Civic Trust
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What we do
    • Meet the Team
    • Save the Date
    • Newsletters
    • HIstory of Timaru Civic Trust
  • Featured Articles
  • Heritage & History
    • Heritage NZ Listed Category 1
    • Awards & Grants
  • Get involved
    • Become a member
    • Make a donation chasing coin
  • Street Art
  • Blog
  • Blue Plaques
  • Contact
    • Links
    • Facebook Page
  • Ho
Featured Articles

RSS Feed

Jacks Point Lighthouse - Tuhawaiki

18/10/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
The cast iron Lighthouse that sits two thirds of the way along our coastal walk was originally erected on Somes Island in Wellington Harbour in November 1865.  Imported from England it saw many years of good service before it was decided that a stronger light was required for the island. A new lighthouse was built and began operation in February 1900.  The old tower was removed and taken down to Jacks Point in Timaru where it sits today. 
Jacks Point or Tuhawaiki Point gets its name from Hone (Jack) Tuhawaiki, a famous Maori warrior chief.  Steering his boat through a stormy sea, while approaching Timaru, he was thrown overboard by a huge wave and tragically drowned near the rocks at the base of the clay cliffs in 1844. History reveals him to be a fascinating character, belonging to the Ngai Tahu and Kai Tahu tribes.  
The Tuhawaiki or Jacks Point Lighthouse was constructed on site in 1903 by the Timaru harbour board in an effort to overcome the ineffectiveness of the harbour light.  
It’s seen a few changes in fuel sources over the years.  In 1866 it was powered by burning colza (rapeseed) oil.  By 1903 the tower was fitted with an incandescent light, at the time this was a relatively untried lighting method in New Zealand.  It worked by oil vapour at high pressure being sprayed into a mantle, which once ignited produced a brilliant white light. Such lights required less maintenance than the older oil burning lights.  
Nowadays it is fitted with a flashing beacon which is illuminated by a 100 watt tungsten halogen bulb. The light is powered by mains electricity backed up by battery power in the event of power failure. It has a range of 16 kilometres.
From 1904 Tuhawaiki (Jacks) Point Lighthouse had a sole keeper who lived on site until the station was fully automated in 1930. After demanning the light was maintained by harbour employees from the nearby port of Timaru.  These days it is monitored remotely from Maritime New Zealand’s Wellington Office.
Karen Rolleston



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Back to Articles

    View by date

    Archives

    October 2025
    September 2025
    July 2025
    May 2024
    February 2021
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015

    Categories

    All
    Featured Articles

Picture
CONTACT
​Timaru Civic Trust

39 George Street, Timaru, 7940, New Zealand
Email [email protected]
Become A Member
Picture
Picture

© Timaru Civic Trust | Imagery supplied by Brian High Productions ©
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What we do
    • Meet the Team
    • Save the Date
    • Newsletters
    • HIstory of Timaru Civic Trust
  • Featured Articles
  • Heritage & History
    • Heritage NZ Listed Category 1
    • Awards & Grants
  • Get involved
    • Become a member
    • Make a donation chasing coin
  • Street Art
  • Blog
  • Blue Plaques
  • Contact
    • Links
    • Facebook Page
  • Ho