Cape Campbell and Lighthouse

 cape (geography)  Add category

The Cape Campbell lighthouse, painted in fat black and white stripes, perches at the end of a finger of land on the East Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It pops scenically into view at the end of the second hiking day on the Cape Campbell Walkway.

Cape Campbell is situated on the eastern coast of the South Island near the approaches to Cook Strait and was named by Captain James Cook after Vice Admiral John Campbell who circumnavigated the world with Anson. The local Maori had named the cape Te Karaka.

Cape Campbell claimed a number of ship wrecks over the years, the notable being the New Bedford whaler Alexander which wrecked three years before the lighthouse was built and was a total loss. The treacherous coastline has claimed over 18 shipwrecks between 1845 and 1947.

Construction begun in 1869 on a wooden lighthouse and was first lit on 1 August, 1870. Unfortunately another wreck occurred in 1871. The Rifleman en-route from Lyttleton to Havelock was lost with all hands.

The first lighthouse keeper was William Hendle who was transferred from Mana Island where he had also been the first keeper. Hendle was transferred to Pencarrow Head lighthouse in 1872 but was to return to Cape Campbell in 1878. He died of a heart attack in the lamp house on 30 March, 1881 at the age of 50. His body was transported back to Wellington for burial aboard the lighthouse tender Steller.

The new lighthouse did not hold up well, and after two years had to be shored up. By 1898 the old wooden tower was found to be decaying and a new cast iron tower was manufactured in Thames and erected on the site. This new light was first lit in October, 1905 and the original wooden tower was demolished. The original foundations for the old wooden tower can still be found near the new tower.

In July, 1938 a diesel powered electric generator was installed, later in the 1960's the station was connected to mains electricity.

Cape Campbell, along with Cape Palliser and Dog Island are the only lights in New Zealand painted with strips so they stand out from the surrounding area.

The light was automated in 1986 and the last keeper withdrawn.





The Cape Campbell lighthouse has along with others been featured on New Zealand postal stamps issued by the Government Life Insurance Office. The lighthouse featured on the 1947 issue with a value of 1 1/2d. This was overprinted with 2 cents in 1967 when the country changed to decimal currency.





100megsfree3.com/glaw/lighthouse/#map

stamps.nzpost.co.nz/Cultures/en-NZ/Stamps/StampsHistori...

www.newzeal.com/theme/LH/lighthouses.htm