Currie – Harbour, Lighthouse History and Island Culture

Currie brings together a harbour, spectacular coastal views and an unusual lighthouse history. There is also a museum, changing art exhibitions and trails that explore the landscape and the kelp harvesting industry. This offers several ways to plan your trip: time by the water, culture and history, or a stay with views and outdoor activities. If you’re looking for accommodation on King Island, Currie may be an appealing choice if these themes fit your travel plans.

A lighthouse with a rare design

Currie Harbour Lighthouse is a rare example of a prefabricated wrought-iron lattice tower from the late 19th century. It stands on screw piles and has external bracing. It is one of only two known examples of this design type in Australia. The construction itself is a key part of what makes it special: a lattice tower is made of interconnected braces rather than forming a solid, enclosed tower structure.

Currie Lighthouse offers visitors spectacular coastal views. A guided tour includes exclusive access to climb 93 spiral steps to the top. Check the availability of tours before you travel. This will help you decide whether to focus your plans on the coastal views or the tower’s distinctive design.

Harbour life at the heart of the main settlement

Currie Harbour is at the heart of King Island’s main settlement. The harbour is used for fishing, boating and walks by the water. The harbour area has public toilets, picnic areas and a children’s playground. The playground is useful information for families; at the same time, the harbour’s waterside activities provide a distinct focus for planning your day.

The King Island Arts & Cultural Centre is also located at Currie Harbour. The main settlement’s waterfront setting is complemented by an attraction that offers more than views over the water: the harbour is associated with both recreational activities and a cultural venue.

Island history and changing art

The King Island Museum is housed in Currie’s historic lighthouse keeper’s cottage. Its exhibitions cover the island’s maritime heritage, early settlement, shipwrecks, farming traditions and community life. The subjects range from seafaring and coastal history to agriculture and community life. If you’re interested in different perspectives on King Island, you can plan for this breadth of topics as a cultural highlight.

The King Island Gallery is also located in the Currie Wharf precinct. It offers a changing exhibition program and sells artworks by local artists and artists with connections to the island. While the museum brings together several themes in the island’s history, the gallery focuses on changing exhibitions and artworks for sale. The two venues therefore offer different ways to experience culture and art.

Trails, wildlife and views

The Kelp Track is an easy gravel trail, approximately three kilometres long one way. It passes managed beaches and places where native wildlife can be seen, and offers insights into King Island’s kelp harvesting industry. Along the way, you can combine nature watching with a glimpse into a local industry.

Bicentennial Lookout is between Currie and the harbour. From its elevated vantage point, you can see Currie Harbour, the fishing harbour and Currie Lighthouse. The site also has open picnic areas and walking paths. The two experiences have distinct focuses: the Kelp Track passes beaches and wildlife areas and offers insights into kelp harvesting, while the lookout is all about elevated views, picnic areas and walking paths.

Currie as a possible base

For planning your arrival, the approximate travel time from King Island Airport to Currie is a useful guide: it takes about ten minutes. If you’re considering Currie as a place to stay, you can weigh it against your interests. Harbour activities and cultural venues offer a different focus from the Kelp Track and Bicentennial Lookout. This can help you choose a location based on whether you’d like your stay to focus mainly on the harbour, history and art, or more on trails, wildlife and views.

Discover more destinations: Coles Bay, Bicheno, Dennes Point, Bothwell, Claude Road, George Town, Smithton, Oatlands

For the broader travel overview: Tasmania.