Boulder Bank Lighthouse is a decommissioned 19th century lighthouse[1] located near the Port Nelson end of the Boulder Bank. It was New Zealand's second permanent lighthouse.[2]
Prior to its construction, the Nelson harbour entrance, with its four-metre tidal range and narrow curved channel, was a trap to unwary ship's captains.[3] The octagonal cast-iron tower was manufactured in sections by Stothert & Pitt, an engineering firm from Bath, England, in 1859 at a cost of £2,824 (equivalent to £357,302 as of 2023).[4] It was then shipped to New Zealand on board the Glenshee, and was erected in 1862.[5]
It is registered with Heritage New Zealand as a category I structure with registration number 41.[5]
The lighthouse was lit for 120 years, from 1862 until 1982. It was given a fresh coat of white paint in October 2018.[6] Its perch on the natural breakwater makes it popular with tourists.[2] Today, it stands alone, but was not always so. When it was staffed by lighthouse keepers, a number of homes, other buildings and radio mast clustered around its base.[3]
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