Tuhawaiki (Jacks) Point, Timaru (1904)
Tuhawaiki Point or Jacks Point is about 5 km south of Timaru Harbour. Named after Hone (Jack) Tuhawaiki, a maori chief of the Ngai Tahu and Kai Tahu tribes his nick name was "Bloody Jack" from his frequent use of the word "bloody". Tuhawaiki was drowned at the point the bears his name. A memorial is on nearby Scarborough Road.
During the 1870's a lighthouse was required around the Timaru area but the local authorities couldn't agree on whether to build a coastal light at Patiti Point, a site just north of the present Jack's Point lighthouse or to build a harbour light. The Canterbury Provincial Council approved £1000 for a light at Patiti Point but it was later agreed that a costal light was not required and they decided to build a harbour light at the site of the former cottage lighthouse, near Port Signal Street, Timaru. This was completed in 1878.
As the city of Timaru grew, the harbour light become barely visible amongst the city's lights and a need for a new coastal light beyond the city was required.
By 1902, the Marine Department had stared experimenting with incandescent lights to replace the labour intensive oil burners. These new lights forced vapor oil under pressure into a mantle and needed little maintenance. In 1903, the Timaru Harbour Board set aside money to build the new tower and construction begun. An octagonal iron tower was built and the new incandescent light was first shown on 1 July, 1904. The light was never manned on site but monitored by harbour board employees based in Timaru. Initially the light was a fixed white light but in 1907 this was changed to a more powerful occulting light.
In 1910, a fog signal, the Slaughter's Cotton Powder Explosive Signal was installed on the harbour breakwater but this proved to noisy for city residents and it was moved to Jack's Point. This of course caused delays in it's use due to the time it took the harbor board personal to reach Jack's Point and start the signal. By 1913 they abandoned the idea of a fog signal and sent it to Tiritiri Matangi Island lighthouse.
DIRECTIONS:
Take Hwy 1, 5 km south of Timaru, turn on Ellis Road and go to the end of the road. Walk north up beach to lighthouse.
| Island | South |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Location | South of Timaru |
| Number | K4340 |
| Date Commissioned | 1 July, 1904 |
| Date Decommissioned | |
| Automated | Never manned |
| Latitude | 44° 27' South |
| Longitude | 171° 16' East |
| Elevation Above Sea Level | 29m |
| Height | 9m |
| Character | Flashes white every 10 seconds |
| Range | 9 N. miles |
| Made | |
| Construction | White metal tower |
| Converted Kerosene To Diesel | |
| Converted Diesel To Mains Electricity | |
| Wattage | |
| Present Tower | Original |
| Authority | |
| Date Visited | 1 January, 2000 |
Additional Sources:
a.
b.
Text and photographs. Copyright © 1999-2010 Mark Phillips. All rights reserved.
If anyone has any information on this light please contact me. thekiwimark@msn.com
Last Updated: