Cape Campbell Lighthouse is a Beacon Amidst New Zealand's Scenic Landscape
New Zealand, oceania
18.5 km
N/A
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're in New Zealand's South Island, Marlborough region, heading towards the iconic Cape Campbell Lighthouse. This beauty, with its bold black and white stripes, isn't just a pretty face; it's a working lighthouse that's been guiding ships for over a century!
The coastline here has a dramatic past, with over 18 shipwrecks between 1845 and 1947. One notable wreck was the New Bedford whaler Alexander, which went down just before the lighthouse was built.
The original lighthouse, made of timber, started operations in 1870. But by 1898, it was clear the wood wasn't holding up, so they built the cast-iron tower that stands today, lighting the way since 1905.
You might recognize this landscape from the movie "The Light Between Oceans"!
To get there, you'll head down Lighthouse Road, which branches off SH 1 south of Lake Grassmere. Now, here's the thing: this 18.5 km (11.5 miles) stretch is entirely unpaved and on private land. That means it's closed to motor vehicles.
Back in the day, you could drive to the lighthouse from the west side during low tide, but those days are gone. Access is now much more restricted.
Where is it?
Cape Campbell Lighthouse is a Beacon Amidst New Zealand's Scenic Landscape is located in New Zealand (oceania). Coordinates: -41.4621, 175.4841
Road Details
- Country
- New Zealand
- Continent
- oceania
- Length
- 18.5 km
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -41.4621, 175.4841
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