Lighthouses of New Zealand

New Zealand includes two large islands, North Island and South Island, with many smaller islands. Most of the coastline is high and scenic. Many of the lighthouses are at remote locations, and lighthouse fans need a good pair of hiking shoes to reach them, if they can be reached at all. Coastal lighthouses are operated and maintained by Maritime New Zealand. Information on many of these lighthouses is readily available in .pdf documents posted on the MNZ web site. Harbor lighthouses, however, are owned and maintained by local harbor authorities, and less information is available for most of them. There is no national lighthouse preservation group, but the New Zealand Historic Places Trust has acted to preserve several lighthouses after they were deactivated. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from Volume K of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA light list numbers are from NGA Publication 111. General Sources Maritime New Zealand- Lighthouses Maritime New Zealand's lighthouse site; under Lighthouse Profiles it includes pictures and accounts of each lighthouse as .pdf documents. New Zealand Lighthouses Photos from 1999-2000 with comments by Mark Phillips. New Zealand Lighthouses Data and photos posted by Kevin Mulcahy of Lighthouses.net.au. Grant and Tracey's Lighthouse Page - New Zealand Photos of Auckland area lighthouses posted by Grant Maizels. Leuchttürme.net - Neuseeland Photos and data posted by Malte Werning. Leuchttürme Australiens und Ozeaniens auf historischen Postkarten Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.

Tiritiri Matangi Light, January 2009 Creative Commons photo by Sandy Austin

North Island Lighthouses

Cape Egmont Area Lighthouses
* Cape Egmont

1865 (relocated to this site in 1877). Active; focal plane 33 m (109 ft); white flash every 8 s. 20 m (65 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is black. Mike Hollman has a fine 2009 photo, J.J Brophy has a good photo, and another photo is available. The Taranaki volcano stands behind the lighthouse in the Hollman and Brophy photos. Prefabricated in England by McLean, Simpson and Co., the lighthouse was first constructed on Mana Island near Wellington, but its light was confused with that of the Pencarrow Head Light. The tower was relocated to Cape Egmont in 1877, but was not activated there until 1881. A sibling of the Tiritiri Matangi Light, the lighthouse marks the southwesternmost point of North Island and the northwestern entrance to Cook Strait. Located at the end of Cape Road near Pungarehu. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-007; Admiralty K4088; NGA 4788.

New Plymouth (Mikotahi) (2)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 28 m (92 ft) round brick tower, the smokestack of a power plant. A photo is available (click on the photo; at high resolution the light at the top of the stack is visible). Google has a satellite view. This light apparently replaced a light on a skeletal tower described by NGA. Located at Taranaki Harbour on the west side of New Plymouth. Site and tower closed. Admiralty K4090; NGA 4804.

Manukau and Kaipara Lighthouses
Manukau South Head (3)

1989 (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 234 m (768 ft); white light, 4 s on, 2 s off. Light mounted on a mast rising from 1-story signal station building. Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse at this station, a 9 m (30 ft) wooden tower with a large lantern, collapsed in 1944 when nearby coast artillery were test fired. The second light, a short concrete tower, came into imminent peril of collapse due to beach erosion; it was deactivated in 1986 and demolished early in the 1990s. Grant Maizels found rubble on the beach in 1998. The light was moved to the signal station high on the bluff above. Located at the south entrance to Manukau Harbour, southwest of Auckland. Operator/site manager: Ports of Auckland. ARLHS NZL-033; Admiralty K4108; NGA 4868.

** Manukau South Head (1, replica)

2006 replica of 1874 lighthouse. A decorative light is displayed. 9 m (30 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. The original cast iron lantern and 2° Fresnel lens, stored since 1986, have been reinstalled on the replica tower. Phil Armitage has a good photo, another fine photo is available, and Sandy Austin has a closeup. The Manukau Heads Lighthouse Trust was formed in 2000 to organize the reconstruction, which involved nearly everyone in the Manukau community in some way. Awhitu Enterprises has a web site for this restoration effort. The rebuilt lighthouse was dedicated by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark on 23 September 2006, and a decorative light was established on 7 June 2008. Located at the end of Manukau Heads Road near the signal station. Accessible by road; parking available. Site open daily, tower closed. Site manager: Ports of Auckland.

Kaipara North Head 1884. Inactive 1944-1947 and since the mid 1950s. 14 m (46 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is red. A Historic Places Trust photo is at right, Petra Kiesewetter has a 2008 photo, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This is a sibling of the Waipapa Point Light on South Island, which was completed the same year. These two lighthouses, thought to have been designed by John Blackett, were the last two wood lighthouses built in New Zealand in the 1800s. The original lantern was removed in 1944 and relocated to Cape Saunders in 1948; in late 2006 this lantern was replaced at Cape Saunders and returned to Kaipara for restoration. The present lantern was relocated from Cape Foulwind in 1947. By 1971 the Marine Department was preparing to demolish the abandoned lighthouse. Area residents formed the Kaipara Lighthouse Trust to work for its preservation. In 1979 the property was conveyed to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, which carried out a restoration of the lighthouse in 1982-84, just in time for the centennial of the light. Kaipara Harbour is a large sound opening on the west side of the North Island north of Auckland. Located on the north side of the Kaipara Harbour entrance west of Pouto. Accessible by 4WD or by a hike of about 6 km (4 mi) on the beach. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: N.Z. Historic Places Trust. ARLHS NZL-030.

Kaipara North Head Light N.Z. Historic Places Trust photo courtesy of David Reynolds

Northern Cape Lighthouses
[Cape Maria van Diemen (2)]

1941 (station established 1879). Active; focal plane 90 m (295 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 3 m (10 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower; no lantern. Google has a satellite view. Cape Maria van Diemen, facing the Tasman Sea, is the westernmost of the three points of land at the northern end of New Zealand, the other two being Cape Reinga and North Cape. Because of the difficulty in accessing and supplying the lighthouse, the original tower was removed in 1941 and its lantern and lens transferred to a new tower at Cape Reinga (next entry). Located on the summit of Motuopao Island off the point of the cape. Accessible only by boat; visible from beaches on the mainland. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-010; Admiralty K3686; NGA 3792.

* Cape Reinga 1941. Active; focal plane 165 m (542 ft); white flash every 12 s. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and eight ribs. Tower painted white; lantern roof is black. Jeanie Mackinder's photo is at right, another closeup and a 2008 photo are available, Rian Long has a good panoramic view, and Google has a satellite view. This light replaced the 1879 Cape Maria van Diemen lighthouse as the main landfall light at the northern extremity of New Zealand. It carries the original Maria van Diemen lantern, but the 1° Fresnel lens has been replaced by a small modern lens. It stands on a spectacular site overlooking the Pacific to the northeast and the Tasman Sea to the northwest. Accessible by road from Kaitaia, although the last 20 km (13 mi) is unpaved. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-012; Admiralty K3688; NGA 3796. * North Cape (Murimotu Island) (1) (lantern) 1929. Inactive since 1973. Round cast iron lantern and 3° (?) Fresnel lens. Originally located on Murimotu Island off North Cape, the northernmost point in New Zealand. The lighthouse was demolished in 1973, but the lantern with its clamshell Fresnel lens is on display beside NZ 1 at Waitaki Landing, about 25 km (15 mi) southwest of Cape Reinga. Site open. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS NZL-066. [North Cape (Murimotu Island) (2)] 1973. Active; focal plane 99 m (325 ft); white flash every 8 s. 3 m (10 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted white. Phillips has a photo (halfway down the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located at the highest point of Murimotu Island, just off North Cape. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty K3690; NGA 3800. Cape Brett (1) 1910. Inactive since 1978. Approx. 15 m (50 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern, painted white. Active light (focal plane 146 m (479 ft); white flash every 15 s) on 4 m (13 ft) cylindrical fiberglass tower standing in front of the historic lighthouse. The 1-story wood keeper's house (one of three in the original light station) now shelters hikers. A 2005 photo showed a lighthouse much in need of restoration. In 2007, the Dept. of Conservation scraped 60 layers of paint from the lighthouse and restored the exterior to its original appearance; a good October 2007 photo shows the results. Maizels also has a page on this light, the New Zealand Herald has a feature on visiting the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The Cape Brett area is now a national scenic reserve. Located at the end of a rugged peninsula on the south side of the Bay of Islands. Accessible by passenger ferry or by backpacking from Rawhiti-Whangamumu Road (distance to the lighthouse is about 20 km (13 mi). Site open, tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Manawahuna Scenic Reserve). ARLHS NZL-005; Admiralty K3709; NGA 3912.

Cape Reinga Light, December 2008 Creative Commons photo by Jeanie Mackinder

Hauraki Gulf and Auckland Lighthouses
Mokohinau Islands (Burgess Island)

1883. Active; focal plane 122 m (400 ft); white flash every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, gallery black. Other light station buildings demolished. The lighthouse is the landfall light for vessels arriving in Auckland from the north or northeast. Located on Burgess (Pokohinu) Island, the highest of three small islands in the entrance to Hauraki Gulf about 100 km (60 mi) north of Auckland. Accessible only by boat; the island is sometimes visited by ecotours from Auckland. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Mokohinau Islands Scenic and Nature Reserves). ARLHS NZL-035; Admiralty K3734; NGA 3984.

[Cape Rodney]

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); four quick white flashes every 20 s. 4 m (13 ft) square cylindrical steel tower topped by a short mast. Sibling of Cape Kidnappers Light (see below). This lighthouse is within a marine reserve open to the public, but it is not known if the lighthouse is accessible from established trails. Located on the cape, on the western shore of Hauraki Gulf near Leigh. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Cape Rodney-Okahari Point Marine Reserve). ARLHS NZL-013; Admiralty K3736.6; NGA 3992.

Flat Rock

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 7 s. 8 m (26 ft) round white fiberglass tower mounted on a round concrete pier. Located on a skerry off the east coast of Kawau Island, on the west side of Hauraki Gulf near Omaha. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K3738; NGA 4020.

** Tiritiri Matangi (Tiritiri Island) 1865 (McLean, Simpson and Co.). Active; focal plane 91 m (300 ft); white flash every 15 s. 20 m (67 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Two 1-story keeper's quarters (1918), one used as a visitor center and the other as a park ranger residence. 1-story concrete fog signal building (1935); original diaphone fog signal in place but not used since about 1983. Auckland Harbour Board signal station (1912). Sandy Austin's photo appears at the top of this page, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was prefabricated in Pimlico, England, and is a twin of the Cape Egmont Light. This is New Zealand's oldest active lighthouse, and the most complete light station in the country. The Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi work for the ecological restoration of the island and the preservation of the historic buildings. Native trees, birds, and other wildlife have been successfully reintroduced to the island. Located near the southeastern end of Tiritiri Island in Hauraki Gulf about 30 km (19 mi) north of Auckland. Accessible only by boat; the island is accessible by passenger ferry from Gulf Harbour and downtown Auckland (visitation is limited to 150 passengers per day). Guided tours are available. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Tiritiri Matangi Scientific Reserve). ARLHS NZL-054; Admiralty K3740; NGA 4028. Rangitoto Island 1905. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); red light, 1.5 s on, 10.5 s off. 20 m (65 ft) round tapered concrete tower with gallery, painted white with narrow red horizontal bands. Lantern removed. Janice Dunn has a good closeup photo, a second photo is available, Debra Markey has a fine 2008 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. The island, one of several large islands in Auckland Harbour, is protected as the Rangitoto Island Scenic Reserve; it is accessible by passenger ferry from downtown Auckland. 4WD tours of the island often pass close to the lighthouse. The lighthouse is located on a small islet just off the western end of Rangitoto Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Ports of Auckland. ARLHS NZL-045; Admiralty K3744; NGA 4048. Bean Rock 1871. Active; focal plane 15 m (50 ft); three white flashes every 8 s. 15 m (50 ft) hexagonal cast iron skeletal tower supporting a hexagonal wood keeper's quarters with lantern centered on the roof. Entire structure painted white. Fog siren (blast every 30 s). This unique lighthouse has been a landmark in Auckland Harbour ever since its construction. It was restored in 1985. Alister Coyne's photo is at right, Maizels also has photos, Jeremy D'Entremont has written a feature article on the lighthouse for the February 2002 Lighthouse Digest, Werning has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a good satellite view. Located on Te Toka a Kapetawa (the Rock of Kapetawa) off North Head at the entrance to Auckland's inner harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Ports of Auckland. ARLHS NZL-003; Admiralty K3748; NGA List 4064.

Bean Rock Light, January 2006 Creative Commons photo by Alister Coyne

Northeast Coast (Bay of Plenty) Lighthouses
Cuvier Island

1889. Active; focal plane 119 m (390 ft); white flash every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is black. Other light station buildings demolished. Mulcahy also has a photo. The first cast iron lighthouse to be prefabricated in New Zealand, this is the landfall light for vessels arriving in Auckland from the east. The island is a nature reserve and is included in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Located on a small island in the southern entrance to Hauraki Gulf, southeast of Great Barrier Island. Accessible only by boat; the island is sometimes visited by ecotours from Auckland. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation. ARLHS NZL-018; Admiralty K3886; NGA 4284.

Slipper Island

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 103 m (338 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 4 m (13 ft) round cylindrical lantern, painted white. Slipper Island is a small, privately-owned resort island. Located on the eastern end of the island, which lies about 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of Pauanui on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula southeast of Auckland. Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-063; Admiralty K3896; NGA 4300.

Tauranga Entrance Range Front

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous green light; also continuous red, green and white directional lights shown by arrangement for arriving vessels. 13 m (43 ft) white beacon with a vertical black stripe on the range line. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Tauranga is a rapidly growing port, now New Zealand's fifth largest city. Located near the beach on the west side of the harbor entrance. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3899.4; NGA 4328.

Tauranga Entrance Range Rear

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous green light. 19 m (62 ft) white beacon with a vertical black stripe on the range line. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located 252 m (275 yd) south southwest of the front light. Site status unknown. Admiralty K3899.41; NGA 4332.

Southeast Coast Lighthouses

* East Cape 1900 (relocated to this site in 1922). Active; focal plane 154 m (505 ft); white flash every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is black. Other light station buildings demolished. Daniel Pietzsch's photo is at right, another fine closeup is available, a May 2006 photo shows the tower freshly painted, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks the easternmost point of New Zealand; it is claimed (correctly) that this lighthouse, located only 128 km (80 mi) west of the International Date Line, is the first lighthouse to see the sunrise of a new day. It was built originally on East Island, about 3 km (2 mi) off the cape, but was relocated to the mainland after earthquake-triggered landslides threatened that location. The site is spectacular. Located at the end of East Cape Road about 20 km (19 mi) east of NZ 35 at Te Araroa. Parking provided, but it's a stiff climb up more than 500 steps to the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-020; Admiralty K3932; NGA 4436. Portland Island (2) 1958 (station established 1878). Active; focal plane 187 m (614 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 8 m (26 ft) square pyramidal steel tower with slatted daymark painted white. The original lighthouse (next entry) was relocated to Wairoa. Resident keepers maintained the new light until 1982. Located on Portland Island, just off the tip of the Mahia Peninsula, at the northern entrance to Hawkes Bay about 65 km (40 mi) southeast of Wairoa. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-042; Admiralty K3970; NGA 4488.

East Cape Light, December 2008 Creative Commons photo by Daniel Pietzsch

* Portland Island (1) (relocated to Wairoa)

1878 (John Blackett). Inactive since 1958 (a decorative light is displayed until 11 pm each night). 8.5 m (28 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The lighthouse was relocated in 1961 to Wairoa, where it is the town's best known landmark and historical site. Philip Fierlinger has an excellent photo, Phil Rickerby has a 2008 closeup, the District Council website also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located beside the Wairoa River at the NZ 2 bridge, about 3 km (2 mi) north of the ocean. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Wairoa District Council. ARLHS NZL-089.

* Napier Southern Range Front

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous red light. 16 m (52 ft) square pyramidal wood skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The seaward face of the lighthouse also carries a white slatted daymark. Google has a satellite view. Located off the Main North Road about 3.5 km (2.5 mi) north of Napier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K3982.1; NGA 4500.

* Napier Common Range Rear

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); continuous light, white in the direction of the Napier Southern Range and green elsewhere. 21 m (69 ft) square pyramidal wood skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The seaward face of the lighthouse also carries a slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Google has a satellite view. Located 331 m (362 yd) west of the Southern front light. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K3982; NGA 4504.

* [Cape Kidnappers] Date unknown. Active; focal plane 112 m (367 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 4 m (13 ft) square cylindrical steel tower topped by a short mast. Though too small to be considered a real lighthouse, this little tower is well known as the site of a huge nesting colony of Australian gannets. A photo of the site is available. Frequently visited by ecotours. Located on the cape at the southern end of Hawkes Bay about 15 miles east of Hastings. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-009; Admiralty K3992; NGA 4564. * Castle Point 1913. Active; focal plane 52 m (170 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 23 m (75 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is gray. 1° Fresnel lens in use. Other light station buildings demolished. Ari Bakker's photo is at right, Zachary Gleisner has a fine closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was prefabricated in Wellington. In 2001 there was a report the lighthouse might be deactivated, but apparently this has not happened. The causeway connecting the station to the mainland was demolished in 2008 because it had become unsafe, but it is still possible to reach the lighthouse on foot except during the highest tides. Located at the end of Castlepoint Road about 65 km (40 mi) southeast of Masterton. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-016; Admiralty K3994; NGA 4572.

Castle Point Light, May 2007 Creative Commons photo by Ari Bakker

Cook Strait (North Side) and Wellington Area Lighthouses
* Cape Palliser

1897. Active; focal plane 78 m (256 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 18 m (59 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Werning has a good photo, and Walter Davis has a good closeup photo. Prefabricated in Wellington, the lighthouse marks the extreme southeastern tip of the North Island and the eastern entrance to Cook Strait and Wellington. The tower was repainted early in 2008, as seen in an April photo. A gravel road reaches the light station; 4WD recommended. There's a climb of 250 steps to the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-011; Admiralty 4000; NGA K4580.

Baring Head 1935. Active; focal plane 87 m (286 ft); white light, 9 s on, 6 s off. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal concrete tower with six ribs, lantern, and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray. A closeup photo and a 2007 photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. The last traditional lighthouse built in New Zealand, this tower replaced the older Pencarrow Head Light as the entrance light for the approach to Wellington. It commands a spectacular view across Cook Strait. Located on a headland about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Wellington, marking the eastern entrance to Somes Sound. Accessible from the coast road by a walk of about one hour round trip. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-002; Admiralty K4004; NGA 4584. ** Pencarrow (1) (Old Pencarrow Head) 1859. Inactive since 1935. 11.5 m (38 ft) tapered octagonal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is black. Aidan Wojdas's photo is at right, a January 2006 photo shows the lighthouse freshly painted and apparently in excellent condition, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. New Zealand's oldest lighthouse was designed by Colonial Engineer Edward Roberts, prefabricated in England by Woodside Ironworks, and installed by Edward George Wright. Deactivated in 1935 in favor of the Baring Head lighthouse, the lighthouse was transferred to the N.Z. Historic Places Trust in 1966. In June 2008, the Trust completed a project to restore the lantern roof. Located atop the headland in East Harbour Regional Park. Accessible by bicycle or by a hike of about two hours one way from Burdans Gate on the Pencarrow Coastal Road south of Eastbourne. Site open. Tower status is not clear; apparently the tower is open for climbing. Owner/site manager: N.Z. Historic Places Trust. ARLHS NZL-068. * Pencarrow (2) (Pencarrow Sector) 1906. Active; focal plane 18 m (60 ft); three flashes, red or white depending on direction, every 12 s. 17 m (56 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Richard Mayston has a good closeup, Aidan Wojdas has a photo, a photo showing both Pencarrow lighthouses is available, and Google has a satellite view. Built as a steel skeletal tower, this lighthouse was encased in concrete during the 1930s. Located on the beach below the original lighthouse; accessible by bicycle or by a hike of about two hours one way from Burdans Gate on the Pencarrow Coastal Road south of Eastbourne. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Wellington Regional Council. Site manager: East Harbour Regional Park. ARLHS NZL-039; Admiralty K4006; NGA 4588.

1859 Pencarrow Light, October 2007 Creative Commons photo by Aidan Wojdas

Wellington Entrance Range Front

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); quick-flashing white light. 4 m (13 ft) round cast iron lantern mounted on a square platform supported by pilings. Lantern painted white. Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the Wellington entrance channel about 2 km (1.25 mi) east of the Seatoun neighborhood of the city. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K4010; NGA 4592.

Hope Shoal (Wellington Entrance Range Rear)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on , 2 s off. 17 m (56 ft) round steel caisson topped by a round post light. Lighthouse painted with orange and yellow vertical stripes. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located in Somes Sound about 2.1 km (1.34 mi) north of the front light and 700 m (770 yd) southwest of Makaro Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K4010.1; NGA 4596.

* Matiu/Somes Island (2) 1900 (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); light on 4 s, off 6 s: white, red, or green depending on direction of approach. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a small workshed. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is black. Other light station buildings demolished after automation in 1924. David Pannett's photo is at right, a closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The island, formerly a quarantine station for both people and animals, was closed to the public until 1995. Now it is a well known ecological reserve and sanctuary for native wildlife, accessible from downtown Wellington by passenger ferry. Located on the south side of the island in Wellington Harbour. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Wellington Regional Council. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Matiu/Somes Island Sanctuary). ARLHS NZL-047; Admiralty K4014; NGA 4620. * Point Halswell Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white flash every 3 s. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal concrete tower with gallery, painted in a black and white checkerboard pattern. Tre Lan has a closeup photo, and Filip Hanzelka also has a photo, but the tower is inconspicuous in a Google satellite view. Located just off the tip of the Miramar Peninsula, which projects northward into Wellington Harbour. Site and tower closed, but there's a good view from Massey Road a few feet from the lighthouse. ARLHS NZL-061; Admiralty K4018; NGA 4708.

Matiu (Somes Island) Light with Wellington in the distance, May 2006 Creative Commons photo by David Pannett

Karori Rock

1915. Inactive since 1996. 20 m (65 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern. One of New Zealand's first automated lighthouses, this tower was built after the steamer Penguin wrecked on the rock in 1909. Difficult to service or repair due to its highly exposed location, it was replaced by the Tongue Point Light in 1996. The tower has a definite lean and is called "Wellington's leaning lighthouse." Wade Tregaskis has a good photo showing the lean. Located on an islet in Cook Strait off the western entrance to Wellington Harbour. Accessible only by boat; there are distant views from Tongue Point. Owner/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-031.

[Tongue Point]

1996. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); flash every 4 s, alternating red and white. 4 m (13 ft) square cylindrical steel tower topped by a short mast. Google has a satellite view. Sibling of the Cape Kidnappers Light (above). The lighthouse replaced the Karori Rock Light. The area is famous for its seal colonies. Located on a bluff above Cook Strait southwest of Wellington. Accessible by 4WD. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-064; Admiralty K4062.1; NGA 4717.

South Island Lighthouses

Cook Strait (South Side) Lighthouses
[Pillar Point (Cape Farewell)]

1930. Active; focal plane 166 m (545 ft); white flash every 5 s. 4 m (13 ft) square cylindrical steel tower. Sibling of the Cape Kidnappers Light (above). This modest light is the main landfall light for vessels arriving in New Zealand from the west. Located atop Pillar Point, one of the headlands of Cape Farewell, the northernmost point of South Island. Site status uncertain, but ecotours visit the area; tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-040; Admiralty K4180; NGA 4916.

Farewell Spit (Bush End Point) (2) 1897 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); flash every 15 s, white or red (red is shown for vessels approaching from the north). 27 m (88 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and enclosed watch room. Lantern and watch room painted orange; tower legs and gallery rail painted white; the lantern dome is gray. The 1-story wood keeper's quarters appears occupied (perhaps by a park ranger). James Barwell's photo is at right, another closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. Similar in design to many Canadian lights, this lighthouse is unique in New Zealand. The sandy Farewell Spit extends eastward more than 25 km (15 mi) from Cape Farewell, enclosing Golden Bay. The area is a critically important bird nesting area, closed to the general public. Located at Bush End Point near the end of the spit; accessible only by guided ecotours. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site Manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Farewell Spit and Puponga Farm Park). ARLHS NZL-022; Admiralty K4182; NGA 4920. * Nelson (Boulder Bank) 1862. Inactive since 1982. 18 m (60 ft) octagonal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is black. Prefabricated in England by Stothart and Pitt of Bath. The keeper's houses were relocated to Nelson in 1916; we do not know if they survive. Murray Neill has a closeup photo, a view from the Port Nelson waterfront is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was retired because it could no longer be seen clearly against the growing lights of the town; prior to deactivation it was New Zealand's oldest active lighthouse. Information on the history of the harbor and light station is available. Located at the end of a long barrier beach sheltering the harbor of Nelson, at the south end of Tasman Bay. Nearly all access is by boat; it's a hike of 30 km (19 mi) round trip to reach the lighthouse by walking the length of the bank. The lighthouse is easily visible from the Nelson waterfront. Site open, tower closed. Owner: N.Z. Historic Places Trust. Operator/site manager: Port Nelson Ltd. ARLHS NZL-004. * French Pass (Channel Point) 1884. Active; focal plane 3 m (10 ft); continuous light, red or white depending on direction of approach. 5 m (17 ft) round lantern, painted white, mounted on a round stone pedestal. Red filters on adjustable panels are used to set the sector boundaries precisely. A wooden bridge connects the tower to the shore. Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. French Pass, the channel between d'Urville Island and the mainland, is a narrow passage used by inter-island shipping between Nelson on the South Island and Wellington on the North Island. This tiny lighthouse, built to mark the difficult channel, was tended by a keeper until 1967. Located on the mainland (south) shore of the pass. Site status unknown, but the village of French Pass can be reached by road from NZ 6 at Rai Valley, east of Nelson. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-024; Admiralty K4238; NGA List 5028. [French Pass Reef] 1882 (there was an unlit beacon here from the 1860s). Active; focal plane 5 m (16 ft); white flash every 1.5 s. 5 m (16 ft) round cylindrical tower, painted white, mounted on a stone pedestal. The French Pass channel is between this light and the previous one. Tended by the French Pass keeper until 1967. Located on a reef in the pass. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-069; Admiralty K4240; NGA 5032.

Farewell Spit Light, December 2005 Creative Commons photo by James Barwell

Stephens Island

1894. Active; focal plane 183 m (600 ft); white flash every 6 s. 15 m (50 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is gray. Mike Parfitt has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. New Zealand's highest light marks the northwestern entrance to Cook Strait; it has a range of more than 50 km (30 mi). The island, also known by its native name Takapourewa, is the home of several very rare species of wildlife. Located at the northern end of the steep-sided island, northeast of the much larger D'Urville Island. Inaccessible to the public. Site and tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site Manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Stephens Island Nature Reserve). ARLHS NZL-048; Admiralty K4236; NGA 5044.

Cape Jackson Rock

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white flash every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower topped by a short cylindrical metal lantern; lantern painted white. TrueNZ Guides has a photo (halfway down the page). Cape Jackson is a slender, snake-like, rocky peninsula jutting into Cook Strait about 50 km (30 mi) east of Stephens Island. In 2001 the official Cape Jackson Light was moved to a modern tower at the tip of the peninsula, but the old lighthouse also remains in service. The Russian cruise ship Mikhail Lermentov wrecked here in 1986 trying to pass between the lighthouse and the mainland. Located on a bare rock about 650 m (0.4 mi) off the end of the peninsula. Inaccessible, but there are good views from the end of the Captain Cook Trail, a two-day walk from Ship Cove. Site and tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site Manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Abel Tasman National Park). ARLHS NZL-070; Admiralty K4244.5; NGA 5089.

The Brothers (Brothers Island)

1877. Active; focal plane 79 m (259 ft); white flash every 10 s (a red flash is shown in two sectors). 12. 5 m (41 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery; external wood bracing helps steady the tower against fierce winds. Tower painted white, lantern black. This lighthouse replaced the Mana Island Light, which was moved to Cape Egmont (see above). The island is closed to the public; it is the home of the Brothers Island tuatara, one of the world's rarest animals. In 2001 the lighthouse was solarized, in part so that toxic substances from storage batteries would not endanger the wildlife. Located atop a rocky island in Cook Strait west of Wellington. Site and tower closed; the light is visible distantly from Cook Strait ferries. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site Manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (The Brothers Sanctuary). ARLHS NZL-051; Admiralty K4246; NGA 5176.

* Cape Campbell (2)

1905 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 47 m (155 ft); white flash every 15 s. 22 m (73 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. Mulcahy has a closeup photo, and a 2009 photo shows the lighthouse freshly painted. One of only a few N.Z. lighthouses with colored bands; here the bands help distinguish the tower from the white bluff on which it stands. The lighthouse marks the southeastern entrance to Cook Strait. Located on the cape about 30 miles southeast of Blenheim; accessible by a short hike from the parking area at the end of Marfells Beach Road, off NZ 1 south of Lake Grassmere. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-006; Admiralty K4274; NGA 5188.

Christchurch Area Lighthouses

Godley Head (2)

1940 (?) (relocated lantern of 1865 lighthouse). Active; focal plane 97 m (318 ft); three long (2 s) white flashes every 26 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white with a gray roof. Adjoining 1-story equipment building painted white with a red roof. Grant Sheehan has a closeup photo (1/4 the way down the page), and a 2008 closeup photo is available. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse, a round stone tower located atop the bluff. That lighthouse was demolished at the start of World War II because it interfered with the line of fire of coastal defense artillery. The lantern was removed and relocated down the slope, where it remains. The lighthouse is located in a public recreation area, but its vicinity is closed to the public. Located on a headland at the entrance to Lyttelton Harbour about 8 km (5 mi) east of Lyttelton and 20 km (13 mi) southeast of Christchurch. Site and tower closed. The lighthouse can be seen distantly from the Tunnel Path, which descends to the shore; Aidan Wojdas has a photo showing this view. Site and tower closed. Operator: Lyttelton Port Corporation. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Godley Head Recreation Area). ARLHS NZL-025; Admiralty K4286; NGA 5232.

* Lyttelton Harbour (Gladstone Quay)

1878 (?). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); green light occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome and gallery rail dark green. Paige Valentine has a 2008 closeup, Phillip Capper has a view from outside the harbor, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the historic Gladstone Quay on the east side of the entrance to Lyttelton harbor. Accessible by walking the quay. Admiralty K4300; NGA 5272.

Shag Reef Range Front Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white flash every 1.5 s. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower with gallery, mounted on a hexagonal wood platform supported by piles. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The range guides vessels on their approach to Lyttelton. Located about 500 m (0.3 mi) south of the inner harbor entrance. Accessible only by boat, but there are good views from shore. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Lyttelton Port Corporation. Admiralty K4290; NGA 5256. Shag Reef Range Rear Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white light, 2 s on, 3 s off. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, mounted on a round concrete pier. The east side of the tower (facing the range) is painted in a red and yellow checkerboard pattern. In a photo of the Lyttleton yacht harbor, the light can be seen over the end of the pier (click on the photo for a better view). Google has a satellite view. Located on a rocky reef, 963 m (0.6 mi) west of the front light. Accessible only by boat, but there are good views from shore. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Lyttelton Port Corporation. Admiralty K4290.1; NGA 5260. ** Akaroa Head (1) 1880. Inactive since 1980 (sometimes lit on holidays and special occasions). Approx. 12 m (40 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern painted black. Original Fresnel lens. Maree Reveley's photo is at right, a more distant view shows the setting of the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was originally located at the entrance to Akaroa Harbour, on the southeast corner of the Banks Peninsula; it was replaced by a 3 m (10 ft) fiberglass tower (focal plane 68 m (223 ft); white flash every 10 s). The lighthouse was relocated (in three sections) and is now a tourist attraction on the Akaroa waterfront. The Akaroa Lighthouse Preservation Society was formed to save the lighthouse and now works for its preservation. Located at Cemetery Point, Beach Road, Akaroa, about 65 km (40 mi) southeast of Christchurch. Site open; tower open Sunday afternoons and during the Christmas holidays. Owner: Akaroa Civic Trust. Site manager: Akaroa Lighthouse Preservation Society. ARLHS NZL-001; Admiralty K4314; NGA 5284.

Akaroa Head Light, February 2008 Creative Commons photo by Maree Reveley

Timaru and Oemaru Area Lighthouses
* Timaru Harbour

1878 (John Blackett). Inactive since 1970 (listed as a daybeacon for navigation). Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern roof is red. Maree Reveley has a closeup photo, and Mulcahy also has a photo. Originally located on a small island in Timaru Harbour; relocated in 1980 to Maori Park on the Timaru waterfront. Site open, tower closed. Owner: N.Z. Historic Places Trust. Site manager: Timaru District Council. ARLHS NZL-052.

* Tuhawaiki Point (Jack's Point)

1904. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white light, 2 s on, 8 s off. 9 m (30 ft) octagonal cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery; 250 mm lens. Entire lighthouse painted white. Google has a satellite view. Located about 1 km (0.6 mi) north of the end of Ellis Road off NZ 1 on the south side of Timaru. Accessible by a short walk on the beach. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-028; Admiralty K4340; NGA List 5344.

* Cape Wanbrow (2)

1944 (station established 1874). Inactive. Approx. 3 m (10 ft) square lantern room, originally painted white, set in the side of a bluff. Werning has a good photo. The structure looks more like an observation post than a lighthouse, and in fact it was built as part of an artillery installation in 1943. Abandoned and open to the elements. Located in the Cape Wanbrow Reserve on the south side of Oamaru; accessible by a short hike on the Silver Hill Trail from King George Park. Site and lantern room open. Site manager; N.Z. Department of Conservation (Cape Wanbrow Reserve). ARLHS NZL-015.

* Moeraki (Katiki Point) 1878. Active; focal plane 58 m (190 ft); white light, 6 s on, 6 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern painted black. A sibling of the Akaroa Head Light. Mulcahy has a closeup photo, Werning has a page with a fine photo, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. A September 2006 photo by Gregor Ronald shows the lighthouse freshly painted and in good condition. Located at the end of Lighthouse Road in Moeraki Township, about 25 km (15 mi) south of Oamaru. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-034; Admiralty K4360; NGA 5368. Dunedin Area Lighthouses * Taiaroa Head 1865 (Hugh Calder). Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); two long (2 s) white flashes every 18 s. 12 m (39 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is red. 1-story signal building painted white with a red roof. Ulrich Lange's photo is at right, Nicholas Thompson has a good photo, Douglas Cameron also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The area surrounding the lighthouse is a nature reserve, the site of a large nesting colony of royal albatross. (This is the only place in the world where albatross nest near civilization.) Located at the northeastern tip of the Otago Peninsula about 32 km (20 mi) northeast of Dunedin, marking the entrance to Otago Harbour. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen from albatross viewing platforms (viewing is closed during the nesting season from mid September to late November). Operator: Port Otago Ltd. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation and Royal Albatross Center. ARLHS NZL-049; Admiralty K4364; NGA 5396.

Taiaroa Head Light, December 2007 W ikimedia public domain photo by Ulrich Lange

[Cape Saunders (5)] 1880 (station established 1865). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); white light, 2 s on, 8 s off. 3 m (10 ft) square aluminum post light, painted white. 1-story brick keeper's house (see fifth photo on the page). Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse, a hexagonal wood tower. In 1948 a lantern was relocated here from Kaipara North Head; it was mounted on a wooden tower until 1954, then on a steel skeletal tower until 1967, then on the ground on a concrete pad. In 2006 this lantern was replaced by the modern beacon and returned to Kaipara for restoration and display. A photo of the old lantern and new light is available (pdf document). Located on the southeastern tip of the cape about 25 km (15 mi) east of Dunedin. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-014; Admiralty K4376; NGA 5404. * Nugget Point 1870. Active; focal plane 76 m (250 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off, 2 s on, 6 s off. 9.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-story equipment building. Barnaby Madgett's photo is at right, and Dianna Narotsky has a good photo. The light station is perched spectacularly on a knife-edged ridge, but it is readily accessible by a hiking trail. Located at the end of a gravel road near Kaka Point, about 3 km (2 mi) south of Port Molyneux. It is about a 15 minute walk to the lighthouse from the parking area. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-038; Admiralty K4380; NGA 5408.

Nugget Point Light, 2003 photo copyright Barnaby Madgett; used by permission

Foveaux Strait and South Coast Lighthouses

* Waipapa Point 1884. Active; focal plane 21 m (70 ft); five white flashes every 20 s. 13 m (44 ft) hexagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern roof is gray. Keeper's house and all other station buildings demolished. A photo is at right, and Google has a good satellite view. Until recently the lighthouse was in poor condition. Maritime New Zealand designed a restoration effort for 2008. Amy Millan's January 2008 photo showed no progress, but Chris Blavis's January 2009 photo shows that the restoration is probably completed. Sibling of Akaroa Head Light. Waipapa Point, scene of a terrible shipwreck in 1881, is the eastern entrance to Foveaux Strait, the passage between South Island and Stewart Island. Located on the point, about 11 km (7 mi) south of NZ 92 near Otara. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-056; Admiralty K4384; NGA List 5420. Dog Island 1865 (James Balfour). Active; focal plane 46 m (150 ft); white flash every 10 s. 36 m (118 ft) round concrete-clad stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with two black horizontal bands. A photo is available, there is a distant view from the mainland, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. This is the tallest New Zealand lighthouse. The tower has had a slight lean since soon after it was built, due to poor soil conditions on the island; it was encased in concrete in 1916 to strengthen it against this lean. Located on a low island in Foveaux Strait off the entrance to Bluff Harbour, at the southern tip of South Island. Visible from the beach at Bluff and from the Foveaux Express ferry from the Port of Bluff to Halfmoon Bay on Stewart Island. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-019; Admiralty K4394; NGA 5428. * Stirling Point 1912. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous red light. 1-story octagonal concrete tower with a short octagonal pillar on the roof. building painted white, pillar red. A 2008 photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This tiny but historic lighthouse is a popular attraction, along with the nearby Stirling Point Signpost. Located at the end of Marine Parade in the East End neighborhood of Bluff, marking the entrance to the harbor. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. Admiralty K4398; NGA 5436.

Waipapa Point Light, February 2006 anonymous Creative Commons photo

* Acker's Point

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); three white flashes every 10 s; a red sector is displayed east northeast to warn ships away from crashing into the point. 5 m (16 ft) square wooden tower enclosing the light; tower painted white. Mulcahy has posted a photo. Located on a sharp point on the north side of the entrance to Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island, on the south side of Foveaux Strait. Accessible by a popular hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-073; Admiralty K4388; NGA 5512.

Centre Island

1878. Active; focal plane 81 m (265 ft); flash every 15 s, red or white depending on direction. 12 m (40 ft) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern roof is black. Mulcahy has a closeup photo. Located atop a small island in the western entrance to Foveaux Strait. Visible distantly from beaches in the Wakapatu area, off NZ 99 about 55 km (35 miles) west of Invercargill. Site and tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-017; Admiralty K4438; NGA List 5536.

Puysegur Point (2)

1943. Reactivated (inactive 1980-1987); focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white flash every 12 s. 5 m (17 ft) lantern mounted on a short octagonal concrete pedestal. Another photo is available. The original lighthouse, a wooden tower, burned to the ground in 1942. Located in a very remote and roadless area at the southwestern tip of New Zealand. Site open but highly inaccessible, tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Fiordland National Park). ARLHS NZL-043; Admiralty K4442; NGA 5545.

West Coast Lighthouses
St. Anne Point

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (88 ft); white flash every 5 s. 6 m (20 ft) white round cylindrical tower with enclosed equipment room in the base. Mulcahy has posted a photo, Werning has a very distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a rocky point at the southern entrance to Milford Sound, one of the many deep fjords of New Zealand's southwest coast. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Fiordland National Park). ARLHS NZL-062; Admiralty K4464; NGA 5560.

* Hokitika

1879 (John Blackett). Inactive since 1925. 5.5 m (18 ft) square wood tower with lantern but no gallery, painted white with black trim. The original lantern was removed when the lighthouse was deactivated; the current lantern is a replica. Another photo is available (about 1/3 the way down the page). Slated for demolition, the lighthouse was saved instead as an observation tower. Later abandoned, it was in very poor condition until Heritage Hokitika restored it in 1999. The replica lantern was added in 2002, and the group hopes to reactivate the light as a private aid to navigation in the future. Located on a bluff north of the mouth of the Hokitika River, a few blocks off NZ 6. Site open, tower closed. Owner: uncertain. Site manager: Heritage Hokitika. ARLHS NZL-027.

* Cape Foulwind (2) 1926 (station established 1876). Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); white flash every 12 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Fresnel lens mounted in the tower, but the active light appears to be mounted on the gallery rail. The photo from Werning's page is at right, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse replaced a hexagonal wooden tower seen in Huelse's postcard view. The original lantern was relocated to Kaipara North Head in 1948; the origin of the present lantern is not known. The beach at the cape is well known for its seal colony. Located at the end of Lighthouse Road west of the village of Cape Foulwind and about 11 km (7 mi) west of Westport, beyond the end of NZ 67A; accessible by a walk of about 800 m (1/2 mi) from the parking area. Site open, tower closed. Operator/site manager: Maritime New Zealand. ARLHS NZL-008; Admiralty K4486; NGA List 5600. * Westport Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) skeletal tower mounted atop a square concrete building. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band at the top of the skeletal tower. A photo of the lighthouse in silhouette is available, and Google has a satellite view. We don't know the function of the building. Located on the west breakwater at the entrance to the harbor of Westport, about 250 m (800 ft) from the end of the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty K4490; NGA List 5608. Kahurangi Point 1903. Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); two white flashes every 12 s. 18 m (59 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is black. Google has a satellite view. The tower was prefabricated in New Zealand by Judd's Foundry of Thames. The lighthouse was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1929; it was repaired and returned to service in 1931. Automated in 1960, the lighthouse is now operated on solar power. Located near the northwestern corner of South Island about 50 km (30 mi) north of Karamea. Accessible only by helicopter; the surrounding area is rugged and without roads or trails. Site and tower closed. Operator: Maritime New Zealand. Site manager: N.Z. Department of Conservation (Kahurangi National Park). ARLHS NZL-029; Admiralty K4506; NGA 5640.

Cape Foulwind Light, November 2001 photo copyright Malte Werning; used by permission

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Napier Bluff (1873-1948), Hawkes Bay, North Island. ARLHS NZL-071.
• Ponui Passage (1871-1970s), Kawakawa Bay, North Island. ARLHS NZL-041.

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted April 2, 2004. Checked and revised March 1, 2009. Lighthouses: 59. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.