Lighthouses of New Zealand
Maintenance work being done on the Castlepoint Lighthouse.
Lighthouse overview
Maritime NZ owns and maintains lighthouses and beacons that are outside harbour limits in New Zealand. While local authorities are responsible for those within harbour limits. Maritime NZ has overall responsibility for maritime navigation aids in New Zealand. Maritime NZ operates 23 lighthouses and 75 light beacons. A light beacon is a small, low‑range light.
There are three categories of lighthouses and light beacons used around New Zealand:
-
landfall lights, the first to be seen by a ship approaching the New Zealand coast
-
coastal lights, used mainly for fixing and confirming a vessel’s position along the coastline
-
harbour lights, which guide vessels into port.
Lighthouse profiles
You can read historical and technical information and find the location for each of Maritime NZ’s 23 lighthouses:
Frequently asked questions
Lighthouses fascinate people all around the world. These answers cover some of the most common questions Maritime NZ receives.
Are there any manned lighthouses in New Zealand?
No. All New Zealand lighthouses are fully automatic. A computer in Wellington monitors the operation of the main lighthouses. Some other countries still have lighthouse keepers.
When was the last lighthouse de‑manned in New Zealand?
The last lighthouse to be de‑manned was Brothers Island in 1990. The first lighthouse to be de‑manned was Bean Rock Lighthouse in 1912.
How do lighthouses operate without someone there to run them?
For many years, most New Zealand lighthouses have been monitored remotely from Wellington. Lighthouse engineers use a computer link to check for faults. For example, they can:
-
see whether doors have been opened
-
check how much power is stored in the batteries
-
see when generators need to run
-
see when lights have malfunctioned.
Many issues can be managed remotely from Wellington. Site visits are arranged when physical work is needed.
How often are lighthouses maintained?
Contractors carry out routine maintenance on Maritime NZ lighthouses every 6 months. For island or very remote lighthouses, access is usually by helicopter or boat. Others can be reached by four‑wheel‑drive vehicle.
Which lighthouses can I visit?
You can visit the following lighthouse sites in New Zealand:
-
Cape Reinga
-
Tiritiri Matangi Island
-
Castle Point
-
Cape Palliser
-
Pencarrow Head
-
Somes Island
-
Nelson Boulder Bank
-
Kahurangi Point
-
Hokitika
-
Akaroa Head, now relocated to Akaroa township
-
Katiki Point
-
Nugget Point
-
Waipapa Point
-
Farewell Spit
-
Cape Egmont
-
Cape Foulwind
-
Pouto Point, Kaipara north
-
Portland Island, tower relocated to Wairoa.
Access arrangements vary by site. Some locations may require walking into guided tours, or getting permission from landowners to access.
Can I go inside any lighthouses?
No. Maritime NZ does not allow public access inside lighthouses. This protects people from harm, for example falls on stairs or ladders, and protects sensitive equipment.
Can I stay in a lighthouse?
No. Very few New Zealand lighthouses had accommodation inside the tower. Separate houses were usually built nearby for keepers and their families.
Some of these keeper’s houses are now in private ownership and may be available as holiday accommodation through commercial booking websites.
Which is the tallest lighthouse in New Zealand?
Dog Island Lighthouse, 36 metres high and built in 1865, is New Zealand’s tallest lighthouse. It stands on a very low‑lying island and needed to be tall so it could be seen by ships which are faroffshore.
How far does a lighthouse beam shine?
The range of a light beam depends on the power of the light source and the size of the optical apparatus. Most lights shine about 27 nautical miles, around 50 kilometres.
The most powerful light beam used in New Zealand was at Tiritiri Matangi Island Lighthouse when a xenon light source was fitted in 1956. It had an output of about 11 million candlepower, making it one of the most powerful lights in the world at that time. Its range was 58 nautical miles, about 107 kilometres.