New Zealand’s Lighthouses

New Zealand’s 23 lighthouses are more than just navigation aids. They also tell our country’s rich maritime history. From Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island to Waipapa in the deep South, each has a unique story.

The first permanent lighthouse in New Zealand was built at the wild, rocky entrance to Wellington Harbour. It was originally called Pencarrow but after Captains City of Newcastle and Cyrus mistaken it for the nearby lighthouse at Cape Egmont, the tower was dismantled and moved to its current location at the westernmost tip of Taranaki. It was the first lighthouse to be manned by a woman, Mary Jane Bennett.

Cuvier Island Lighthouse on the east coast of the North Island was erected in 1889 and was the first lighthouse to be constructed in cast iron. It is operated by Maritime New Zealand and is fully automated.

One of the most spectacular lighthouses in New Zealand is the iconic Nugget Point Lighthouse on The Catlins Coast in Central Otago. The lighthouse is perched on wave-eroded rocks that rise from the ocean, making it a dramatic and memorable experience. The area is also home to the world’s rarest seals and the Pouto Peninsula offers a stunning landscape of ever-shifting sands, petrified kauri trees and fossilized leaves.

Waipapa Point Lighthouse in the southern Catlins region of New Zealand is located at the scene of a major maritime disaster when the passenger steamer Tararua was lost on a rocky reef off Waipapa Point in 1881 with the loss of 131 people. The lighthouse was erected in 1884 to serve as a reminder of the tragic event and is now a heritage site and wildlife sanctuary.