Nugget Point
Lighthouse overview
Nugget Point Lighthouse stands near the south-east corner of the South Island, near the mouth of the Clutha River. Many small islets and reefs lie close to Nugget Point.
Nugget Point Lighthouse was converted to solar in 2020 and no longer uses mains power.
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Lighthouse feature: |
Details |
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Location: |
latitude 46°27’ south, longitude 169°49’ east |
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Elevation: |
76 metres above sea level |
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Construction: |
stone tower |
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Tower height: |
9 metres |
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Light configuration: |
LED flashing beacon |
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Light flash character: |
white light with two long flashes every 12 seconds |
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Power source: |
Battery charged by solar power |
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Range: |
14 nautical miles (29.5 kilometres) |
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Date light first lit: |
1870 |
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Automated: |
1989 |
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Demanned: |
1989 |
Visit Nugget Point Lighthouse
The Nugget Point Lighthouse station is accessible to the public. You can reach it on foot from the nearby road-end. The lighthouse is not open to visitors.
History of Nugget Point Lighthouse
Over the years, Nugget Point has been considered a dangerous area for ships. Most shipping casualties involved small vessels travelling to the Clutha River.
Operation of the light
The light began operating in 1870, originally powered by oil illumination.
In 1948, the light was converted to diesel‑generated electric power and was later connected to mains electricity.
Nugget Point Lighthouse was automated in 1989 and the last keeper left that year.
In 2006, the original light was replaced with a LED beacon mounted externally. The beacon was powered by mains electricity with battery back-up. The original lens is still in place.
Maritime NZ now powers the beacon using solar energy.
Life at Nugget Point Lighthouse
Life at “The Nuggets”, as it was known, was a challenge. The region is renowned for its cold weather.
Although the lighthouse was connected to the mains power supply, keepers were not supposed to use the electricity for heating. One keeper was turned down twice when he requested electric heaters for his house. This was despite the neighbouring lighthouse, Cape Saunders, receiving seven heaters. After a series of letters and much debate, the issue was finally resolved – at the end of winter.
Nugget Point Lighthouse was only 11 kilometres from the town of Kaka Point. Keepers and their families could be part of the local community and the lighthouse keeper’s children could attend the local school.
Access to the lighthouse was by a track marked with a sign saying: “Road not recommended”. After a difficult journey to get to the lighthouse, the keepers were not always happy with what they found.
During the 1960s, one keeper wrote:
“Nugget Point, in fact, was a mess and in particular our house was a shambles. The furniture had not been replaced since 1868, when it had been first supplied to the station. The roof was dilapidated and stained the water pink (drinking water was caught from the roof in tanks), the septic tank was broken and the house leaked.”
Nugget Point originally had three keepers. By the time the light was automated, there was only one keeper and his family.