If you think of a typical lighthouse, this one on the Tutukaka Headlands probably isn’t one that comes to mind but this is a functioning beacon (solar powered) that still warns boats about the surrounding rocks.

To get to this lighthouse, you’ll need to check the tide times here and aim to complete this walk one hour either side of low tide. The whole walk should take around one hour (return) although slow walkers might take longer. The walk starts from the carpark at the headland and goes through a grassy reserve and then planted area with lots of pohutakawa. There are seats at various points. This track is actually steps heading downhill (making it unsuitable for buggies) to a beach and leads to a causeway which should only be crossed at low tide (an hour either side).

The causeway ends on Kukutauwhao Island and the path up to the lighthouse should be clearly marked. Views during this whole walk are great on a clear day and include out to the Poor Knight Islands and further north along the coast. The return walk follows the same path and once safely across the causeway, you might want to spend some time exploring the beach and inlets before returning to the car.