Castle Point Lighthouse

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Castle Point Lighthouse
Castlepoint Lighthouse.jpg
LocationCastlepoint
North Island
New Zealand
Coordinates40°54′01.5″S 176°13′53.2″E / 40.900417°S 176.231444°E / -40.900417; 176.231444Coordinates: 40°54′01.5″S 176°13′53.2″E / 40.900417°S 176.231444°E / -40.900417; 176.231444
Tower
Constructed1913
Constructioncast iron tower
Automated1988
Height23 metres (75 ft)
Shapetapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower, gray lantern dome
OperatorMaritime New Zealand[1]
Light
First lit1913
Focal height52 metres (171 ft)
Lenssecond order Fresnel lens Edit this on Wikidata
Light sourcemains power
Range26 nautical miles (48 km; 30 mi)
CharacteristicFl (3) W 30s.

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.

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.

External links[]


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