Groenrivier Lighthouse

About Groenrivier Lighthouse

The Groenrivier Lighthouse is a 17.2-metre-tall concrete cylindrical tower located at the mouth of the Green River along the remote West Coast of South Africa's Northern Cape province. Commissioned on November 21, 1988, it holds the unique historical distinction of being the last traditional lighthouse constructed along South Africa's coastline. The lighthouse stands out visually for its striking paint scheme, featuring a bright yellow tower with a single black horizontal band and a yellow lantern house, making it one of only two yellow lighthouses in the country.

Standing at a focal plane of 27 metres above the high-water mark, the automated light emits one white flash every five seconds with a range of 26 nautical miles to guide maritime traffic through the notoriously treacherous and fog-dense waters of the Atlantic. Originally operated by diesel generators, the facility was later modernized to utilize solar power as its primary energy source, backed up by a single generator. The lighthouse serves as the southern coastal gateway to the Namaqua National Park and is situated roughly 80 kilometres west of the town of Garies, accessible primarily via unpaved roads and thick sand tracks that require high-clearance or 4x4 vehicles.