The Portland Island Lighthouse on Marine Parade is Wairoa's most distinctive landmark — a solid kauri structure built in 1878 and now standing on the town's riverbank rather than its original island location. The kauri construction is unusual: most lighthouses of the era used brick or iron, and the quality of the wood means it has survived 150 years in excellent condition.
The lighthouse stands at the start of the Heritage Trails Walk along Marine Parade, which also passes the birthsite of Sir James Carroll — the first Maori member of a New Zealand cabinet and acting Prime Minister twice between 1909 and 1911 — and the remnants of the old river wharves from Wairoa's days as an active port. The walk takes about an hour at a leisurely pace.