Cuvier Island

Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / image missing template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / area missing

Cuvier Iceland ( Māori: Repanga ) is a small island off the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It lies on the leading to the sea end of the Colville Channel, 15 km north of the Mercury Islands and about 23 km south-east of the Great Barrier Iceland. The island is a conservation area, which is managed by the Department of Conservation and part of a project for the elimination of non-native mammals and the restoration of the original ecosystem of islands of New Zealand is .. Especially the Tieke was settled successfully here again. The island is named after the French naturalist Georges Cuvier.

Lighthouse

The island is a landmark for driving into the Hauraki Gulf ships. On the island is a lighthouse, Cuvier Iceland Lighthouse. The tower was designed by David Scott. The beacon was manufactured in Glasgow by James Milne, the prism optics in France by Barbier and Fenestre. The components were brought in 1887 by the steamer Aorangi the New Zealand Shipping Company to New Zealand. The government owned steamer Stella took over the transport to Cuvier Iceland. Because of the difficult terrain without a suitable investor rails were laid up a steep cliff to transport the parts directly from the ship to stand the tower. The tower was built from 1988 to 1889 and put into operation on 22 September 1989.

Near the tower was located in a sheltered valley, the property of the lighthouse keeper. Until the 1970s, the tower was manned because of its remote location of three guards. Supplies came every three months with a supply ship. In the years 1899 to 1911 pigeons were used for messaging, but this proved to be less reliable. In 1940 the island a radio link.

1939, the tower was equipped with an electric lighting with a power of 1 kW and powered by a diesel generator with energy.

In 1982 he became automated and since then, remotely controlled from the headquarters of the operator and owner, Maritime New Zealand, Wellington. 1996, the power supply was switched to the solar energy and replaces the illumination system, reducing the power consumption of 100 W. The lighthouse has a height of 119 m above the sea and a range of 35 km. His light flashes white every 15 seconds.

The tower itself is a 15 m high cylindrical cast-iron construction and was when it was built, 1889, the first cast iron lighthouse in New Zealand.