Living in a lighthouse
Remote rent-free living options
Did you know there are places in the world where you can live rent-free in a lighthouse?
A stint as a lighthouse keeper or caretaker is one alternative accommodation option I have yet to tick off the list.
Advances in technology have seen most active lighthouses around the world become automatically operated. Ships now have such advanced navigation systems, many lighthouses no longer operate as a safety warning like they used to.
If you’re like me and think it would be a grand adventure to live in a lighthouse, there are still some stations where a lighthouse is manned or has a caretaker. Some caretaker roles fall into the category of accommodation provided with paid work. Some are volunteer positions where rent-free living in a remote location attracts nature lovers, writers, musicians and other creatives.
Many cottages once used by lighthouse keepers are now rented out as B&B accommodation and caretakers are onsite to manage that, rather than the lighthouse itself.
While researching for my soon to be published book, Stuff the Status Quo: Spend less on keeping a roof over your head and more on living a life you love, I found the following countries and locations where you can still apply to live at a lighthouse:
Tasmania, Australia
Australia is a country geographically separated from the rest of the world by oceans on all sides. Perhaps this is partly the reason many consider Australia as such a remote place. Lighthouses played an important part in the development of this country. These days, not many remain in operation. However, there are still some opportunities to experience living at a lighthouse.
Australia’s most southern lighthouse is on Maatsuyker Island, Tasmania. Volunteer lighthouse caretakers live there completely off the grid. They maintain the grounds, buildings, plants, and equipment. They also send daily weather reports to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Maatsuyker Island sits within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and is known as a breeding ground for seabirds and seals. Although the weather is “frequently cold, wet and very windy,” lighthouse keepers can enjoy the island’s rich biodiversity and rugged coastline.
A number of volunteer island caretaker opportunities with the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service are available throughout the year. Placements are sought for 1-6 months at:
Maatsuyker Island Volunteer Caretaker and Weather Observer
Cape Bruny Island Volunteer Caretaker
Bruny Island Quarantine Station Volunteer Caretaker
Deal Island Volunteer Caretaker
For more information go to: https://parks.tas.gov.au/be-involved/volunteer
You can also be a “friend” of these remote islands https://wildcaretas.org.au/branches/
Alaska, USA
Fore more than 120 years, Five Finger Lighthouse in Alaska has helped ships navigate the legendary Inside Passage.
While fire destroyed the original lighthouse in December 1933, a new Art Deco-style tower replaced it in 1935. Constructed of reinforced concrete to withstand the coast’s turbulent waters and rapidly changing weather, it still operates today as an active navigational aid.
Canada
The Government of Canada operates 51 staffed lighthouses. This advertisement appeared in late 2023 and the salary was increased early 2024 as some positions had not yet been filled.
If you’d like to investigate upcoming opportunities in Canada, note that job adverts do not appear on the Canadian Coast Guard’s job page, but on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada site (the Coast Guard is a “special operating agency” within the department).
Very Interesting
No you don't - go full hermit
https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2017/4/9/the-contemporary-hermit-exploring-christopher-knights-3-decades-of-silence#:~:text=Well%2C%20most%20hermits%20can%20be,%2C%20writing%2C%20or%20other%20studies.