Cape Campbell Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
Cape Campbell Lighthouse is a lighthouse
at Cape Campbell
in the Marlborough
region of the South Island
of New Zealand
. It is owned and operated by Maritime New Zealand
.
The original lighthouse at this site was first lit on August 1, 1870. However, this lighthouse was constructed of timber, and in 1898 these timbers were found to be decaying. This led to the construction of the current cast iron tower, which began operating in October 1905.
The light was originally fueled by oil
. In 1938 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 the 1960s. The light was fully automated in 1986 and is now managed from a control room in Wellington
.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
at Cape Campbell
Cape Campbell
Cape Campbell , Te Karaka in Māori language, is located in Marlborough, New Zealand, on the northeastern coast of the South Island. It lies at the southern end of Clifford Bay, 15 km northeast of Ward, and 42 km southeast of Blenheim....
in the Marlborough
Marlborough, New Zealand
Marlborough is one of the regions of New Zealand, located in the northeast of the South Island. Marlborough is a unitary authority, both a region and a district, and its council is located at Blenheim. Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the picturesque Marlborough Sounds, and sauvignon blanc...
region of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is owned and operated by Maritime New Zealand
Maritime New Zealand
Maritime New Zealand is a Crown entity responsible for protecting the maritime environment within New Zealand and maintaining safety and security....
.
The original lighthouse at this site was first lit on August 1, 1870. However, this lighthouse was constructed of timber, and in 1898 these timbers were found to be decaying. This led to the construction of the current cast iron tower, which began operating in October 1905.
The light was originally fueled by oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
. In 1938 the oil lamp was replaced with an electric one powered by a local diesel generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
. This was subsequently replaced by a connection to the mains grid
Electric power transmission
Electric-power transmission is the bulk transfer of electrical energy, from generating power plants to Electrical substations located near demand centers...
in the 1960s. The light was fully automated in 1986 and is now managed from a control room in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
.