Kaipara North Head (1884)
During the late 1800's the New Zealand native tree Kauri was in high demand as a construction timber. Kaipara Harbour during those years was the biggest timber exporting port in the country, and by 1880 over 17 vessels had wrecked on sand bars at the harbour entrance so a lighthouse was required.
In 1878 Captain Robert Johnson master of the Stella surveyed the harbour and selected a site next to the Pouta river mouth.
Built in 1884, the timber lighthouse and it's keepers fought a constant battle with the shifting sands known throughout the area.
Kaipara was the first lighthouse to have two keepers in residence.
Extinguished during the war along with Mokohinau. 2
After the timber trade declined in the late 1940's the light was no longer required and was decommissioned in 1957. It is now a historic site.
http://www.historic.org.nz/nzprops.htm
In 1947 the manned Kaipara North Head lighthouse was replaced by an automatic light. An acetylene gas light was installed in the lantern house, which was reduced to half its original height, using a lantern originally installed at Hokitika. The original Kaipara lantern and copper dome were dismantled and shipped for use at Cape Saunders lighthouse, on the eastern tip of Otago Peninsula built in 1948, replacing an earlier timber light. Because Cape Saunders sits on a cliff-top, and does not use clockwork, no tower is necessary, and the former Kaipara lantern simply sits on the ground. 1
Sources:
1. NZ Historic Places Trust
2.
3.
4.
If anyone has any information on this light please contact me. thekiwimark@msn.com
Last Updated:
DIRECTIONS:
Organized tours of the lighthouse and surrounding area are offered by: Taylor made Tours, Coles Road, R.D. 1, Te Kopuru, Northland. Ph +64 9 439-1576.
Alternately from Dargaville you can drive 45 minutes south on Puoto Road to Pouto, then a 30 minute walk along the beach to the lighthouse.
| Island | North |
| Province | Northland |
| Location | Kaipara Harbour |
| Number | |
| Date Commissioned | 1884 |
| Date Decommissioned | 1957 |
| Automated | |
| Latitude | |
| Longitude | |
| Elevation Above Sea Level | 278' |
| Height | 44' |
| Character | |
| Range | 23 miles |
| Made | |
| Construction | Wooden |
| Converted Kerosene To Diesel | |
| Converted Diesel To Mains Electricity | |
| Wattage | |
| Present Tower | Not in use |
| Authority | |
| Date Visited |
| Head Keeper | From | To |
| 1884 | ||
| John Frederick Rayner | May 1909 | November 1909 |
| Assistant Keeper (1st) | From | To |
Text and photographs. Copyright © 1999-2009 Mark Phillips. All rights reserved.