Farwell Spit Lighthouse

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Farewell Spit juts 25 kilometres out into Golden Bay at the top of the South Island. The first lighthouse was built in 1869 and lit in June 1870 with the lantern room sitting on top of wooden stilts.

By 1891 it was found that the wood was decaying due to the weather and wind blown sand. So the wooden tower was replaced with a steel tower which was completed in January 1897.

In the early years the lighthouse site had no vegetation and sand blew into everything making it a constant job for the keepers to keep things clean. Near the turn of the century one keeper organized for small loads of soil to be delivered with the mail. He then planted a windbreak of Macrocarpa Pines which are still there to this day. The pines now protect the station from the shifting sands and provide a daylight landmark for passing ships.

In 1946 a transport service begun to the lighthouse, bringing fuel, supplies and mail.

The light was automated in 1984.

DIRECTIONS:

Public access to the lighthouse is restricted to organized tours.

Number K4182
Date Commissioned 17 June 1870
Automated 1984
Latitude 40° 33' South
Longitude 173° 00' East
Elevation Above Sea Level 30m
Height 27m
Character Two Sectors: White and red flashes every 15 seconds
Range White: 27 N. miles (50 km) Red: 17 N. miles (31 km)
Made
Construction Original tower wooden, replacement white steel lattice
Converted Kerosene To Diesel 1934
Converted Diesel To Mains Electricity 1973
Wattage 1000w
Present Tower Not original