The Story Behind the Silver
At the Edge of the Southern Ocean
Ten kilometres off Tasmania's wild southern coast, Maatsuyker Island stands exposed to the full force of the Southern Ocean. Here, among the fierce winds and unpredictable seas of the Roaring Forties, stands Australia's southernmost lighthouse.
Completed in 1891, the Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse was built to guide vessels through some of the most challenging waters in the world. Its construction was an extraordinary undertaking. Building materials were transported from Hobart by sea, landed on the island's rugged shoreline and hauled uphill using a horse-powered tramway.
For more than a century, lighthouse keepers and their families lived in extraordinary isolation, maintaining the light through relentless storms and long periods cut off from the mainland.
The original lighthouse remained in service until 1996, when an automated solar-powered beacon took over. Today, the historic lightstation stands as a remarkable testament to Tasmania's maritime heritage, the resilience of its keepers and the importance of safe passage through the Southern Ocean.
Life on Maatsuyker Island
Visual artist Amanda Walker and her partner Paul spent six remarkable months caretaking on Maatsuyker Island, experiencing firsthand the wild beauty and isolation of Tasmania's southernmost lighthouse station.
In Amanda's words:
“The weather captivated us with swift changes from light to dark, the grassy tracks winding beneath the canopy of trees opening out to reveal those stunning views, and day by day we witness the islands seasonal changes surrounded by ever-present lively island birds.”
Maatsuyker Through Our Eyes
Amanda Walker and Paul Richardson have also documented their remarkable experience in Maatsuyker Through Our Eyes: Caretaking on Tasmania’s Wild and Remote Maatsuyker Island. Through their personal observations and photography, the book offers an intimate account of life on this isolated island, capturing the dramatic Southern Ocean, abundant wildlife, changing seasons and quieter moments of living far from the mainland. Their story offers a rare glimpse into a place few people have the opportunity to experience firsthand.
A Story Preserved in Silver
The Hobart Mint Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse silver round celebrates this remarkable part of Tasmania's maritime history.
Created by illustrator Rosie Murrell and sculptor Tony Dean, the design honours one of Australia's most remote and historically significant lighthouses.
Rosie's artwork draws inspiration from Tasmania's distinctive landscapes and the stories that connect people to place. Her original illustration has been translated into sculpted relief and struck in precious metal.
Discover more about Rosie and our collaborating artists on the Hobart Mint Artists page, or follow her creative work on Instagram.
Struck in Hobart from one troy ounce of 99.99% pure silver, the round is part of a limited mintage of 10,000 pieces, produced annually from 2024 until the full mintage is complete.
A small piece of Tasmania's maritime history, preserved in precious metal.