Cape Campbell Lighthouse, perched on the rugged coastline of Marlborough, has guided mariners through the southern approach to Cook Strait since 1870.
More than 150 years on, it's now shining in a new way.
The lighthouse's necessity for preservation of life, the environment, and property has endured but maintaining its operation as technology changes has required constant investment and expertise. Originally, it relied on the burning of about 1500 litres of oil a year to illuminate safe passage and was built mostly from timber. But as materials wore out and technologies became obsolete or too expensive and difficult to maintain, the risks caused by the lighthouse being ineffective grew.
A solar solution
In August 2024, the Cape Campbell light was transitioned to solar power. The milestone marked the latest success in Maritime NZ's long-running programme to solarise New Zealand's aids to navigation (AtoN) network.
Standardising New Zealand's lighthouses with solar technology has lowered the complexity and cost of maintenance and the operating costs, while also improving safety and environmental performance. The upgrade to Cape Campbell means 98% of the 23 lighthouses and 98 other Maritime NZ owned and operated AtoNs are now solar powered.
In July 1938, the lighthouse's first Colza oil-burning lamp light was converted to an electric light, then powered by diesel generators. It was converted to mains electricity in the 1960s and automated in 1986, with the last keeper withdrawn that same year. The original light mechanism was removed and replaced in November 2003 with a modern rotating beacon.
The original light, often referred to as the optic, was re-assembled in the base of the lighthouse to preserve its heritage value. But, since February 2025, it has been located in Flaxbourne Heritage Centre where the public can get a closer look.
Maritime NZ's Jim Foye, Lead Advisor Aids to Navigation and Maritime Communications, said there were always challenges involved with the maintenance of lighthouses, but solarisation brought multiple benefits.
"All lighthouses are in remote locations, which means the logistics involved for maintenance is usually the greatest challenge."
"The main driver for solarising Cape Campbell when we did was the possibility the mains power would be disconnected," Jim said. "It is in a remote location with rough conditions, and lighthouses tend to be the last customer on a line. So maintenance of the power lines became an issue and that creates a risk for the reliability of the power source and the safety of the ships and people relying on it. There was also a possibility of a large increase in line charges."
Solar power offers greater resilience, as it reduces reliance on external power sources while supporting Maritime NZ's commitment to efficient and sustainable navigation infrastructure.
Cape Campbell's solar upgrade was part of a broader journey. Maritime NZ started integrating solar technology in the 1980s, with a major push between 1998 and 2001 when many offshore islands were converted from diesel to solar power. One of the most complex transitions was Stevens Island, which formerly relied on three diesel generators. The conversion to solar almost entirely eliminated fuel use and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions.
Maritime NZ continues to invest in more efficient beacons, longer-lasting batteries, and system upgrades to improve reliability and performance while reducing waste and emissions.
"Some of the biggest wins have come from standardising equipment," Jim said. "It's made everything from procurement to maintenance more efficient and allowed us to keep improving over time."
