Wreck Reefs

The Wreck Reefs are located in the southern part of the Coral Sea Islands approximately 450 kilometres (280 mi) east-north-east of Gladstone, Queensland, Australia.

In 1803 Matthew Flinders embarked at Port Jackson as a passenger aboard Porpoise, which had been refitted to carry his collection of plants and papers.

Eight days later (17 August) disaster stuck with Porpoise and Cato striking the uncharted reefs giving cause to the naming of the area.

[citation needed] The coral reefs are situated on the top of a large shield volcano, produced by eruptions of the Tasmantid Seamount Chain.

[citation needed] In 1803 when Matthew Flinders left Port Jackson for the last time in HMS Porpoise, in company with Cato and Bridgewater, he sailed by the Outer Route to Torres Strait.

Flinders presumed that it had belonged to one of Lapérouse's ships but the wrecks of La Boussole and Astrolabe were later discovered off Vanikoro in the Santa Cruz Islands.

[4] Flinders and thirteen others including Captain Parker, rowed back to Sydney in the ship's cutter; this boat was given the name "Hope" and sailing on 26 August to Port Jackson.

[citation needed] During his absence some of his old officers of Investigator—among whom, besides Robert Fowler, were Samuel Flinders and John Franklin—superintended the building of a small, decked ship, which was named Resource.

The " rock " deposit now being removed is much richer than the alluvial ever was The rain water, in passing through the alluvial, drained the phosphates and ammonia through the stratum of sand into the second layer of guano, thus enriching it as a fertiliser, and causing it to solidify after a lapse of time, until, as before stated, it becomes almost as hard as freestone This rock guano is therefore dug out and crushed by a great expenditure of labour.

Guano islands are believed to be thus formed : The coral rock rises above , the sea , and is made the resting-place of countless flocks of birds.

In this way the island gradually rises above the sea level, mid ultimately yields the product which fertilises the exhausted soil of the agriculturist.

Hitherto cargoes have been obtained with considerable risk, but a new mooring ground is about to be prepared where vessels will be able to lie with perfect safety alongside the wharf, inside the reef which .encircles the island.

It is believed that there are other deposits of guano in the neighbourhood of Wreck Reef, and in consequence Mr, Strachan has been commissioned to explore some other islands in the vicinity.

In 1965 after extensive research and only fifteen minutes of actual diving Ben Cropp & Jiri Hrbac found the wreck sites of Cato and Porpoise.