South Solitary Island Light
Encyclopedia
South Solitary Island Light is an active lighthouse
on South Solitary Island, an island about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) 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.
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 lamp
s 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 192 feet (58.5 m) and was visible for 16 nautical miles (29.6 km).
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 Light
station. 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. This lowered the focal height of the light to the current 190 feet (57.9 m). 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.
3 Amp
lamp with an intensity of 38,000 cd
. It displays a light characteristic of one white flash every five seconds (Fl.W. 5s) and is visible for 15 nautical miles (27.8 km). It is maintained by helicopter.
profile. The internal well is 40 feet (12.2 m) in diameter. The walls taper from 4 in 6 in (1.37 m) at the base to 2 in 3 in (0.6858 m) at the top. The tower is topped by a concrete oversailing cornice
which is capped by the gallery itself, made of sixteen basalt
blocks, each weighting 30 long hundredweights (1,524.1 kg), which were shipped from Melbourne
. The gallery is surrounded by a gunmetal handrail. Three levels of cast iron stairs lead to the lantern room on top of the tower. Attached to the tower is a stores annex.
s' residence consists of one chief keeper cottage and two semidetached assistant keeper cottages. They are made of mass concrete, rendered and painted. The residence is surrounded by high stone walls as protection from weather conditions. A high stone wall also runs from the houses to the lighthouse. There is also a room near the residence which served as a little school house, with a governess teaching the children of the keepers.
Also at the premises are the remains of a 13 metres (42.7 ft) above sea level jetty
, the third to be constructed. The first jetty was constructed in 1878 during the construction of the lighthouse, and was only 5 metres (16.4 ft) high. It was destroyed in 1904 and a larger jetty was built. This second jetty was repaired and reconstructed multiple times, in 1913–1915 and 1932. Finally, the third jetty was built in 1959. The shore end of the jetty was demolished in 1986. the jetty still stands, though most of it has rusted and fallen into the sea. A small storehouse in poor shape stands next to the jetty. The storehouse is the oldest building on the island, being constructed in 1879–1880.
, while the site is managed by the New South Wales Maritime Parks Authority as part of the Solitary Islands Marine Park. It is inaccessible to the public, though it can be seen by boat tours from Coffs Harbour.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
on South Solitary Island, an island about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northeast of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. 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
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
over colza oil
Colza oil
Colza oil is a nondrying oil obtained from the seeds of Brassica rapa, var. oleifera, a variety of the plant that produces turnips. Colza is extensively cultivated in France, Belgium, the United States, the Netherlands and Germany and Poland. In France, especially, the extraction of the oil is an...
, 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 IslandNorth solitary island
North Solitary Island is one of the largest islands found off the New South Wales coast and inside the continental shelf. It is located 40 km north-east of Coffs Harbour and about 13 km east-south-east of Wooli. The island is divided into two sections by a channel...
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
James Barnet
James Johnstone Barnet was the Colonial Architect for New South Wales from 1862 - 1890.-Life and career:Barnet was born at Almericlose, Arbroath, Scotland. The son of a builder, he was educated at the local high school...
, and it is one of three concrete lighthouses built at that period, the others being Smoky Cape Lighthouse
Smoky Cape Lighthouse
Smoky Cape Lighthouse is an active lighthouse located on Smoky Cape, a headland east of the town of South West Rocks, New South Wales, Australia, and within the Hat Head National Park...
and Green Cape Lighthouse
Green Cape Lighthouse
The Green Cape Lighthouse is a lighthouse located at the tip of Green Cape, a headland forming the northern boundary of Disaster Bay, in southern New South Wales, Australia. It is the southernmost lighthouse in New South Wales and Australia's first lighthouse built in concrete. At it is also the...
. 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
Bellingen, New South Wales
Bellingen is a small town on Waterfall Way on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately halfway between the major Australian cities of Sydney and Brisbane...
. Though construction was expected to finish by 1879, as the carving "18VR79" on the keystone
Keystone (architecture)
A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone piece at the apex of a masonry vault or arch, which is the final piece placed during construction and locks all the stones into position, allowing the arch to bear weight. This makes a keystone very important structurally...
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
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
, 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 lamp
Carbide lamp
Carbide lamps, properly known as acetylene gas lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn acetylene which is created by the reaction of calcium carbide with water....
s 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 192 feet (58.5 m) and was visible for 16 nautical miles (29.6 km).
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
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
by steamer
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
every fortnight, weather permitting. Later, supplies arrived more regularly by launch
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
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
Signal lamp
A signal lamp is a visual signaling device for optical communication . Modern signal lamps are a focused lamp which can produce a pulse of light...
or heliograph
Heliograph
A heliograph is a wireless solar telegraph that signals by flashes of sunlight reflected by a mirror. The flashes are produced by momentarily pivoting the mirror, or by interrupting the beam with a shutter...
. A pedal radio
Pedal radio
The Pedal Radio is a radio powered by a pedal-driven generator. It was developed by Alfred Traeger in 1929 as a way of providing radio communications to remote homesteads in the Australian outback. There was no mains or generator power available at the time and batteries to provide the power...
was installed in 1937, enabling communication with the Norah Head Light
Norah Head Light
Norah Head Light is an active lighthouse located at Norah Head, a headland on the Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia, close to Toukley. It is the last lighthouse of the James Barnet style to be built, and the last staffed lighthouse constructed in New South Wales.Officially displayed for the...
station. It was later replaced by a Bendix
Bendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems, aeronautical hydraulics, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers, and which licensed its name for...
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
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
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
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
lantern. This lowered the focal height of the light to the current 190 feet (57.9 m). 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
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
in 1975.
In 2000, the station was transferred to the hands of the National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service is part of the Office of Environment and Heritage - the main government conservation agency in New South Wales, Australia....
. 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.
Current display
The current light source is a solar powered, 12 VVolt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
3 Amp
Ampere
The ampere , often shortened to amp, is the SI unit of electric current and is one of the seven SI base units. It is named after André-Marie Ampère , French mathematician and physicist, considered the father of electrodynamics...
lamp with an intensity of 38,000 cd
Candela
The candela is the SI base unit of luminous intensity; that is, power emitted by a light source in a particular direction, weighted by the luminosity function . A common candle emits light with a luminous intensity of roughly one candela...
. It displays a light characteristic of one white flash every five seconds (Fl.W. 5s) and is visible for 15 nautical miles (27.8 km). It is maintained by helicopter.
Structures
The lighthouse
The tower is 40 feet (12.2 m) from the ground to the lantern, made of mass concrete. Its external plan is round, a unique feature as the later two lighthouses of the same series, at Smoky Cape and Green Cape, used an octagonalOctagonal
Octagonal is a retired champion New Zealand-bred, Australian raced Thoroughbred racehorse, also known as 'The Big O' or 'Occy'. He was by the champion sire Zabeel, out of the champion broodmare Eight Carat, who also produced Group One winners Mouawad, Kaapstad, Diamond Lover and Marquise.Trained...
profile. The internal well is 40 feet (12.2 m) in diameter. The walls taper from 4 in 6 in (1.37 m) at the base to 2 in 3 in (0.6858 m) at the top. The tower is topped by a concrete oversailing cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
which is capped by the gallery itself, made of sixteen basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
blocks, each weighting 30 long hundredweights (1,524.1 kg), which were shipped from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. The gallery is surrounded by a gunmetal handrail. Three levels of cast iron stairs lead to the lantern room on top of the tower. Attached to the tower is a stores annex.
Other structure
The lighthouse keeperLighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
s' residence consists of one chief keeper cottage and two semidetached assistant keeper cottages. They are made of mass concrete, rendered and painted. The residence is surrounded by high stone walls as protection from weather conditions. A high stone wall also runs from the houses to the lighthouse. There is also a room near the residence which served as a little school house, with a governess teaching the children of the keepers.
Also at the premises are the remains of a 13 metres (42.7 ft) above sea level jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
, the third to be constructed. The first jetty was constructed in 1878 during the construction of the lighthouse, and was only 5 metres (16.4 ft) high. It was destroyed in 1904 and a larger jetty was built. This second jetty was repaired and reconstructed multiple times, in 1913–1915 and 1932. Finally, the third jetty was built in 1959. The shore end of the jetty was demolished in 1986. the jetty still stands, though most of it has rusted and fallen into the sea. A small storehouse in poor shape stands next to the jetty. The storehouse is the oldest building on the island, being constructed in 1879–1880.
Site operation and visiting
The light is operated by the Australian Maritime Safety AuthorityAustralian Maritime Safety Authority
Australian Maritime Safety Authority is responsible, on behalf of the Commonwealth Government of Australia, for the regulation and safety oversight of Australia's shipping fleet and management of Australia's international maritime obligations...
, while the site is managed by the New South Wales Maritime Parks Authority as part of the Solitary Islands Marine Park. It is inaccessible to the public, though it can be seen by boat tours from Coffs Harbour.
See also
- List of lighthouses and lightvessels in Australia