 | |
 | |
| Location | Waipapa Point South Island New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 46°39′36″S 168°50′49″E / 46.659978°S 168.847047°E |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1883 |
| Construction | wooded tower |
| Automated | 1975 |
| Height | 13 metres (43 ft) |
| Shape | hexagonal tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings | white tower, red trim, grey lantern dome |
| Power source | solar power  |
| Operator | Maritime New Zealand[1] |
| Heritage | Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic place listing |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1884 |
| Focal height | 21 metres (69 ft) |
| Range | 9 nautical miles (17 km; 10 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl(5) W 20s. |
| Designated | 26 June 2009 |
| Reference no. | 7785 |
Waipapa Point Lighthouse is a lighthouse located at Waipapa Point, Southland, New Zealand. It was first lit on 1 January 1884.[2]
The lighthouse was built in response to the wreck of the passenger steamer SS Tararua on reefs off Waipapa Point on 29 April 1881, with the loss of 131 lives. With its sibling, the retired Kaipara North Head Lighthouse, this was one of the last two wooden lighthouses built in New Zealand.
The lighthouse was automated and keepers withdrawn in 1975. It has been solar powered since 1988. A new LED beacon was installed externally on the balcony of the lighthouse in December 2008. Restoration work conducted in 2008 ensured it was weatherproof and secure from vandalism.[3]
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of New Zealand: South Island". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of New Zealand: South Island". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ^ Waipapa Point Lighthouse restoration project Archived 14 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Maritime New Zealand. Retrieved 14 October 2010.