Elizabeth Reef

Despite the relatively high latitude, a wide variety of flora and fauna exists on the reef and in the surrounding waters due to their location where tropical and temperate ocean currents converge.

[2] David Blackburn, who had previously been the master of HMS Supply, had first sighted and named Middleton Reef (and was thus aware of it) in September 1788 what was then called Golden Grove shoal The Golden Grove, on her return to this port, saw a very dangerous reef, the south end of which, according to the observation of Mr. Blackburn, (the master of the Supply,) who commanded her for the voyage, lay in the latitude of 29° 25' South, and longitude 159° 29' East.

This morning at day light we were close upon the an extensive reef which stretched from abaft the beam to nearly ahead, we were to leeward of it, and perhaps may think ourselves fortunate that the wind had been foul as we most likely should have run upon it during the night; for it did not appear that Capt.

The east side of this reef lies about SSW and NNE one mile, but the greatest extent appeared to be from the ESE to WNW.

The whole does not seem to be more than 3 miles in circumference having deep water within, and forming nearly a quadrangular the edges of which (with the exception of a few rocks are covered and the sea runs high over them.

[15] On 2 September 1853 HMS Herald again departed Sydney and arrived at Lord Howe Island on the 5th with the intention of surveying Elizabeth Reef but was prevented by boisterous weather and so sailed out further into the Pacific Ocean.

[19] After the wreck of the Colonist in 1870, a lifeboat was moored in the lagoon to support future ship-wrecked sailors, by providing provisions, medical supplies, charts, and compasses.

[20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Surveys by the Australian Institute of Marine Science have highlighted a healthy number of black cod Epinephelus daemelii, a threatened species[27] in New South Welsh waters.

According to the National Shipwrecks Database, the ships stranded at Elizabeth Reef include: Britannia was wrecked on 25 August 1806 and was a 301 burthen ton full-rigged whaler built in 1783 in Bridport, England, and owned by the whaling firm Samuel Enderby & Sons.

A longboat was sent to the nearest port under Captain Birkenshaw (formerly of the Minerva who was a passenger) After a passage of 5 days they made Port Macquarie[40] On 5 December HMS Acheron under Lieutenant Augustus George Donston Huthwaite was dispatched from Sydney to the wreck [41] The second Master Napoleon Sewell advised that the vessel had arrived at the site of the wreck on the 9th and brought back 6 stranded crew and learnt that on the 30th the Whaling Barque Jane had taken off 17 of the passengers and crew and that the schooner Aeolus had taken 4 passengers and 3 crew on 5 December.

The Acheron reported the location of the Tyrian as 29 53 30S 159 3 30E and the Roseta Joseph as 29 52 30S 158 55 0E [42] With the Roseta Joseph reported as lying 4+1⁄2 miles from the Tyrian[43] The 75 ton schooner William and James was reported to be salvaging the Tyrian in January 1852 where an entrance had been found in the reef to the NE with a large harbor where anchoring was done in 15 fathoms and 7 fathoms over the bar entrance at low tide [44][45] The Packet, a whaling vessel, was wrecked at midnight during gale on 24 February 1857 The 25-metre brigantine with a Captain Davidson was on voyage to Sydney with a cargo of whale oil, 150 barrels and a crew of 26 was built at Prince Edward Island in Canada in 1849 and was owned by Messers Mitchell & Co [46] [47] In January 1858 it was reported that captain Doolittle of the American Whaler Phantom (brig) was seen off Elizabeth Reef lying at anchor near the wreck of the Packet where he had secured a large quantity of the wreck and was burning it to get at the copper bolts [48] The Douglas was wrecked on the SE extremity of the fringing reef at Elisabeth Reef on 8 May 1869.

The Norwegian fully rigged ship was owned at the time of her loss by Marcussen Jens M. A., Risor and was on a voyage from Salavery, Peru to Sydney in ballast.

The mate's boat, after six trying days and nights, reached Yamba, Clarence Heads whilst the captains arrived at Nouméa.