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South Solitary Island Light is an active lighthouse on South Solitary Island, an island within the Solitary Islands Marine Park, about northeast of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. The lighthouse is located at the summit of the island. It is considered the most isolated lighthouse on the New South Wales coast. It was first in New South Wales to use kerosene over colza oil, and the last to do so before converting to electric power. ==History== Suggestions for a lighthouse near Coffs Harbour were made as early as 1856, with locations proposed on either North Solitary Island or South Solitary Island. It was the ship masters' preference that set the location to be South Solitary. The lighthouse was designed by Colonial Architect James Barnet, and it is one of three concrete lighthouses built at that period, the others being Smoky Cape Lighthouse and Green Cape Lighthouse. Barnet had personally visited the island in October 1877 to determine the best locations for the buildings and the sources for materials. Cement and sand for the construction were transported to the island at harsh conditions, while broken stone was quarried on the island itself. Timber came in small vessels from Bellingen. Though construction was expected to finish by 1879, as the carving "18VR79" on the keystone over the entry doorway suggests, it was first exhibited on 18 March 1880. The original lens was a Chance Bros. 1st order dioptric Fresnel lens, the second of its type to be used in Australia. It is currently at the Coffs Harbour Regional Museum, though the museum is currently in interim home due to water damage sustained during a storm in March 2009. The original light source was a kerosene burner, the first of its kind in New South Wales, rather than colza oil one as used by other lighthouses of that period. As other lighthouses upgraded to kerosene and later to Carbide lamps and finally to electricity, South Solitary remained kerosene operated until 1975, thus being the last to use kerosene in New South Wales as well. The light was displayed at a focal height of and was visible for . As of 1934, the intensity of the light was 205,000 cd and the light characteristic was one flash every 30 seconds (Fl W 30s). Conditions at the locations were harsh due to both the island's isolation and to weather conditions. Originally supplies were sent from Sydney by steamer every fortnight, weather permitting. Later, supplies arrived more regularly by launch from Coffs Harbour. Due to the slopes, supplies were taken off the launch in a basket lowered by a crane, then hauled up a steep concrete path. The living quarters were lit by kerosene until the 1950s, and coal was used for heating and cooking. Communications with the mainland was originally done by a signal lamp or heliograph. A pedal radio was installed in 1937, enabling communication with the Norah Head Lightstation. It was later replaced by a Bendix radio. Keepers children were taught at first by a governess which was employed by the keepers, and later through correspondence. In May 1942, during the Second World War, the lighthouse was extinguished for the only time during its entire lifetime. This was due to several vessels which were torpedoed by enemy submarines near the island. In 1974 the flagstaff was removed and a helipad was constructed. On 22 August 1975 the lighthouse was finally electrified and automated. It was officially demanned on 28 December of that year. The lens was replaced with a modern lens and the lantern was replaced with a workshop designed fibreglass and aluminium lantern.〔. While states this occurred with the demanning, states this occurred in 1976. As demanning was at 28 December, this very well may be the case.〕 This lowered the focal height of the light to the current .〔''List of Lights''〕 The old lantern was transported to the Coffs Harbour Regional Museum with a RAAF Chinook helicopter on 7 September 1977. The lighthouse was later converted to solar power in 1975. In 2000, the station was transferred to the hands of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. In 2004, the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water spent $440,000 AUD restoring the buildings and making them weatherproof, secure and better protected from the elements, but not suitable for accommodation. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「South Solitary Island Light」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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