Baring Head Lighthouse

Baring Head Lighthouse
Map
LocationBaring Head, North Island
New Zealand
Coordinates41°24′29″S 174°52′16″E / 41.40806°S 174.87111°E / -41.40806; 174.87111
Tower
Constructed1935
Constructionconcrete tower
Automated1989
Height12.2 metres (40 ft)
Shapeoctagonal tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower and lantern, greenish lantern dome
Power sourcesolar power Edit this on Wikidata
OperatorMaritime New Zealand[1]
Light
First litJune 1935
Focal height87 metres (285 ft)
Range10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi)
CharacteristicOc W 15s

Baring Head Lighthouse is a concrete lighthouse at Baring Head in the Wellington Region of the North Island of New Zealand, with an LED beacon powered by mains electricity.[2] It is owned and operated by Maritime New Zealand, and can be accessed via walking tracks in the southern area of the East Harbour Regional Park, south of Wainuiomata.

The lighthouse tower is 12.2 m tall (40 ft), but the hilltop elevation gives a focal height of 87 m (285 ft).[2] The light range is 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi).

The lighthouse was built to be the main approach light to Wellington Harbour, as well as a coastal light for Cook Strait. Lit on 18 June 1935, it replaced the light at Pencarrow Head, which was decommissioned later that year.[2] The lighthouse was initially powered by a diesel generator but was converted to mains electricity in 1950.[3] The 1000 W light was fully automated in 1989 and demanned. In February 2005, the original lens was replaced by a flashing LED beacon visible from up to 18 kilometres (10 nmi; 11 mi).[3]

  1. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of New Zealand: North Island". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference MNZ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Mop was invoked but never defined (see the help page).