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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.

Castle Point Lighthouse

Location	Castlepoint North Island New Zealand
Coordinates	40°54′01.5″S 176°13′53.2″E
Tower
Constructed	1913
Construction	cast iron tower
Automated	1988
Height	23 metres (75 ft)
Shape	tapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings	white tower, gray lantern dome
Power source	mains electricity
Operator	Maritime New Zealand[1]
Light
First lit	1913
Focal height	52 metres (171 ft)
Lens	second order Fresnel lens
Range	26 nautical miles (48 km; 30 mi)
Characteristic	Fl (3) W 30s.

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

• List of lighthouses in New Zealand

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castle Point Lighthouse.

• Castle Point Lighthouse in Lighthouse Digest's Lighthouse Explorer Database
• Lighthouses of New Zealand Maritime New Zealand
• http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NA19220410.1.5&e=-------10--1----0-- "The Northern Advocate" scan from 10 April 1922
• castlepointlighthouse.com

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