WAIPAPA POINT...This lighthouse is situated at a Latitude of 46 degree's 40 min South and at a longitude of 168 degree's 51 min East, This places it to the East of Invercargill,marking the entrance to Foveaux Strait at the southern end of New Zealand .Built as the result of the findings of a court of inquiry in the wreck of the worst shipwreck in NewZealand's history.131 people were drowned when the passenger steamer TARARUA was wrecked off the point on 29 April 1881

The light was ordered from England and a 13 meter-high wooden white tower was constructed at a hight of 21 meters above sea level. Along with the tower, houses were built to house the three keepers, this tower is the last of the wooden lighthouse towers built in NewZealand. The lantern was lit for the first time on New Years day 1884.Its white light flashes five times every 20 seconds with a range of 9 nautical miles(11 kilometres).

Not far from the light is a area that has been set aside known as the Tararua Acre.It is here that the recovered 64 bodies that were recovered from the wreck were laid to rest.

In 1976 the last keeper was withdrawn and solarisation was introduced in 1988. The lantern that was in use for all those years can be seen in a working condition (display set up ) in the Southland Museum in Invercargill.