The Dunedin Railway Station is one of New Zealand’s most iconic architectural landmarks, renowned for its Edwardian design and its symbolic role in the country’s rapid railway expansion during the late 19th century. Salmond Reed Architects spearheaded the conservation efforts to repair and maintain the building’s exterior on behalf of Dunedin City Council.
The cast iron structure is 35 feet (11.5 metres) in height and was manufactured by Chas. Judd Ltd. Iron Foundry and Engineers in Thames. The lens is a rare example of a first order Fresnell lens, and the prisms were made in The Chance Brothers Glassworks, Birmingham.
Maintaining the lighthouse in good condition is a constant challenge due to difficulties with access and the extremely exposed location. The lighthouse keeper’s cottage (now utilised as a tramping hut) was repaired and repainted in 2023, and the lighthouse exterior was repainted in 2024 and over the next few years the aim is to repair and conserve the interior of the lighthouse, including the lantern under the guidance of Salmond Reed Architects.
