NEW ZEALAND LIGHTHOUSES

Akaroa (1880)

The Akaroa lighthouse was situated on Banks Peninsula on the eastern head of the Akaroa harbour. 

During the lighthouse survey of 1874 on board the Luna, John Blackett, Marine Engineer and Captain Robert Johnson, Nautical Advisor selected the Akaroa Heads as a possible site for a lighthouse. At the time, there was a good timber trade out of the port and Akaroa was considered likely to be a major port or even a principal navy base. It was also known for its many shipwrecks since at least 25 ships had already wrecked in the area. The first recorded being the Atlantic which was wrecked in 1839, fortunately with no loss of life.

On 21 January, 1875, the Akaroa Heads was chosen as suitable lighthouse site. Two years later, in March, 1877 the Marine Engineer marked out the site and the lantern was ordered from Europe.

The New Zealand Government initially wanted the cost of construction shared between themselves and the Canterbury Provincial Council. The Provincial Council declined to provide any money for the project, however, before any further negotiations could be made, the Provincial Governments were dissolved under the Abolition Of Provinces Act of 1876 so the New Zealand Government bore the full cost of construction, £7150. 6s. 5d. 

Construction begun on 23 April, 1878 on a site just to the east of a small inlet called Haylocks that ran inland about 200 yards. First a road was blasted out of solid rock up to the lighthouse site. The road, 500 metres long, took 10 months to build.

On 21 February 1879, a landing stage and derrick were built from kauri timber to unload supplies, with the derrick towering 70 feet above the high water line.  Then on 7 March, 1879, Blake Brothers commenced assembly of the  wooden lighthouse structure which had been pre-cut in the UK and shipped to New Zealand aboard the Duke Of Argyle.  

The lenses were designed by Augustin Freznelk, a French physicist and lighthouse engineer, and manufactured in France. The mechanism was manufactured in Scotland.

Due to the sometimes harsh southerly winds, construction was slow with one storm completely demolishing the half standing structure. In another storm on 30 March 1879, the construction overseer, Mr. William Black, was found dead from exposure while riding on horseback the10km trip from the site to the town. 

The tower is a six-sided Victorian structure with four levels, the frame is of Australian hardwood with linings and weather boards of New Zealand Kauri. The walls are double skinned and filled 2/3rds high with ballast to weigh the structure down, preventing it from being blown off the cliff. The dome is copper and the flagpole is Oregon timber.

The light was first lit on 1 January 1880 and worked by clockwork, driving 8 prisms around the lenses focusing a 1000-watt bulb, producing up to a million candlepower. The light at 270 feet above sea level could be seen for 23 miles and flashed every 10 seconds. Two keepers manned the light working four hour shifts.

During the early years, it was one of the least popular stations with the keepers and was commonly referred to as the "penal" station. Communication with the Akaroa township was also a problem until a telephone was installed on 27 February, 1885. The station was also a Lloyds signal station and when ships arrived off the coast they requested that their owners or agents be notified. Before the telephone was installed this meant the assistant keeper had to walk to Akaroa township to use the phone. Another event that improved station life also happened in March, 1885. The station received it's first horse. She was named Polly.

In 1935 a kerosene powered generator was installed ending the task of winding up the clock mechanism.

As a two keeper station, the keepers were also responsible for weather reports to be sent 4 times a day to the New Zealand Meteorological Service  from 1907 to 1977. In all, there were more than 80,000 weather reports sent over the 70-year period.

In 1951 a new powerhouse was built for the light to be run from a diesel powered generator.

The principal keeper's house burnt down during the night in 1952. In 1960 the assistant keeper's house is removed.

After being replaced by a modern beacon in 1977, the old wooden tower was cut in three and moved to the Akaroa township waterfront, where it was reassembled and restored. This work was carried out by the Akaroa Lighthouse Prevention Society and was completed on 4 October, 1980.

If anyone has any information on this light please contact me. kiwimark@comcast.com

DIRECTIONS:

The original lighthouse can be viewed in the Akaroa township on Beach Road, on the waterfront. By permission of the Marine Department the light is lit on special occasions and the Akaroa Lighthouse Prevention Society conducts tours on request.

For more information:

http://www.historicakaroa.co.nz/buildingdetail.asp?bid=94&street=Beach%20Road&so=22

http://www.doc.govt.nz/Conservation/Historic/Canterbury-Historic-Areas/Akaroa-Head.asp

*  Present tower which is automatic and was erected in 1977.

Text and photographs. Copyright © 1999-2005 Mark Phillips. All rights reserved.