East Cape
Lighthouse overview
East Cape Lighthouse is on the east coast of the North Island. Situated on the Eastland peninsula, it is the most easterly lighthouse in New Zealand.
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Lighthouse feature: |
Details |
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Location: |
latitude 37°41’ south, longitude 178°33’ east |
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Elevation: |
154 metres above sea level |
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Construction: |
cast iron tower |
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Tower height: |
15 metres |
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Light configuration: |
rotating LED beacon |
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Light flash character: |
white light flashing once every 10 seconds |
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Power source: |
Batteries charged by solar panels |
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Range: |
19 nautical miles (35 kilometres) |
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Date light first lit: |
1900 |
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Automated: |
1985 |
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Demanned: |
1985 |
Access to East Cape Lighthouse
East Cape Lighthouse is currently inaccessible to the public because track damage from severe weather events has made it unsafe.
History of East Cape Lighthouse
The lighthouse at East Cape was originally on East Island, just off the tip of East Cape. The East Island light was first lit in 1900. This location caused problems from the start.
A government steamer capsized while bringing tower construction materials to East Island, and four men died.
East Island was also very unstable. Cliffs were constantly eroding and slipping into the ocean. By the 1920s, these slips were close to the lighthouse, and the decision was made to move the lighthouse to the mainland.
The light on East Island was extinguished in April 1922. The tower and buildings were moved to the mainland. East Cape lighthouse on the mainland began operating in 1922.
Operation of the light
The light was originally illuminated with a paraffin oil-burning lamp. This was later replaced with an incandescent oil-burning lamp.
In 1954, the light was converted from oil to diesel-generated electricity. In 1971, the lighthouse was connected to mains power.
The station was automated in 1985 and the last keeper left that year.
In 2002, Maritime NZ replaced the original light with a modern rotating beacon illuminated by a 50-watt tungsten halogen bulb, powered by mains electricity with a back-up battery. You can see the original light in the base of the tower.
In 2017, the light was upgraded to an LED rotating beacon with a 12-volt power system.
Life at East Cape Lighthouse
Life at East Island Lighthouse was challenging for the keepers. Clay soil made it hard to grow vegetables or keep stock.
When the lighthouse moved to the mainland, conditions improved. Keepers could travel into town for supplies and their children could attend the local school. Keepers were also able to grow vegetables and keep stock.
East Cape Lighthouse was originally a three-keeper station. This was reduced to two keepers, then one. The last keeper left in 1985.
Today, little remains of the houses and other buildings once on this site.