Cape Foulwind, Buller, South Island, New Zealand

Cape Foulwind

General Information Attractions and Activities History

Wall Island, Cape Foulwind, Buller, New Zealand

General Information

Cape Foulwind is situated in the Buller District, on the rugged west coast of New Zealand. It was given its name by Captain Cook in 1770, when he encountered nasty weather, on one particular day.

The cape is a pleasant place to visit, with the nearby seal colonies offering hours of entertainment.

Cape Foulwind, Buller, New Zealand

Cape Foulwind Seal Colony, Buller, New Zealand

Attractions and Activities

A big attraction to the area is the seal-breeding colony at Cape Foulwind. The seals are present all year round and a 10-minute walk from Tauranga Bay takes you to the viewing platforms, which overlook the colonies. There is wheelchair access. You will find interpretive panels at the platforms, providing information on the activity in the colony, and the seals breeding cycle, as well as historical information about the sealing industry that once existed in New Zealand.

There are some great walks, offering spectacular views of Cape Foulwind. The Cape Foulwind Walkway zigzags along the cliff tops, from the lighthouse at Cape Foulwind to Tauranga Bay. An alternative route will take you to an historic old railway that used to run from Westport to the Tauranga Bay quarry.

Cape Foulwind, Buller , South Island New Zealand

History

John Blackett, Marine Engineer and Captain Robert Johnson, Nautical Advisor selected Cape Foulwind as a lighthouse site during the lighthouse survey of 1874 aboard the Luna. They were unable to land their ship at the Cape, so they landed inland up the Buller River. They cut a track out to the Cape from the Westport/Charleston Road to survey the land. The tower was built from locally cut Rimu timber and the bricks were imported from Melbourne, Australia. The lighting gear came from England and was first lit on September 1, 1876. It had a white revolving light fuelled by kerosene, with eight bulls eye lenses. The wooden tower was found to be suffering from rot, and in 1924 it was replaced with a concrete tower, along with a new lens and an automatic light. The lens came from Birmingham, England and the light from the UK Aga Company. The new automated light was lit in 1926 running on acetone gas, which only needed refuelling every seven months. The keepers were withdrawn. The foundations for the original tower are still visible, along with other remains of the keepers’ houses.

The Cape has not seen many shipwrecks. In 1846, Heavy & Brunner, two early explorers, sighted the most famous wreck, the Rifleman, which in 1825 sailed from Hobart, Australia for England. It was loaded with wool and was never heard of again. In 1970 a farmer digging drains near the cape, dug up what appeared to be a ship well above the present high water mark. The timbers found from the ship have been identified as European larch or spruce.

Cape Foulwind General Information Attractions and Activities History
Wall Island, Cape Foulwind, Buller, New Zealand	General Information Cape Foulwind is situated in the Buller District, on the rugged west coast of New Zealand. It was given its name by Captain Cook in 1770, when he encountered nasty weather, on one particular day. The cape is a pleasant place to visit, with the nearby seal colonies offering hours of entertainment.	Cape Foulwind, Buller, New Zealand
Cape Foulwind Seal Colony, Buller, New Zealand	Attractions and Activities A big attraction to the area is the seal-breeding colony at Cape Foulwind. The seals are present all year round and a 10-minute walk from Tauranga Bay takes you to the viewing platforms, which overlook the colonies. There is wheelchair access. You will find interpretive panels at the platforms, providing information on the activity in the colony, and the seals breeding cycle, as well as historical information about the sealing industry that once existed in New Zealand. There are some great walks, offering spectacular views of Cape Foulwind. The Cape Foulwind Walkway zigzags along the cliff tops, from the lighthouse at Cape Foulwind to Tauranga Bay. An alternative route will take you to an historic old railway that used to run from Westport to the Tauranga Bay quarry.
Cape Foulwind, Buller , South Island New Zealand	History John Blackett, Marine Engineer and Captain Robert Johnson, Nautical Advisor selected Cape Foulwind as a lighthouse site during the lighthouse survey of 1874 aboard the Luna. They were unable to land their ship at the Cape, so they landed inland up the Buller River. They cut a track out to the Cape from the Westport/Charleston Road to survey the land. The tower was built from locally cut Rimu timber and the bricks were imported from Melbourne, Australia. The lighting gear came from England and was first lit on September 1, 1876. It had a white revolving light fuelled by kerosene, with eight bulls eye lenses. The wooden tower was found to be suffering from rot, and in 1924 it was replaced with a concrete tower, along with a new lens and an automatic light. The lens came from Birmingham, England and the light from the UK Aga Company. The new automated light was lit in 1926 running on acetone gas, which only needed refuelling every seven months. The keepers were withdrawn. The foundations for the original tower are still visible, along with other remains of the keepers’ houses. The Cape has not seen many shipwrecks. In 1846, Heavy & Brunner, two early explorers, sighted the most famous wreck, the Rifleman, which in 1825 sailed from Hobart, Australia for England. It was loaded with wool and was never heard of again. In 1970 a farmer digging drains near the cape, dug up what appeared to be a ship well above the present high water mark. The timbers found from the ship have been identified as European larch or spruce.