and in 1806 started moving to Launceston. The Tamar River is a dangerous estuary with a complicated navigation channel which has always required the help of pilots.
Maritime History Collection
Pilots' Row
The main collection is housed in Pilots' Row, the original convict-built building has had doorways opened between them to allow thirteen rooms of grand nautical artifacts,
see more...
Ponrabbel Steam Dredge
The port steam engine from the Ponrabbel steam dredge is housed in a small building opposite the main entrance,
read more about the Ponrabbel...
Redpa yacht
The historic yacht Redpa, built in 1908, is in the grounds of the Museum,
click for more about the Redpa...
Foghorn
The Low Head Foghorn is part of the Lighthouse complex. The "Roar of a thousand elephants" may be heard most Sundays at noon,
find out more about the Foghorn...
About Pilot Station Support Group
The Low Head Pilot Station Support Group Inc. is a volunteer group with a keen interest in preserving the maritime history of the area.
The main activity of the Support Group is the management of the Maritime Museum. The Museum encompasses Pilots' Row and Artifacts situated in the surrounding grounds, Storage Sheds, Boat Shed, Foghorn and the Marine Education Centre,
more about the support group...
Research
The Museum Research facility houses a collection of old Launceston Marine Board and Port of Launceston Authority records. The facility also has a substantial photograph collection most of which have been digitized. The substantial book collection is also of great value to those researching maritime and general history, more about Research material collection...
Marine Education Centre
The Marine Education Centre gives people of all ages the opportunity to learn about, discover and care for the marine environment, , click here to read more .