Cape Egmont Lighthouse is a white cast-iron tower on the Taranaki coast, best known for the view that lines it up with the snow-capped cone of Mount Taranaki behind. It has led an unusually well-travelled life. Cast in Britain in 1864, it first stood on Mana Island near Wellington, was taken down when its light kept being mistaken for another, and was re-erected here, first shining at Cape Egmont on 1 August 1881.
| First lit here | 1 August 1881 |
| Originally erected | Mana Island, 1865 |
| Tower height | 20 metres |
| Focal height | 33 metres above sea level |
| Light | Flashing white every 8 seconds |
| Range | About 19 nautical miles, roughly 35 kilometres |
| Automated | 1986 |
| Material | Cast iron |
| Region | South Taranaki |
| Access | View from the road. The tower is on private farmland |
A lighthouse that moved
The cast-iron tower was made in Britain in 1864 and first erected on Mana Island, off the coast near Porirua, in 1865. There it caused trouble. Ships kept confusing its light with the one at Pencarrow Head at the entrance to Wellington Harbour, and it was blamed for more than one wreck. The Mana light was put out in 1877 once the Brothers light in Cook Strait took over, and the tower was dismantled, shipped to Taranaki and re-erected at Cape Egmont, where it was first lit on 1 August 1881. Its sections were landed by surfboat and hauled to the site by bullock teams.
The tower
Standing 20 metres tall with its light 33 metres above the sea, it is one of the oldest working lighthouses in New Zealand. It flashes white every 8 seconds and can be seen for about 19 nautical miles, roughly 35 kilometres. The original prismatic lens from the 1850s lit the way until 1999 and is now kept by the South Taranaki museum. The station was automated and its last keepers withdrawn in 1986, and it is listed by Heritage New Zealand.
Explore the data. See how Cape Egmont fits with every other light around the coast, with build years, heights and access notes, on our interactive New Zealand lighthouses map.
Visiting Cape Egmont Lighthouse
The tower is at the end of Cape Road, off State Highway 45, the Surf Highway, near Pungarehu in South Taranaki. It sits on private farmland, so the closest you can get is the roadside near the end of Cape Road, which is enough for the view. On a clear day the reward is the classic shot, the white tower with Mount Taranaki rising directly behind it, one of the most recognisable images in the country. Do not confuse it with the replica lighthouse and museum on nearby Bayly Road, which is a separate attraction. New Plymouth is about 50 kilometres north.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Cape Egmont Lighthouse?
You can see it from the end of Cape Road, off State Highway 45 near Pungarehu, but the tower itself is on private farmland, so you cannot walk up to it. The roadside view is the one people come for, especially with Mount Taranaki behind.
Why was Cape Egmont Lighthouse moved?
It first stood on Mana Island near Wellington, but its light was repeatedly mistaken for the Pencarrow Head light at the harbour entrance and blamed for shipwrecks. It was taken down and re-erected at Cape Egmont, first lit there in 1881.
How old is Cape Egmont Lighthouse?
The cast-iron tower was made in Britain in 1864 and has been in service since 1865, first on Mana Island and then at Cape Egmont from 1881, making it one of the oldest working lighthouses in New Zealand.
Related guides and sources
- New Zealand Lighthouses Explorer, our interactive map of every major light around the coast.
- Heritage New Zealand listing for Cape Egmont Lighthouse.
- Maritime New Zealand on the Cape Egmont light.
Make a day of it. Cape Egmont sits on the Surf Highway 45 that loops around the coast between New Plymouth and Hāwera, past black-sand surf breaks and small Taranaki towns, with Mount Taranaki in view for much of the way.