Castle Point Lighthouse

Castle Point Lighthouse, located near the village of Castlepoint in the Wellington Region of the North Island of New Zealand,[2] is the North Island's tallest lighthouse standing 52 metres above sea level and is one of only two left in New Zealand with a rotating beam. It is owned and operated by Maritime New Zealand.

Castle Point Lighthouse
LocationCastlepoint
North Island
New Zealand
Coordinates40°54′01.5″S 176°13′53.2″E
Tower
Constructed1913
Constructioncast iron tower
Automated1988
Height23 metres (75 ft)
Shapetapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower, gray lantern dome
Power sourcemains electricity 
OperatorMaritime New Zealand[1]
Light
First lit1913
Focal height52 metres (171 ft)
Lenssecond order Fresnel lens 
Range26 nautical miles (48 km; 30 mi)
CharacteristicFl (3) W 30s.

History

The light was built in 1913 and was originally fueled by oil. It was officially lit for the first time on Sunday 12 January 1913, sending out a triple flash every 45 seconds that could be seen for 35 kilometres.[3] In 1954 the oil lamp was replaced with an electric one powered by a local diesel generator. This was subsequently replaced by a connection to the mains grid in 1961. The nearby Castlepoint beach is popular with holiday makers and the lighthouse itself became a popular tourist attraction, acquiring the nickname "The Holiday Light".

The light was fully automated in 1988 and is now managed from a central control room in Wellington.

See also

References
  1. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of New Zealand: North Island". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  2. Castle Point Lighthouse profile Archived 21 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine (from the Maritime New Zealand website)
  3. "castlepointlighthouse.com". Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.


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