Pencarrow Head Lighthouse
New Zealand's first permanent lighthouse, completed in 1859. You can cycle or walk to it from Eastbourne along a gravel road that passes lakes and coastal scenery.
The lighthouse stands on a clifftop on the eastern side of the harbour entrance. Its first keeper, Mary Bennett, was also New Zealand's first female lighthouse keeper.
From the Eastbourne seafront car park, follow the gravel road, which is closed to private cars, for about 8 km one way. It is flat and suitable for cycling, and you can rent bikes in Eastbourne. Along the way you'll pass the harbour entrance, rocky reefs and the memorial site of the Wahine shipwreck, and further on there are two freshwater lakes. Admission is free.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Wētā Workshop
- Lyall Bay
- Wellington Zoo
- Island Bay & Taputeranga Marine Reserve
- Mount Victoria Lookout
- Embassy Theatre
- Pukeahu National War Memorial Park
- Harbourside Market