[2] Prior to its construction, the Nelson harbour entrance, with its four-metre tidal range and narrow curved channel, was a trap to unwary ship's captains.

[3] The octagonal cast-iron tower was manufactured in sections by Stothert & Pitt, an engineering firm from Bath, England, in 1859 at a cost of £2,824 (equivalent to £357,302 as of 2023).

[5] It is registered with Heritage New Zealand as a category I structure with registration number 41.

[6] Its perch on the natural breakwater makes it popular with tourists.

When it was staffed by lighthouse keepers, a number of homes, other buildings and radio mast clustered around its base.