Sunset photo by Bruce Frankombe (2020)

Two former volunteer lighthouse keepers on Maatsuyker Island, Kate and Bruce Frankcombe, who served on Maatsuyker Island in 2014 and 2019-20, were guest speakers at the Probus meeting in February.

The lighthouse was completed in 1891 and was the last Tasmanian lighthouse to be automated. Kate and Bruce were the only people on the island.

After being accepted as volunteers, they received training as radio operators, weather monitors, and first aiders.

Kate and Bruce were only permitted to take 750 kg of personal effects and food; hence dehydrated food was necessary. They were reliant on radio contact for safety and weather reporting. The scenery and wildlife were spectacular, but the weather was often cold and wet. Mould was a significant problem in the buildings, and the machinery and the grounds had to be maintained daily.

Ross Millar: 26 March 2023