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.
| Location | Castlepoint North Island New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°54′01.5″S 176°13′53.2″E / 40.900417°S 176.231444°ECoordinates: 40°54′01.5″S 176°13′53.2″E / 40.900417°S 176.231444°E |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1913 |
| Construction | cast iron tower |
| Automated | 1988 |
| Height | 23 metres (75 ft) |
| Shape | tapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings | white tower, gray lantern dome |
| Power source | mains electricity |
| Operator | Maritime New Zealand[1] |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1913 |
| Focal height | 52 metres (171 ft) |
| Lens | second order Fresnel lens |
| Range | 26 nautical miles (48 km; 30 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl (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
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of New Zealand: North Island". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- ^ Castle Point Lighthouse profile 21 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine (from the Maritime New Zealand website)
- ^ "castlepointlighthouse.com". from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
External links
- Castle Point Lighthouse in Lighthouse Digest's Lighthouse Explorer Database
- Maritime New Zealand
- http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NA19220410.1.5&e=-------10--1----0-- "The Northern Advocate" scan from 10 April 1922
- castlepointlighthouse.com